Do different social networking sites offer different benefits and drawbacks?
Ever wonder why so many social media networks exist? From Facebook to LinkedIn, WhatsApp to Reddit, it can seem like social media sites have an ever-increasing power over our “real” lives and relationships. This is how I felt when I decided to go on a “social media detox.” I just unplugged and stopped using my personal accounts. After a while, I realized that I missed some things (like connecting with friends online) and not other things (meaningless interactions with strangers).
It was at this point that I sat down and made a brief pros and cons list of my social media accounts. I wanted to understand the benefits and drawbacks that each platform posed for me.
Here’s what I found…
Infographic: My Pros and Cons of 5 Popular Social Media Networks
PRO: Facebook can be used to foster real-world relationships!
One of the strongest advantages of Facebook is that it helps people connect with friends and family, whether they live near or far. Personally, I have family in Europe and Facebook helps me stay up to date with what is going on in their lives. Because I was missing out on maintaining these relationships during my “detox,” I actually found that my closest relationships were suffering.
CON: Personal life and professional life can collide sometimes…and not in a good way.
Facebook is where I want to be myself and talk with my friends. However, I was always worried that something I said would not look “professional” to clients and potential employers. I do lots of different things in my life and didn’t necessarily want everything being public. I ultimately decided to make my profile private.
PRO: It's entertaining. Can share content with people in & out of your circle.
A picture is worth a 1,000 words! Instagram offers users a way to connect with like-minded people and can be viewed as a blog of images (or vlog). This is beneficial for people who may not want to write as much or are extremely visual. Even language barriers are easily overcome through the sharing of pictures. Finally, Instagram is entertaining and that has inherent value.
CON: Has been associated with decreased mental health (cyberbullying, addiction).
Perhaps because of the visual medium, controversy about the possible negative effects of Instagram has been widely publicized and debated. Studies have shown that Instagram is “linked to depression, body image concerns, self-esteem issues, social anxiety, and other problems.. Cyberbullying, and Instagram addiction have all been concerns.”
PRO: Stay up to date with internet trends & current events!
Twitter offers snippets of information that can be used to follow trending topics, news and current events. This is advantageous for those who want to consume information quickly and efficiently. It may also be useful in the event of an emergency. For example, Tweet Emergency Dispatch helps scientists improve the accuracy of emergency alerts. And finally, business and politics have always been a part of Twitter. It’s a great place for people who want to engage in political conversations but maybe don’t want to start a fight with crazy aunt Sally on Facebook about her latest political conspiracy theory.
CON: Misinformation and flaming can be common.
Because information moves so fast, it can be difficult to spot harmful disinformation. For this reason, Twitter may not be the place to hangout for those who lack critical thinking and media literacy. Trolling (or flaming) can also be a big problem on Twitter. Unless it is a well-known human on the other end of an account, Twitter can have the illusion of anonymity, which may lead to trolling.
PRO: Can foster creativity & provide inspiration!
Pinterest is no doubt a visual medium and can be advantageous for those who want to explore their creativity. It is also commonly used in an aspirational and motivational way. This offers people who “don’t do drama” a place to share their favorite things with like-minded people. Although non-female users have grown in numbers over the years, Pinterest is still a female-driven platform. That is a benefit for those seeking female-driven content.
CON: Not as much personal connection as with other sites.
Although users can follow the boards and accounts they are interested in, there is potentially a lack of meaningful conversation happening. This may be a drawback for people looking to connect with others.
PRO: Used for building professional relationships.
While other social media networks may pose some confusion, Linkedin is undeniably a professional platform where one is expected to show up as they would for the job interview or client pitch. This is obviously a benefit for people looking to build and foster professional connections and networks. It may also be a pro for those looking to separate their professional lives from their private lives–also a solution for social media minimalists : Linkedin and private Facebook…DONE!
CON: Getting noticed can be difficult.
Did you know that every second, 95 job applications are submitted on the platform? With more than 50 million people searching Linkedin for jobs each week, it can be difficult to stand out. This may be a drawback for those at the beginning of a professional career as well as for more introverted people.
Life after social media detox
Armed with my pros and cons list about my favorite social media platforms, I was able to see what resonated most with me and chose to allocate more or less of my time to each platform based on what I thought the platform offered me. Because I value my interpersonal relationships and other Facebook friendships, I ultimately chose to allocate most of my time to Facebook. I also made my profile private so I felt that I had a little more work/life balance. I scaled down my time spent on my personal profiles on other platforms. This way, I was able to dedicate more time to maintaining relationships I care about.
What about mental health?
Is there an ideal number "friends" or connections individuals have on Facebook that can improve their mental health?
Even though Facebook allows us to build connections and maintain friendships, it is important to understand that Facebook can still be dangerous for one’s mental health. Many people wonder if the number of Facebook friends they have is connected to improved mental health.
Is there such a thing as too many friends? Too few?
According to a 2017 article published in Frontiers in psychology, the number of Facebook friends was not highly correlated with self-reported health status, which included questions on mental health. Based on this article and study, it appears there is no magic number of Facebook friends to achieve optimal mental health.
However, the article also found that…
Quality face-to-face relationships have a positive association with health, including mental health.
Good news! It's really ok to keep a smaller or larger number of Facebook friends, as long as they don’t take away from our face-to-face relationships. While online communication (including social media) is ever-present in our lives, we should remember to make time to see friends, family and loved ones in person. It’s good for our health.
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