The 21st century has experienced rapid growth in the use of social media in the way people interact with each other as a result of the development of technology. This has, in fact, significantly changed the way humans communicate and build relationships both positively and negatively. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay One of the biggest benefits of social media is that today we are able to instantly converse with people all over the world. In the past we couldn't immediately contact distant people, we had to use the mailing service which was evidently not as convenient as social media today. In the age of technology, we can make an instant video call to our friend who is ten thousand miles away with just a click. Without a doubt, social networking sites have eliminated time and distance as a constraint. Therefore, we can maintain our relationships and even build new ones and keep up to date with our friends around the world. When we sign up to social networking sites, we have to create our profile which is called online identity. What I mean by “identity” here is that what we post on social media can say a lot about ourselves. In the past, people could only share their lives through scrapbooks or the stories they told the people around them, which were supposed to be private. However, nowadays, people start to change the way they share by posting on social media, and their online identity is created through what they share. Personally, I think this is a good way to share and interact with people, but it's not the most secure way to store personal information. Since social media is open to the public and accessible, its privacy is just an oxymoron. What I mean here is that when you post something on Facebook, such as a photo from your latest vacation, who knows if it will simply stay on your timeline or may be spread elsewhere. As a result, a lot of personal information can leak out on social networks and this is, of course, a disadvantage of social media. Another disadvantage of excessive use of social media is that the technology, to some extent, decreases society's empathy. . To be more detailed, we are faced with so many shocking stories through the Internet and pay so much attention to the virtual world that when we see something scandalous and dangerous in real life, we only think about how to post it on our social media without feeling involved. how to lend a hand to people to help. The tendency to be less empathetic is truly dangerous as it can cause indifference in mankind. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay In conclusion, from my point of view, even though social media has both positive and negative effects on society, it is undeniable that it does more good than harm because social networking sites have brought people closer and united.