Social media 4

The positives and negatives of

using social networking sites

Social networking is a topic that

divides opinion – some people think
it’s an amazing tool but others are
worried about the impact it has on
people’s lives.

[…]

School Reporters from across the UK

have reported on staying safe online and
the perils of Twitter ‘addiction’ in the last few months.

Students from The Crest Girls’ Academy in London are also interested in the topic
and recently polled parents, carers and teachers at their school to get their views
on social networking.

The survey found that 37% of those questioned had been left sleep-deprived as a
result of social networking and 75% didn’t like the idea of phones being kept close
by while they slept. Other School Reporters have also looked into the issue of
technology and its effect on teenagers’ sleeping habits.

The students decided to explore the issue further and have been taking a closer
look at the benefits – and potential risks – of using social networks. Here are
some of their conclusions as to the main benefits and drawbacks of social media.

Negatives

Not everyone in the 21st century thinks about the negative effects of having social
networking accounts – but simple things like not setting your privacy settings
properly or liking someone’s photo can have bad results.

Cyberbullying can be a problem as people can take advantage of the fact that
there is no one who can effectively stop the bullying when it happens, due to
everything being performed behind a screen. The only way for a bully to be
stopped is if they are reported and victims may be too intimidated to do it.
Social networking can also ruin relationships as people may get jealous if they
find out their boyfriend or girlfriend is exchanging messages with other people.

It can also be a waste of time as people can visit a site to check on something
and end up spending the whole day ‘behind the screen’ and as a result, not
doing anything useful with their lives.

Positives

Social networking has lots of good points.

You can express yourself, showing off your favourite song lyrics or posting
pictures of your new outfit. It is a lot harder to feel embarrassment over the
internet than in person, so people find it easier to vent their feelings on sites like
Facebook.

In fact, it has become so much a part of people’s lives that you can learn
someone’s life story just by checking their page. Their friends, likes and dislikes,
relationship status, phone number, address…everything.

You can share your feelings and your mental stresses – and it is a great way to
entertain yourself after a busy daily routine.

It also makes it a lot easier to keep in touch with family and friends, especially if
they live far away. But you can also make new friends by connecting with friends
of friends that you might not know.

Source t 2015]
olreport/22065333 [Accessed 20 Augus
http://www.bbc.co.uk/scho
© BBC News
Reading

1. Which of the following problems is not mentioned in the text?

a. sleep deprivation
b. cyberbullying
c. negative body imagery
d. privacy risks

This is a deduction question. The answer can be found by reading and understanding the text.

2. What percentage of people did not want their phones kept near their beds?

a. 25%
b. 37%
c. 63%
d. 75%

This is a retrieval question. You can find the answer by reading and understanding the text.

3. “… people find it easier to vent their feelings on sites like Facebook.”

Which of the following words could replace ‘vent’ in this sentence without changing the
meaning?

a. escape
b. exhaust
c. express
d. emit

This question tests your ability to understand the meaning of a word in context.

4. Summarise the positives and negatives of social media from the following texts: Social media 2,
Social media 3 and Social media 4.

This question asks you to retrieve information from more than one text and summarise it in your
own words.

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________
Oracy

5. Local schools have been working together to educate parents of Year 6 and 7 students about
online safety. Work in groups of three or four to create a presentation for a group of parents
who are worried about the safety of their children. You could include (but are not limited to)
information on some or all of the following:

• social media sites

• smartphones
• sharing photographs/personal information
• where to learn more

Remember to listen as well as speak and make sure that every member of the group has an
opportunity to share their views.

6. You have been asked to present a short speech to a local youth group. Prepare and present a
speech about using social media safely. Your speech should last 2-3 minutes.

Speak clearly and remember to look at your audience.

Writing

7. Local schools have decided to tackle the issue of internet safety and are creating an information
pack for parents of Year 6 and Year 7 students. Write a short article about the possible dangers of
social media and how they can be avoided. You should aim to write 350-500 words.

8. Your school is considering whether social media should be banned completely. Some students
believe that there are benefits to the use of social media in the classrooms.

Write a short letter to your headteacher expressing your own opinion on the matter and
persuading them to agree with you. You should 200-300 words.