Ethical use of social media is making appropriate and responsible decisions while browsing on the web. This can be anything from using it to learn something new, or not using AI to cheat on your homework. Social media’s role in society right now is to spread information between people around the world and allow them to communicate with one another. With the introduction of smart phones and social media, people are now able to communicate with each other from all over the world. Ethical use of social media is an important topic to discuss, as the misuse of social media can cause major repercussions to the user. If someone is using social media to spread misinformation to others or do illegal activities, it can result in negative outcomes not only for them, but the people they affected.
Social media handles user data by first having them agree to the terms and conditions, and then having you choose which information you are willing to share with the public. Some unethical ways that social media can invade your privacy is by using things like data mining and surveillance to use and spread your information without consent. Some ethical dilemmas on social media include privacy, misinformation, harassment, and impact on society.
Things like cyberbullying, social comparison, and addiction can cause social media users to quickly plummet into anxiety and depression. This is due to people feeling overwhelmed that they aren’t as good as others or not being able to appreciate themselves. Social media can positively affect peoples’ mental well being by allowing them to communicate and share with others about something that they are passionate about. It can allow people to build connections with one another, and build friendships that will positively impact their mental health. Social media also can negatively affect peoples’ mental health by making them feel insecure about themselves due to the comparison to other people. Comparing yourself to other peoples’ highlights will cause you to feel like you're not good enough and can take a toll on your mental health. Companies can address the ethical concerns of social media by not releasing personal data and making sure that people are of age to use social media. The companies can also enforce rules to make sure that cyberbullying isn’t tolerated on the platform.
Social media spreads both false information and factual information. One way they spread false information is by showing false advertisements. One way that they spread factual information is by spreading news about what is happening around the world. Some issues with spreading fake news are people not getting accurate information and people believing and fighting for things that aren’t true. Social media platforms and users can combat misinformation by creating a policy that doesn’t allow it. Users can also show how and where they got the information that they provided.
Social media can affect relationships by building bridges between the two people. Social media can cause suspicion between people, causing them to not have full trust with each other. This can cause many problems that will negatively affect them. When browsing on social media, it is important to be kind due to the negative things you can inflict on someone else. People can do this by not saying anything that would hurt someone's feelings, and making sure that they aren’t talking about anyone in a negative or disrespectful way.
I personally do not use much social media except YouTube and Discord. I can stay courteous on both of these platforms by only saying things that are positive and beneficial to someone else's well being. I can make sure that my social media use isn’t harmful to others by making sure that I stay courteous and respectful on both of these platforms, by not being negative towards anyone on Discord and not leaving any comments on YouTube.
Social media isn’t bad, but the people on the platforms are the ones who can control what happens. When people use social media to spread ideas and collaborate with one another, it makes it a better place rather than when people spread negativity and hurt other people's feelings. I believe that social media users can limit what they say on social media to only things that will positively affect someone else. Social media platforms can enforce stricter rules so that people do not feel unsafe while browsing social media.
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