I. Introduction
Though social media is also negatively influencing relationships by deteriorating sincere relationships, manipulating public opinions, and increasing the threat of cybercrimes, yet, on a holistic level, it is positively changing relationships between individuals, nations, businesses, and governance, thus offsetting its harms and transforming the world into a truly global community.
II. How has Social Media negatively changed relationships? (A Counter Perspective)
1. Social media has deteriorated sincere and intimate relationships between individuals
Case in point:
i.create unrealistic expectations
ii.lead to jealousy
iii.linked to couples fighting more
iv.make daily life seem less interesting
v.distract you from spending quality time with your partner
2. Social media has increased privacy concerns due to data breaches and cyber crimes
Case in point:
i.Account hacking and blackmailing: the youngest victim was an 11-year-old boy who sent naked photos to a scammer and was blackmailed out of HK$2500
3. Social media has created an opportunity for extremists to interact with the masses and propagate hate speech
Case in point:
i.ISIS, RAW use social media to divert young minds
4. Social media has escalated the issue of fake news and manipulation of public opinion
Case in point:
i.The scandal of Cambridge Analytica
III. How has Social Media positively changed relationships?
1.Social media has removed the barriers to communication and information sharing
Case in point:
i.During covid-19, social media platforms became helpful for the public to maintain communication with friends and family to reduce isolation which has been associated with anxiety and long-term distress
ii.Twitter and Instagram influencers influence public opinion and share ideas with their wide network of followers
2.Social media has revolutionized the healthcare system
Case in point:
i.Online Consultation with the help of Facebook, Whatsapp and Skype
3.Social media has changed the financial industry
Case in point:
i.In October 2013, ICICI bank, an Indian multinational banking and financial services company, launched Pockets, a mobile app that allows users to login to their bank using their Facebook credentials. The app allows users to send money to friends, pay utility bills, recharge mobile phones, and buy movie tickets.
4.Social media has changed the governance system
Case in point:
i.Pakistan citizen portal
ii.We the People, an online petition system started by President Barak Obama, is just one example; anyone can start a petition, and any petition with over 100,000 online signatures requires a response from the federal government.
iii.
Meanwhile, in 2008, the City Council of Melbourne used a Wiki-based platform to create the Future Melbourne Community Plan website, drawing over 40,000 page views.
iv.In 2011 Iceland used social media to crowd-source feedback for its new constitution.
5.Social media has developed relationships between world governments and leaders
Case in point:
i.COVID-19: World leaders to stay at home, in first ‘virtual’ UN General Assembly in 2020
6.Social media has increased tolerance among different cultures.
Case in point:
i.Culture exchange programs
7.Social media has reshaped political campaigns
Case in point:
i.Barack Obama successfully used social media to connect middle-class voter base instead of relying on funding from Big Businesses.
8.Social media has shifted businesses online
Case in point:
i.Patari and Foodpanda expanded their business through social media
9.Social media has increased awareness regarding the biggest challenges
Case in point:
i.Genocide in Myanmar
ii.Lockdown in Kashmir
iii.Attack on Al-Aqsa Mosque by Israelis
10.Social media has accelerated public service delivery
Case in point:
i.In Afghanistan, Government Media and Information Centers provide live updates on Twitter, Facebook, and SMS about security incidents,
ii.While in earthquake-prone Indonesia, the National Geology Agency posts early warnings on both Twitter and Facebook.
11.Social media has disrupted the news industry
Case in point:
i.The Mumbai terror attack in November 2008 was the first breaking news event where updates were posted in real-time on Facebook and Twitter. Only a small number of journalists knew how to find these updates, contact the uploaders and use them with appropriate credits.
ii.On January 15, 2009, using Twitter, TwitPic, and his iPhone, Janis Krums posted one of the first photos of the US Airways plane that crash-landed in the Hudson River.
12.Social media has increased the opportunity for customers to design features for new products
Case in point:
i.Barclaycard’s Ring Mastercard, which was developed through crowdsourcing on social media to design and pick the most popular features for the new product.
13.Social media has increased the chances of getting loans
Case in point:
i.Lenders are now using social media to credit rate applicants, and banks are asking people to use social media for references, meaning more people are receiving loans who would not have been given a second look previously. China has even given Tencent and Alibaba credit information bureau licenses.
14.Social media has allowed businesses to directly interact with customers
Case in point:
i.In September 2014, Econsultancy compared the response rates of 16 retail banks on social media in the UK. The quickest response time was three minutes, and the longest was one hour and twenty-four minutes.
ii.Cellular mobile operators like: Zong, Jazz
iii.J., Khaadi
iv.Retail shops
v.Supermarkets
15.Social media has mobilized public opinion behind a caste
Case in point:
i.Use of Twitter during Arab Spring was instrumental in mobilizing the public against dictatorial leaders
16.Social media has created opportunities to start a new business
Case in point:
i.Facebook and Shopify are giving a boost to small business
IV. What can be done to enhance positive influences of Social Media?
1. Creating awareness among people to maintain balance between online life and real life
2. Increased accountability of social media companies to protect data privacy and to curtail cyber bullying
3. Strong government regulatory measures to curb the menace of hate speech and fake news.
4. Diluting the massive power of social media companies to manipulate public opinion through anti-trust laws
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