10 Advantages and Disadvantages of Social Media for Society

Updated January 24, 2024
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Social media has grown tremendously in the last few years. From 2006 onwards the growth rate is unexpectedly very high. Specially Facebook, Twitter, Tiktok, Snapchat and Instagram have grown much faster and captured millions of users in just a few years. The way technology is growing, it is obvious that more and more people are going to grasp its benefits. It has brought a lot of advantages for the society. From progressed nations to under-developed countries, every nation is utilizing the power of social media to enhance life and use it for the bitterness of the people.

However, on the other hand it has also affected the society in the negative way. Just like anything which can be used for both good and bad, social media have also provided the negative and positive ways for the people. It is all about the usage and getting things done positively by using the power of social media. It is in the hands of the user to use to its advantage. But willingly or unwillingly it can still have negative impacts on the users. Today in this article I am going to discuss both the advantages and disadvantages of the social media for the society.

Let’s start with the disadvantages first, because the advantages are numerous and everything is perceived to have a positive effect unless it is used negatively.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Social Media

10 Disadvantages of Social Media for the Society

1:- Cyberbullying – According to a report published by PewCenter.org most of the children have become victims of the cyberbulling over the past. Since anyone can create a fake account and do anything without being traced, it has become quite easy for anyone to bully on the Internet. Threats, intimidation messages and rumors can be sent to the masses to create discomfort and chaos in the society. This research shows that approximately 1 in 20 students commits suicide in cyberbullying cases.

2: – Hacking – Personal data and privacy can easily be hacked and shared on the Internet. Which can make financial losses and loss to personal life. Similarly, identity theft is another issue that can give financial losses to anyone by hacking their personal accounts. Several personal twitter and Facebook accounts have been hacked in the past and the hacker had posted materials that have affected the individuals personal lives.  This is one of the dangerous disadvantages of the social media and every user is advised to keep their personal data and accounts safe to avoid such accidents.

3:- Addiction – The addictive part of the social media is very bad and can disturb personal lives as well. The teenagers are the most affected by the addiction of the social media. They get involved very extensively and are eventually cut off from the society. It can also waste individual time that could have been utilized by productive tasks and activities.

4:- Fraud and Scams – Several examples are available where individuals have scammed and commit fraud through the social media. For example, this list contains the 5 social media scams that are done all the time.

5:- Security Issues – Now a day’s security agencies have access to people personal accounts. Which makes the privacy almost compromised. You never know when you are visited by any investigation officer regarding any issue that you mistakenly or unknowingly discussed over the internet.

6:- Reputation – Social media can easily ruin someone’s reputation just by creating a false story and spreading across the social media. Similarly businesses can also suffer losses due to bad reputation being conveyed over the social media.

7:- Cheating and Relationship Issues – Most of the people have used the social media platform to propose and marry each other. However, after some time they turn to be wrong in their decision and part ways. Similarly, couples have cheated each other by showing the fake feelings and incorrect information.

8:- Health Issues – The excess usage of social media can also have a negative impact on the health. Since exercise is the key to lose weight, most of the people get lazy because of the excessive use of social networking sites. Which in result brings disorder in the routine life. This research by seeker will shock you by showing how bad your health can be affected by the use of the social media.

9:- Social Media causes death – Not just by using it, but by following the stunts and other crazy stuffs that are shared on the internet. For example bikers doing the unnecessary stunts, people doing the jump over the trains and other life threatening stuffs. For example in this video 14 year old from Mumbai was doing stunts on a running train which caused his death. These types of stunts are performed by the teenagers because of the successful stunts made and shared over the social media.

10:- Glamorizes Drugs and Alcohol – One of the disadvantages of the social media is that people start to follow others who are wealthy or drug addicted and share their views and videos on the web. Which eventually inspires others to follow the same and get addicted to the drugs and alcohol.

10 Advantages of Social Media for the Society

1:- Connectivity – The first and main advantage of the social media is connectivity. People from anywhere can connect with anyone. Regardless of the location and religion. The beauty of social media is that you can connect with anyone to learn and share your thoughts.

2:- Education – Social media has a lot of benefits for the students and teachers. It is very easy to educate from others who are experts and professionals via the social media. You can follow anyone to learn from him/her and enhance your knowledge about any field. Regardless of your location and education background you can educate yourself, without paying for it.

3:- Help – You can share your issues with the community to get help and giddiness. Whether it is helping in term of money or in term of advice, you can get it from the community you are connected with.

4:- Information and Updates – The main advantage of the social media is that you update yourself from the latest happenings around in the world. Most of the time, Television and print media these days are biased and does not convey the true message. With the help of social media you can get the facts and true information by doing some research.

5:- Promotion – Whether you have an offline business or online, you can promote your business to the largest audience. The whole world is open for you, and can promote to them. This makes the businesses profitable and less expensive, because most of the expenses made over a business are for advertising and promotion. This can be decreased by constantly and regularly involving on the social media to connect with the right audience.

6:- Noble Cause – Social media can also be used for the noble causes. For example, to promote an NGO, social welfare activities and donations for the needy people. People are using social media for donation for needy people and it can be a quick way to help such people.

7:- Awareness – Social media also create awareness and innovate the way people live. It is the social media which has helped people discover new and innovative stuffs that can enhance personal lives. From farmers to teachers, students to lawyers every individual of the society can benefit from the social media and its awareness factor.

8:- Helps Govt and Agencies Fight Crime- It is also one of the advantages of the social media that it helps Governments and Security Agencies to spy and catch criminals to fight crime.

9:- Improves Business Reputation – Just like it can ruin any business reputation, It can also improve business sales and reputation. Positive comments and sharing about a company can help them with sales and goodwill. Since people are free to share whatever they want on the social media, it can impact positively when good words are shared.

10:- Helps in Building Communities – Since our world has different religions and beliefs. Social media helps in building and participating in the community of own religion and believes to discuss and learn about it. Similarly, people of different communities can connect to discuss and share related stuffs. For example Game lover can join games related communities, car lover can join communities related to cars and so on.

These are some of the advantages and disadvantages of social media for the society. However, these are the enough advantages and disadvantages to decide which way to go on the social media.

73 comments

  • Phoo Myat Eaint

    Ohh! really thanks to your article. I’ve to write a homework essay about the advantages and disadvantages of using social media. Your article is really helpful to me. Thanks a lot sweetie. :>

  • Hassan Abdullahi

    I am very happy with this wonderful page,as a result of visited this page I learned more about the advantage and disadvantage of social media thank you .

  • Yawar Gulzar Baba

    Thank you for sharing such a great article 🤗

  • Glenn Joven

    Hello, I would like to cite the information and the page where the advantages and disadvantages were written. Is there any specific book to read about this information?

    Thank you.

  • Mohamid Ahmad El

    I like this website because i got to know more about social media and helped me pass one of my PBA’s for English class, I barely use social media so its useful to know this info. 🙂

  • Rina Slusnyte

    Lovely article with lots of insights! Thanks for sharing

    There are countless benefits of social media…

    Here are the main benefits of Social Media for Businesses

    1*. You reach large audiences (hello, world)

    2*.A direct connection with your audience

    3*. Paid advertising services (Facebook has shocking amount of data about us all…which businesses could use to achieve their Business Goals.Yes, with the latest Apple iOS 14 updates, it will definitely impact Facebook ad effectiveness)

    4*.Helps to build your brand

    5*.Another source to drive traffic to your website

    6*.Improve your customer experience (answer their questions faster on places they spend time the most)

    7*.Gives you valuable insights about your Buyer Persona

    and more….

    The biggest disadvantages of Social Media is that it is not your platforms. We are only Guests.

    You can be banned anytime -like Facebook banning ads very often for no reasons, you Youtube can suspend you channel for no reason too…

    or…

    any media platform could be gone anytime….so if somebody puts the time and yes, money, imagine the feeling waking up to learn your profile with huge following is no longer there….

    With so many platforms gone already:

    Google+

    DailyBooth

    FriendFeed

    iTunes Ping

    Google Wave & Google Buzz

    Meerkat

    Friendster

    Yik Yak

    Vine

    To Your Success

    Rina Slusnyte

  • Thank you So much Bilal Ahmad!This was very helpful for my seminar.Very Well Done.Keep it up Sir,and this article is very nice….Thanks for sharing.

    • It was very helpful … It make aware people.. ho honestly it changes me

  • Olaleye Deborah

    Iam working on this point in school but this point has really confused me a lot

  • I like this website because i got to know more about social media and helped me pass one of my PBA’s for English class,I myself barely use social media so its useful to know this info.

  • Mary Eloh

    I fear for our children, because of socialMedia, the way they talk and things they even do when they are alone. Thanks for sharing

  • This is very help to the people to have an experienced of social media and lots of know about it . These pros and cons Which are written above are the most benefit to get deeper knowledge about the social media .?

  • Tashi Namgay

    Its a very helpful piece of writing. I was in search of statistics which one is more numerous but after i read the information that you had shared in your blogs i came to conclude that its all depend on personal ways of using yhe social media platforms. Thank you for the information .
    Stay immune?

  • As long as you use social media wisely and be responsible enough on your actions these platforms can be a great tool in our everyday lives. Always think before you click.

  • I am a student who is working on this topic. Even though the topic may seem easier to go about but the way you sir specifically justify the disadvantage got me overwhelm as i for one am directly and indirectly affected by these sites on social media and what it has done to my generation and those yet to come.I hope to be reading more of your educational blogs.
    P.S such a magnificent piece of writing.

  • Turia.B

    This really help me with my discussion essay

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