Positives & Negatives of Social Networking Portals for Students

Updated October 6, 2023
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Social networking portals are not new; they have been in use since years. However, folks in their teenage years are the ones who are making maximum utilization of such portals.

But, are social networking sites good for students or not? There have been different opinions on this topic. Proponents of social networking portals believe them to be the ideal platforms for students that help them in exploring best educational practices. Despite the benefits, the opponents argue that such portals can have a bad impact on students.

Social Networking Portals

Every year a number of polls have been conducted asking questions from parents, teachers and students to give their view on use of social networking portals. Even then, finding a middle ground has rather become a challenge for all.

Simply put, while social networking portals seems useful for students, they can also be harmful for students. Let’s have a look at the few positives and negatives of social networking portals:

Positives of Social Networking Portals

Enhances Social Interactions and Connections:

Traditional face-to-face communication is no longer used today. Instead, social media websites have become a useful tool for students that support interaction among students, teachers barring the constraints that existed in the traditional communication methods.  Don’t have the time to come face-to-face to carry on a discussion with a teacher or your fellow classmates.

Well, you just need to log onto a social media platform or online forum to have a chat with the teacher and ask him/her questions and receive instant clarifications.

A Great Stress-Buster

Had a long tiring day at your school? Or are tensed about something related to your education? Social Networking portals like Facebook, Twitter, etc. let you share your mental stress with your friends and peers. Thus, a social networking portal provides students with a great way to entertain them after a busy daily routine.

Social Portals Positive

Let’s you Stay Connected

Many students often travel far to acquire higher standard of education. However, social networking portal makes it easier to keep students stay in touch with their family and friends, particularly if they live far away.

Negatives of Social Networking Portals:

Diverts Learning

Social networking critics believe that social networking portals divert a student from learning, and rather engage them into unnecessary group chats and gossips. In simple words, a social networking portal can divert a student’s interest from learning by connecting them to some community outside the learning community.

Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying has become a big problem, as everything is being performed behind a screen. Most of the people often take advantage of the fact that no one can uncover their identity and stop the bullying when it happens.

Time-Consuming

A lot of students today are increasingly becoming dependent on the Internet. With diverse educational forums, ebooks, educational guest topics etc. being available on the educational sites, students often get so engrossed in finding the best that they may wind up spending the entire day behind the screen, thereby wasting their precious time.

For years, there has been an ongoing debate about the impact that social networking portals have on students. The coming year 2014 is going to be no exception, with some believing that these portals act as a great educational tool and a perfect platform for digital learners. The social networking critics, on the other hand, stick to the belief that social networking portals outweigh the benefits. Well, the decision seems to be dodgy!

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