The Impact of Social Media on Society Research Paper

The Impact of Social Media on Society - Research Paper Example Social media is highly trendy among college students. According to 2010 research, almost a quarter of students’ time on the web is spent in the social media (Wang, Chen & Liang). Facebook dominates the popularity list of the most widespread social networks, followed by Twitter and YouTube. Globally, Facebook has over 1.55 billion active users, half of whom log in on a daily basis. On average, students spend nearly two hours a day on the social networks. In 2007, a portion of American students who had a Facebook account was already impressive – 92%. By 2008, the number of users reached 99%. Keeping in mind that the service became available only in 2006, this is an amazing statistics. One of the positive sides of social media is that it can be utilized for academic purposes. Being easily accessible, online communities can offer numerous benefits for young individuals, such as providing a virtual platform for sharing thoughts and ideas with colleagues, enabling easy and fa st access to academic support, and enhancing computer knowledge and online communication skills. Moreover, students who are shy to present their thoughts in the class receive an opportunity to participate in discussions via blogs and virtual societies. On the contrary, findings in a number of studies suggest that the time spent in social networks is in inverse relation with academic grades (Wang, Chen & Liang). Jacobsen and Forste revealed that over 60% of the students use electronic media while in college, when studying, or while preparing for the class