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It can be light-hearted and funny -

Social media content can be funny. Think of all the accounts that post silly videos of cats behaving like humans or whatever makes you giggle. Laughing is good for our health and well-being.

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Connecting with people all around the world -

With social media, we have the opportunity to be connected with people from all around the world. We can hear from and learn about cultures that we may never get to experience.

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Recipes -

We can find great recipes on social media that we may never see on our bookshelf. Videos are often much easier to follow because we can watch and hear what we’re supposed to be doing.

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Online communities - We can foster and engage in practically any kind of community online with social media, no matter how left of center our interests may be.

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We can keep in touch -

On this note, social media has made it easy for us to stay in touch with people that we may not see in person, whether it be family or school friends.

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We can be informed -

By connecting with so many people worldwide, we can learn more about the kinds of issues that they’re dealing with, which is just one of the avenues of social media that help us be more in tune socially and politically.

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We can show solidarity - Furthermore, we can show solidarity with other people and become aware of and organize ourselves to battle against injustices.

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We can organize and attend events in solidarity -

For example, many events which support the LGBTQ community wouldn’t be possible without social media, which may inform us about the meaning of a protest and a place and time to meet.

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We can organize and attend events in solidarity -

It brings people together in ways that we could never have imagined without it. During 2020 alone, the Black Lives Matter Foundation garnered tremendous support following the murder of George Floyd.

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We can get together and socialize -

As well as being a platform for organizing political and social action, it’s also a tool that we use to manage social events in our lives with group chats that help us get together.

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Social media for business -

Businesses thrive from it because they can promote their brands and sell online. This goes for concerts and other events too. Because most businesses are online, it allows customers to interact with them and shape the kinds of products and services available to them from the ground up.

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Online dating -

Online dating sites and apps are shaping the romantic lives of people all around the world. According to The Knot 2019 Jewelry and Engagement study, 22% of engagements are couples who met online.

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We can be inspired -

You can learn new skills and ways of living on social media. It's a bit of a stereotype, but it is true that watching somebody doing their daily yoga routine on Instagram may inspire you to do the same.

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Online classes on social media -

Furthermore, there are virtually endless social media accounts that you can learn yoga, guitar, poetry, and every other skill you can think of from.

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The news -

We live in the age of information. It has never been so easy to be informed about what’s going on, and it’s often free. But be careful to filter between the facts and misinformation in the digital age.

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Social media can be an outlet for creators -

Social media can be an outlet for creativity. It can be a great driving agent to know that whatever they are creating has an audience, no matter how small it may be. Even if they’re posting photos they took and two people see them, it’s better than no one at all.

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Social media for work and careers -

In terms of careers, it’s a gold mine. Jobs are posted on social media websites, and application processes are done online. LinkedIn is classified as a social media network, for example.

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It can be great for students -

There are social media sites for everything these days. Students especially have the world at their fingertips. They can find tutors and other students looking to do a language exchange very quickly, for instance.

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For the practical aspects of life -

If we move to a new city, we can get real people’s opinions about some neighborhoods that may be suitable to live in. We can also find an apartment to rent on social media.

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For the practical aspects of life -

For example, the online marketplace on Facebook is fantastic for buying any product that we need secondhand and for cheap.

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It can be useful for older generations -

Older generations can use social media to stay in touch with younger generations with social media, who have a voice on these platforms.

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Social media and technology is useful for fighting crime -

Governments are using social media to fight crime. While it's true that there are predators lurking on social media, it's also true that if something happens to you the authorities can gather information on social media in an emergency.

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Social media in government and politics -

Governments also have the opportunity to note what people in a society want and need because of the stories and opinions they share on social media.

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It's a doubled=edged sword -

Like with most things in life, social media is not good or bad. It’s how it’s used (including by the tech giants behind these platforms) that makes it a force for good or something that creates and perpetuates problems.

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Addiction -

Addiction to social media is a significant issue. It's tied to all sorts of mental health issues and isn’t to be taken lightly.

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Overuse of social media -

The overuse of social media can lead to us having a short attention span. This can affect our ability to carry out our work or studies, and even cause problems in our relationships.

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Self-worth and self -esteem -

Watching people with seemingly perfect lives can make us feel worthless in comparison, and negatively affect our self-esteem.

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We may only expose ourselves to one side of the story politically and socially -

Politically and socially, because we only consume the content shared by pages we choose to follow based on our outlook and interests, it can act as an echo chamber for information. It's just one of the many things we have to consider when weighing the good and bad of social media.

Sources: (Smart Social) (The Knot)

See also: A brief history of social media

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