Positive Aspects of Social Media and the Internet

Contemporary society is marred by innovative technology in the paradigms of the internet and social media. In an evolving society, social interaction among people is exponentially related to the availability of the Internet. The Internet facilitates social networking and updated knowledge for people all around the world. The Internet provides platforms for people to access different websites, such as social media websites, to communicate/ socially interact with people anywhere and anytime. Social media websites such as “Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook” are also known as mass media tools that provide multiple online services for social interaction via the internet. This essay intends to unveil the positive aspects of social media and the internet in terms of the formation of social identity and social interaction and mitigate the communication gap during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Firstly, social media and the usage of the internet facilitate people to recognize and form their social identity. Ifinedo’s research study implies that people use social media persistently to gain identity formation, entertainment, social enhancement, and maintain social connections. In other words, social media and the internet assist in identity recognition, social interaction, and interaction for people. Social media impacts a person’s mind in a way that he or she lives, thinks, or acts according to trends formed by social media. Social networking and the use of the internet shape a person’s social well-being when face-to-face social networking is diminishing. Social media provides a digital platform for people to construct their social identity and seek social validation for self-expression and entertainment.

Secondly, social interaction is also one of the key components of the platform of Internet and social media. Social media networking sites give people a chance to reconnect with their old companions, partners, and peers without any geographical limitations. People from all around the world can instantly send and receive messages by using these social networking sites via the internet. It additionally causes individuals to make new companions and share content, pictures, music, and recordings among them. Social media has transformed our society into a global village. Social media has enabled us to stay connected to our family and loved ones regardless of any circumstances. Furthermore, interaction and communication with people through social media and the internet enhance our awareness of social trends, politics, current affairs, and promotions and keep us up to date with contemporary scenarios.

Lastly, the internet and social media have played an exponential role in mitigating the social and communication gap between people during the global pandemic of coronavirus. During the lockdown and the implication of social distancing, people connected with their families and loved ones through the internet and social media. Social media helped people overcome their loneliness and depression due to lockdown and social distancing. Social media has played a massive role in enlightening people with precautionary measures and medical guidelines for self-isolation by publishing circumstantial information related to coronavirus (Hernández and Giménez). Social media spreads awareness among people by publishing standard operating procedures given by medical organizations (e.g., World Health Organization).

In a nutshell, the platforms of social media and the internet have become a part of the daily routine in every individual’s life. Technological developments in the field of the internet and social media have played an important role in the field of education, professional careers, recognizing social identity, and socialization during the global pandemic Covid-19. With the evolving society, social media and the usage of the internet have become a necessity for people. People interact and communicate with their friends and family regardless of distance issues. Social media has an immense significance in constructing personal and social identity according to the viral social media trends. The positive aspects of social media are determined on individuals’ contrarily depending upon their own decisions and choices.

Works Cited

Hernández-García, Ignacio, and Teresa Giménez-Júlvez. “Assessment of health information about COVID-19 prevention on the internet: infodemiological study.” JMIR public health and surveillance 6.2 (2020): e18717.

Ifinedo, Princely. “Applying uses and gratifications theory and social influence processes to understand students’ pervasive adoption of social networking sites: Perspectives from the Americas.” International Journal of Information Management 36.2 (2016): 192-206.

Siddiqui, Shabnoor, and Tajinder Singh. “Social media its impact with positive and negative aspects.” International Journal of Computer Applications Technology and Research 5.2 (2016): 71-75.