Is social media dangerous?

[Tom32]

It is interesting to see in the media that the Solomon Islands have temporarily banned Facebook. The Prime Minister has banned Facebook on the basis that it undermines cohesion, and it undermines efforts to unite the country.

Is this a good idea and beneficial for the community, or is it a form of control and limiting expression? The problem is that so many of us see Facebook as a freedom to speak about issues, even though Facebook has become the very opposite of what it originally set out to be.

As a traveller abroad I do want to add, that I have travelled to many third world countries where such technologies were emerging. In fact I’ve been in places where the people didn’t have mains water or electric but had mobile phones and social media. ( phones were powered by solar power). In such places where only years earlier the children were welcoming and friendly, I have now seen them confrontational, aggressive, rude and violent. They are now exposed to a world that was once not open to them.

Personally, for all of the initial intent and good that social media brought, I now think the pro’s outweigh the con’s. But those are just my thoughts. :worked_till_5am:

[Megan]

I used to love Facebook, but as time has gone on I have found it has changed considerably and become a desperate place. I think you really have to control it to get the best out of it, manipulate it to your benefit.

[Katie]

I absolutely hate social media but find myself compelled to log in and have a look. I gave it a break for a couple of weeks and it was liberating.

[Geri]

I have friends that have come off it completely, and feel there life is better for it, they certainly seem happier for it!

I would love to step away from all media, if I’m honest, maybe live in a bubble of comedy and love films and build my own false world of loveliness around me :applouse: get my shopping delivered and not interact with the worst of society..... maybe I should trial it for one month and see how I feel. :ne_nau:

[Dani]

I don’t think it’s dangerous, and I think it can be manipulated to your benefit, so you can control the types of feed that you see. Be brutal and unfriendly most people, certainly the ones that are toxic, or the ones you don’t interact with. Join well-being, happy groups so the feed you get is a positive one.

[Zoella]

I don’t think it’s dangerous if you are of sound mind and have a healthy approach to it but I think it can be extremely dangerous to vulnerable people and children who might take things said on there personally and who don’t have the strength to unfriend toxic people and block posts they are not happy with.