The Positive and Negative Effects of Social Media – Paula Ghete

Technology is shaping our lives every day in ways we don’t even understand. But we have to be aware of the negative effects technology can have on our lives and we need to learn how to limit them.

According to some estimates, the number of people connected to the internet in 2016 was 3.4 billion people.1 That number may have risen to  4.3 billion people in March 2019.2 And this number will continue to rise in the future.

Many of us use the internet on a daily basis. We use our computers to browse the web and watch Netflix. We use our cell phones to scroll down on Instagram and post on stories. And many of us spend hours on these devices every single day.

That’s why we need to talk about technology – mostly about social media. Like almost anything – social media are tools that we can use in different ways. We can use them for good and in a way that improves our lives. We can also use it for more nefarious reasons and in ways that make us more miserable.

Let’s talk about the good and the bad of social media. In order to put things in perspective, we need to understand in what ways social media can make our lives better – or worse. I will share a list of positive and negative effects of social media. This list is definitely not exhaustive, but it is enough to help you realize the power social media can have. And then, it’s up to you to decide if you want to change the way you use this platforms or not.