Social networks: pros and cons
Contact with distant friends, appointments and distraction from real life - there are pros and cons for social networks.
Social networks as part of modern life
Social networks for professional and private users are popping up everywhere. Today most young people and adults are active in one or more virtual networks. Facebook is ubiquitous. Other well-known social media networks are twitter, Xing, flickr, linkedin and tumblr.
Social networks allow via Internet Contact between users over any distance. They are in operation for professional communication usable and private for the exchange with friends and acquaintances. If you use your network a lot, you will be sharing a part of your life with your online friends. This smooth connection has advantages and disadvantages.
Pro-arguments of the networks
One big pro argument for social media is the ease with which you communicate through these communities. Chats, private messages, some telephone calls and video conversations work across national and continental borders. All you need is internet access. Global communication has never been so easy.
You find (again) many people worldwide. Former work colleagues, distant relatives, old school friends or fellow students - if you know the name, get in touch quickly.
Private friendships are easy to maintain in social networks. If you are regularly on the Internet, you will not miss any of your events, invitations and news friends. You can online Games play videos or pictures view and exchange and let everyone participate in your everyday life.
Nowadays it is hard to imagine life without social networks. However, there is not only ...
One pro is that professional developments can be accelerated through social networks such as linkedin. You can find potential employers, customers and business partners, apply online and through your profile Leave an impression.
Contra points of the social communities
The list of contra arguments is to be taken seriously. A big contra point of social networks is the reduction in personal contact. Instead of phone calls and visits, many users handle communications via the Internet, which is quick and easy.
This often leads to an addiction or a dependency. If users withdraw from their social network, they lose contact with many online friends. You are no longer up to date or are considered an outsider. You see this development in many adolescents and young adults who are constantly on the move with their smartphones on Facebook and the like and who are constantly sharing details from their lives.
Another disadvantage is the loss of anonymity. Many users thoughtlessly put personal data, likes, dislikes, photos and videos publicly on the Internet. Future life partner and professional contacts can get an idea before they have met the person personally and get the wrong impression.
Data protection is a major contra argument. The main criticism is Facebook, as the community sets its own data protection guidelines and changes them again and again at will. Facebook forwards data, has the rights to the uploaded image material and can monitor the user's browsing history. Facebook users are among the most transparent social media users in the world. Your account cannot be deleted, it can only be deactivated. All data that you upload up to deactivation will remain with Facebook.
Other networks like LinkedIn are more serious and more discreet. Nevertheless, you also leave footprints in these networks. For example, the operators of the advertisements see which page you came from when you clicked on them.
Tips for more security
You can improve security in social networks and keep your transparency low. One possibility is to use a proxy. This gives you a different IP address for the period of use.
Don't post personal information on social media that you don't want everyone to see. Work in private networks with incorrect dates of birth, changed names and the like. Be cautious about photos and videos. Ignore the Facebook function, your favorite films, series, etc. to specify. This information makes your personality transparent.
If you make your profile accessible to your friends rather than public, you prevent potential employers from spying on you.
Parents should limit their children's access to social networks. Otherwise the children run the risk of getting lost in these and neglecting their school friends and neighbors' children.
See the table below for the pros and cons for Social networks.
| advantages | disadvantage |
| Contact across continents | Personal contact can suffer from virtual networks |
| Finding school friends, fellow students, etc. | Transparency of personal data, loss of anonymity |
| Leisure time organization and participation in events | Employers can get an idea in advance |
| Professional networking |
Social networks are a useful tool for maintaining private and professional contacts. Handle it carefully, check the network's privacy policies, and watch what is published about you.
