Social Media Analysis: Understanding Its Advantages and Disadvantages

Social Media Analysis: Understanding Its Advantages and Disadvantages

By Lars Guo

Published: October 2, 2025

Opening message: Hi Folks! I hope you all are doing well and enjoying the blogs. This post is about the pros and cons of social media, whether it should exist, and my personal experiences with it. These are just my thoughts, so I kindly ask for respect as you read them. Please enjoy!

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Pros: Social media opens doors to build communities, advertise yourself, communicate with people from all over the world, and make new friends. It also customizes what you see in your feed to match your interests.

Cons: Social media can also expose you to inappropriate content. It limits privacy by targeting you with advertisements. It creates comparison problems and FOMO, the fear of missing out. Cyberbullying is a real danger. Depending on how your feed is curated, it can incite anger, spread false news, and create echo chambers where grudges and hostility thrive. Scams and fraud are common as well, and misinformation can lead people toward harmful decisions.

My experience: Personally, I’ve had many positive interactions on social media. On Instagram, I found groups with common interests, friendly chats, and little drama. It allowed me to advertise my blogs, network with others, and even pitch video ideas on YouTube. It gave me ways to stay connected with friends and family who are otherwise hard to reach. On the other hand, I have encountered inappropriate content I didn’t want to see. Algorithms often pushed products or topics I wasn’t interested in, which made me feel like I had no control over my privacy. I also experienced negativity, such as being bullied on Twitter for my Japanese skills when I was still learning. I’ve seen toxic behavior in comment sections, where people resort to name-calling and racist remarks just to win arguments. It really is a double-edged sword.

Should social media exist?: If social media had stayed true to its original purpose—sharing truth and connection—I would say yes without hesitation. But the reality is that it has also fueled bullying, misinformation, and division. It has united people at times for good, but also for harm. Personally, I believe the impact depends on how you use it and the permissions you grant it. I think children younger than high school freshmen should not have access, since age restrictions are easy to bypass and the risks of harmful content are high. Whether or not social media should exist is difficult to answer. While it offers connection and learning opportunities, it also causes emotional harm, spreads lies, and sparks violence.

Closing message: What do you think about social media? Should it exist, and if so, what changes would make it better? Stay tuned for the next blog! I look forward to hearing your thoughts and to you joining me in the next post. Have a great day!

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