Facebook has become such an integral part of our everyday life, most of us cannot imagine the world without it. However, there are also those who consider it to be one of the modern plagues and try to remain as far away from it as possible. Whether you are already using the site to remain connected with friends or family members who no longer live close and your sharing personal information, or you’re considering joining the bandwagon, the site has a variety of pros and con which you should take a closer look at.
Pros:
Easy To Use
Facebook is so easy to use even your grandmother has a profile by now! Whenever they decide to update something, they provide the users with a handy tutorial in form of a guided tour. The creation of a profile is also quite simple and users are able to connect with old friends e.g. by providing information about which schools they’ve attended and past jobs they have held, which is super convenient.
Learning Experiences
If Facebook is being used correctly, it can serve as a great tool for learning more about the world around you, as well as gaining access to viewpoints that are different from your own. There are many interesting groups you can join, which will help you to connect with people who have similar interests to yours and allow you to have an in depth conversation without being forced to leave your living room! What’s more, Facebook can even help you with your expenses, as thanks to fast access to the newest feed from your favorite restaurants or shops you can get info about special occasions or coupons – many popular stores such as Neiman Marcus or Target offer deals you could certainly benefit from, if you only know about them.
Making New Friends
The only limit to the friendships that you can make on Facebook is your own imagination. It helps to break isolation and gives you a chance to meet new people and become friends. From there you can just choose the time and place and meet these fresh acquaintances in person! Social media meetups are becoming increasingly common and the stigma of meeting people from the Internet is rapidly diminishing.
Cons:
Addiction
We all have that friend who cannot resist checking their Facebook page every five minutes, desperate to collect as many likes and comments on their statuses as possible. There are also those who become addicted to Facebook games, such as e.g. Candy Crush. Such behavior is downright harmful to our lives, addiction is a common issue and this problem should not be taken lightly.
Cyber Bullying
Kids with Facebook accounts do not have the option of leaving school each day and forgetting about bullies at least in the privacy of their own home. Thanks to social media, bullies are now able to continue their harassment long after the school day has ended in a format that strips school administrators of their power to stop it. Also, the phenomenon is not limited to children, which makes the number of people possibly hurt by cyber bullying even bigger.
Offensive Content
Users are able to post anything that they see fit and while others can report content that is offensive, this does not stop a child or a sensitive person from seeing it before it has been removed. To make matters worse, it is possible to post offensive content and tag your friends in the post, which forces them to see it, whether they want to or not.
As you can see, there are many factors that need to be considered. With a proper approach, though, everything can be used as a force of good. The choice is yours!