‘Social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter are observed to have more negative effects than positive being more useful for the criminals than others. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge and experience. ’ v.4

With the spread of internet and technology, social media has become a vital part of our life. Sites such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are gaining popularity not only among the youth but also older age groups. With this being said, critics are arguing that these sites provide a channel for criminal activity and hence have more disadvantages than advantages. Cyber bullying justifies the negatives associated with social media. Although punishable by law, it is a very common form of internet crime. Spreading hate, mockery and publicly embarrassing the victim against his will has serious mental impacts and in many cases also leads to depression and social anxiety. Moreover, the privacy policies of such sites, especially Facebook, poses some critical issues to the safety of private information. Facebook, for example, had a significant security breach in 2013 which led to a large amount of personal information ending up in the wrong hands, some of which criminals too. Be that as it may, these networking applications have transformed the world of communication for good, thereby making confabulations convenient, effortless and almost free of charge. Speaking to your grandmother in another corner of the world does not cost an arm and a leg and can be done with one tap now. Furthermore, being good sources of entertainment and interaction, they have spread information beyond the limits of the universe that otherwise would have taken years to disperse. In addition, these platforms are central to numerous social, political and ethical discussions. The environmental crisis, for example, is gaining more momentum on Instagram than in real life. This exchange of ideas has integrated the world and benefitted millions. In conclusion, even though social media has some negative connotations, I disagree that social networking sites have more negative effects than positive. It is clear that the benefits that these sites have provided us with are irreplaceable and as for the problems associated with them, we can always take measures to minimise or eliminate them.