Social media has become almost unavoidable in today’s society. According to Statista 79% of the American people have or have had a social media account. Along with its popularity comes another aspect: its pros and cons. Social media has millions of uses, which means it can be used for good, bad and everything in between. 

“I think the pros probably outweigh the cons,” technology curriculum facilitator Mrs. Santha Walters said. “I think it is really fascinating how the world has become smaller. The global community has become easier to reach with social media. But I think, of course, the prevalence of bullying and the negative things that happen online with the rise of the alt-right movement and the neo-Nazi movement, it gives them a better chance to organize. So it’s a 50-50, its a good and an evil, it just depends on how you use it.”

It is a great platform to connect with people, but it can also be used to tear people down and to spread hate. Junior Taylor Daffer agrees with Mrs. Walters. They both think that social media has benefits and downfalls, it just depends on how people use it.

“There’s a few cons,” junior Taylor Daffer said. “But if you used it correctly and appropriately, you should have no problem. And if you are addicted to it then you learn time management which is a good thing.”

Many argue that social media can distract people from the important things in life. With things like notifications, or missing out on the latest post, people have a hard time staying away from social media.

“In a way, social media also destroys relationships,” junior Mathew McKinney said. “Not the online relationship, but the in-person relationship, which some people value more. Some people value that less, it just depends on the person. I think that there are many pros and cons.” 

As well as being a tool for connecting with the people, it can also be used to learn new things. It can be a portal to new ideas and ways of thinking.

“I think another pro of social media is it allows the expression of new ideas,” junior Creed Leathers said. “It allows for a wider spread of ideas that you wouldn’t be able to see on just a daily basis. We can connect with people from around the world who we would never meet or get a chance to experience what their life is like.”

It is a great platform to connect with people, but it can also be used to tear people down and to spread hate. This has been seen in the rise of cyberbullying over the past decade.

Overall, social media can be used for a variety of things, good or bad. Whether it is used for meeting new people across the globe or sharing ideas with neighbors, there is an endless list of pros and cons.