Social media has done more harm than good

(Syed Shamsher Ali Gilani, Lahore)

Is it true that social media has done more harm than good. Prior to enumerating the positive and
negative effects of social media ? It will be rather more appropriate to define and understand the
meanings of social media.

According to Babylon dictionary, social media is the social interaction among people in which they
create, share or exchange information and ideas in virtual communities and networks by using electronic
media devices such as computer, tablets cellular phone etc..

Andreas Kaplan and Michael Haenlein define [in their article "Users of the world, unite! The challenges
and opportunities of social media". Business Horizons Volume 53 (1). p. 61 ] social media as "a group of
Internet-based applications that build on the ideological and technological foundations of Web and that
allow the creation and exchange of user-generated content." Furthermore, social media depend on
mobile and web-based technologies to create highly interactive platforms through which individuals and
communities share, co-create, discuss, and modify user-generated contents. They introduce substantial
and pervasive changes to communication between organizations, communities, and individuals. These
changes are the focus of the emerging field of techno self studies. Social media differ from traditional or
industrial media in many ways, including quality, reach, frequency, usability, immediacy and
permanence. Social media operates in a dialogic transmission system, (many sources to many
receivers).This is in contrast to traditional media that operates under a monologue transmission model
(one source to many receivers).

According to Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia, social media is a new way to communicate and
share information among friends, family, colleagues and even public at large online, as well as meeting
people with similar interests. Social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are being used
regularly by millions of people worldwide.

Broadly social media can be defined and refer to all inexpensive and widely accessible electronic tools
that enable anyone to publish and access information, collaborate on a common effort, or build
relationships
In order to determine that up to what extent social media has played its vital role for the betterment of
our society and inflicted harm to the social values of society, I will examine and analyze both the aspects.

Social media has caused good for the betterment of our society Upholders who argue and plead that
social media has caused good for uplifting the society enumerate following points of merit in favor of
their version;

a) Social media has turned the entire world into a global village.

b) Due to social media people at large can share and exchange their views and even can discuss their
problems more easily, which the result they can not only solve their problems but also gain more
knowledge

c) Social media has saved our time in interacting with the persons who are very far from us.

d) People are updated and well acquainted with the current affairs of the world.

e) We can judge liking and disliking of people about a particular matter and even authentic voting for
determining any public issue has become very easy.

f) Social media is very helpful in acquiring education, learning skills and latest knowledge.

g) Social media is also useful to facilitate, organize and demonstrate political movements.

h) Social media has caused awareness in people about their social and legal rights.

i) Due to social media people are more social and are not isolated as before.

Social media has inflicted harm and caused adverse effects on our society.

On the other hand many social reformers and scholars are of the view that social media enormously
caused harm to our society and its social values. They have narrated following points of demerit in favor
of their version;

a) There has been a dramatic decrease in face-to-face interactions, with the result, people have become
more isolated and introverted.
b) Due to social media people spend lot of time in front of monitors and use tablets and cellular phones;
resultantly they are becoming more lethargic and inactive in real life.

c) Due to constant sitting, they are being victim of many diseases such as obesity, osteoarthritis, high
blood pressure (hypertension), raise in cholesterol level (hyperlipidemia), cardiac arrhythmia, edema,
flatulency and dyspepsia.

d) Due to constant visionary pressure eye sight of many persons is becoming weaker. Similarly retention
power to memorize the things is also becoming weaker day-by-day.

e) Due to overwhelming occupation in social media activities at night, timings of sleeping have been
changed. Many people are used to awake up at late timings instead of early in the morning,. In other
words social media has adversely changed our life style.

f) Due to more social media platforms many people especially adolescents are used to view obscene and
lascivious literature, video clips which subsequently is causing considerable decline in moral values of the
society especially our young generation is being

affected adversely. Owing to this reason affected people especially youngsters have developed
psychopathic and sociopathic attitude resulting in sexual crimes like rape and sodomy.

g) Due to frequent chatting through SMS or, direct messages of Facebook or any other social media, not
only youngsters but also elders have enormously spoiled their skill of writing proper language. People
are used to write without taking into consideration proper usage of grammar, punctuation, spellings,
structure of sentence and give more emphasis to the use of phonetic and vocal expression. Similarly use
of Roman Urdu has been enhanced to greater extent Even they don’t write Roman Urdu in a proper
sequence. Resultantly, writing skill including grammar, punctuation, spellings, structure of sentence has
been distorted.

h) Due to overwhelming involvement and occupation in social media activities youngsters are becoming
aloof and isolated from elders and are becoming victim of introversion rather than being extroverted for
leading normal social life.

Conclusion

We must also take into consideration this inevitable fact that we are Muslims and are living in an Islamic
society having our own traditional values and religious obligations. Moreover, we are also living in a
society wherein concept family system is prevailing. If youngsters will be isolated from elders or their
family, the whole family system shall be collapsed.
It is our welfare to lead our lives in accordance with the verses of Holy Qur’an and injunctions of
Ah’dees-e-Nabvi of our holy prophet (PBUH), according to which moral, ethical and social values have
been laid down for enlightenment and guidance.

Therefore, if we compare merits and demerits of social media and its impact on our society, we
undoubtedly are bound to say that social media has done more harm than good.