The following article, “Advantages and Disadvantages of Facebook“, is written by Khalid Nazir, a student of Sir Syed Kazim Ali. Moreover, the article is written on the same pattern, taught by Sir to his students, scoring the highest marks in compulsory subjects for years. Sir Kazim has uploaded his students’ solved past paper questions so other thousands of aspirants can understand how to crack a topic or question, how to write relevantly, what coherence is, and how to include and connect ideas, opinions, and suggestions to score the maximum.
Outline
1- Introduction
- ✓Social media irrevocably changing the global landscape
- ✓Facebook being used ubiquitously worldwide
- ✓The third most visited platform across the globe
- ✓Having pros and cons depending upon its use
2- What are the advantages of using Facebook?
- ✓Creating worldwide connectivity
- Evidence: As per Statista, the most popular social network worldwide as of January 2023 is Facebook, having 2.9 billion monthly active users.
- ✓Increasing news cycle speed
- Evidence: According to a survey conducted by Pew Research Centre in August 2018, 43 per cent of U.S. adults get news from Facebook.
- ✓Promoting businesses
- Evidence: According to a global survey, 90% of the responding social media marketers used the network to promote their businesses.
- ✓Supporting global economic growth
- As per eMarketer 2022, the advertisement revenue of Facebook in 2023 is $71.32 billion, which is expected to grow to $75.11 billion in 2024.
3- What are the drawbacks of using Facebook?
- ✓Affecting socio-emotional connection
- Evidence: For instance, when like-minded people communicate with one another on Facebook, they develop strong virtual relationships and forget their own physical world, including their families.
- ✓Rising crimes and cyberbullying against users
- Evidence: According to Statista, in the fourth quarter of 2022, Facebook took action on 6.4 million pieces of bullying and harassment-related content.
- ✓Making hacking of data easy
- Evidence: According to Statista, 600,000 hacking attempts are made to Facebook accounts daily.
- ✓Posing serious health hazards
- Evidence: According to a reputed health organisation, a 2019 study of more than twelve thousand 13-16-year-olds in England found that using social media more than three times a day predicted poor mental health and well-being in teens.
4- Conclusion
Answer to the Question
Introduction
The inculcation of social media in modern society has irrevocably changed the global landscape. It has flipped the world’s picture, making its use significant for everyone to keep pace with the ever-changing world. Social media includes several platforms, like Facebook, WhatsApp, Snapchat, Twitter, and Instagram, Facebook being the most commonly used. Depending upon its use, the social media giant has both advantages and disadvantages. Talking about its pros, global connectivity, promoting businesses, and facilitating the growth of the global economy, capture the advantages it has brought to the table. Besides its advantages, it has some glaring flaws as well. For instance, promoting estrangement within families, making children vulnerable to cyberbullying, and exposing the masses to several health hazards like Facebook depression encapsulate the harms it has inflicted on the world. This article underpins the advantages and disadvantages of the social media giant Facebook.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Facebook
Advantages associated with the use of Facebook
Creating worldwide connectivity
A glance at the advantages of Facebook shows that it enables its users to connect with people across borders. No matter in what corner of the world one lives, one can contact his friends and family members or engage with new people through a Facebook account. As per Statista, the most popular social network worldwide as of January 2023 is Facebook, which has 2.9 billion monthly active users. The figure mentioned above of active users depicts the proliferation of the social media giant in society. Moreover, being the leading social network, it has made global social gatherings possible for its users. Sitting at home, one can chat in groups with friends living in remote areas. Thus, Facebook ensures the social connectivity of people worldwide while saving their time.
Increasing news cycle speed
Next, it has exponentially increased the news cycle speed. There was a time when people had to wait a long time to acquire news. However, social media has enabled users to obtain news instantly, significantly decreasing the time required for news to spread worldwide. According to a survey conducted by Pew Research Centre in August 2018, 43 per cent of U.S. adults get news from Facebook. So, it is evident that Facebook is playing a leading role in benefiting its users by providing them with news quickly.
Promoting businesses
Apart from the above factors, Facebook provides people with quick information and helps them promote their businesses. It is one of the most prominent platforms entrepreneurs use to run their enterprises. According to a global survey, 90% of responding social media marketers use this network to promote their businesses. Whether it is a non-profit organisation that needs to spread the word about an upcoming fundraiser or a business owner marketing its new product, there is no better way than to use Facebook for its vast and diverse connectivity worldwide. Moreover, the best thing about Facebook is that it enables people to promote their business by creating Facebook pages and advertising them in exchange for a little cost. So, it is the best platform for business owners to foster their businesses.
Supporting global economic growth
Lastly, Facebook is vital to global economic development by generating huge revenues through advertisements. It has a significant economic impact all over the world. As per eMarketer 2022, the advertisement revenue of Facebook in 2023 is $71.32 billion, which is expected to grow to $75.11 billion in 2024. Moreover, it has created many jobs for its users, sustaining the livelihoods of millions of families. In fact, Facebook has played a critical role in improving the economy by promoting businesses. This scenario showcases that it has helped in communication purposes and assisted in global economic growth.
What are the drawbacks of using Facebook?
Impacting socio-emotional connections
Moving toward its drawbacks, Facebook is as disadvantageous as it is beneficial. Some of its negative impacts are discussed here. First, overuse of Facebook can deeply affect the socio-emotional connections between people. Its abnormal use promotes estrangement and alienation within families. For instance, when like-minded users communicate with each other on Facebook, they develop strong virtual relationships, forgetting their own physical world, including their families. This creates a huge communication gap between family members, making the family devoid of sympathy and emotions. Thus, overuse of Facebook can disrupt the socio-emotional connections between people in the physical world.
Hiking cyberbullying against the masses
Next, it has hiked cyber bullying, threatening someone through electronic communication, and crimes against people, especially children. According to Statista, in the fourth quarter of 2022, Facebook took action on 6.4 million pieces of bullying and harassment-related content. Most of the children using Facebook are underage and do not know its proper usage, so they fall prey to cyberbullying. In conclusion, Facebook has played a great part in cyberbullying and other rising crimes.
Making hacking of data easy
In addition, data hacking has become the order of the day in the virtual world of Facebook. Hundreds of accounts on Facebook are hacked by adept hackers every day. According to Statista, 600,000 hacking attempts are made to Facebook accounts daily. This alarming figure poses a serious threat to the identity of its users, especially entrepreneurs, raising security concerns for them. Without any doubt, Facebook leaves much to be desired, especially regarding security for its users.
Posing several hazards to the health of masses
Lastly, it poses several physical and mental health issues if used for longer periods of time without any break. Teenagers are more prone to the health problems caused by using Facebook. According to a reputed health organization, a 2019 study of more than twelve thousand 13-16-year-olds in England found that using social media more than three times a day predicted poor mental health and well-being in teens. It can also cause physical health like damage to eyesight and brain if used excessively. Moreover, it can develop an anxiety disorder called Facebook Depression, a phenomenon where individuals, especially teenagers, experience feelings of depression and inadequacy because of using Facebook. These details show that, if used excessively, Facebook poses severe health hazards to its users.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, Facebook is a leading social network that has helped people connect across the border regardless of any linguistic differences and cultural disparities. Furthermore, it has provided the masses with many opportunities, like promoting businesses with minimal charges, delivering quick national and international news, and, above all, contributing to the development of the global economy. However, despite its positive features, there are many downsides to using this social media giant. Indeed, diminishing socio-emotional connections, making people vulnerable to cyberbullying, and posing several health hazards for the masses are the key disadvantages of using Facebook. Considering everything, Facebook, with its advantages and disadvantages, has contributed a lot to improving people’s lives. Ultimately, it depends upon the masses whether to use this platform for favourable activities or for adverse ones.
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