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Financial Transaction

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This post is part of a Public Interest Registry series called "NGOs and Data Security" aimed at providing educational insights to noncommercial internet users around different data and information security themes.
Using social media as your primary online resource can be appealing for NGOs - accounts are easy to obtain and usually free. Compared to building a website, the initial steps to establish a web presence through social media channels are simple and require less expertise. But there are also significant drawbacks, particularly when it comes to security and data management. It's important to understand and differentiate the value both social media and a dedicated website can bring to your organisation, so you can decide which is best for you.
The Pros of Leveraging Social Media as Your Primary Online Presence
Social media can be a powerful connector. Social media really is a robust and powerful tool to generate awareness. It allows your organisation to capitalize on the millions of people who are looking to make connections with other people, brands and causes that align with their interests. Through information and images posted in real time, social media can also provide a glimpse into your organisation's personality, adding a bit of color to the (hopefully) well-crafted messaging that may already live on your website.

Direct engagement with your audience can help you reach your goals. Social media enables direct two-way communication with constituents and donors, whereas websites typically speak at visitors rather than with them. Social media also allows you to initiate communication, rather than waiting for a constituent or donor to initiate contact after viewing information on your website. The ability to communicate directly - and with tailored, personalized information - can help jumpstart the journey from awareness to your desired action.

As we discussed in our September post about your data and data protection, digital and social tools certainly make our lives easier, but there are also important privacy, security and data management concerns that need to be considered.

Data management and security is out of your hands on social media. When you engage with a third-party social media vendor, you're often giving them access to data. That includes both internal data reflective of your organisation and data that is collected from external sources. This data could include images of your staff or constituents that you post on Facebook, or personal contact and financial information.

It's important to remember that your organization has a responsibility to ensure that it is in compliance with laws and regulations around the world that govern the collection, storage, and use of personal data. When you grant access to a third-party social media site, you lose some control in this regard.

Security of financial transactions on some social media platforms can be tricky. We've established the benefits of two-way communication via social media, but when the ultimate goal of that interaction is securing financial support, social channels leave much to be desired. Would you provide your credit card number in a direct message on Twitter? Probably not. Even Facebook's Charitable Giving Tools - which allow nonprofit organisations to collect funds through "donate buttons" at both the page and post level - have drawbacks. While this channel offers a way to capitalize on a potential donor's immediate interest in providing support, especially as there are no fees associated with donation activity to nonprofits, your organisation's financial and bank account details will be stored by Facebook Payments and payouts are only made once a minimum of $100, €100 or £100 is reached in your portfolio. If you do not want to register your financial information through Facebook Payments, a check will be distributed (once the minimum is reached) from Network for Good, a donor advised fund that you may need to register with and Facebook's partner to distribute funds collected from the donation button. Keep in mind, too, that the donation button is only available to organisations based in the U.S. and select European countries. To be successful, you will also be relying on your constituents' trust of Facebook to provide their financial information.

On the other hand, a website with a Secure Socket Layer (SSL) Certificate (a URL beginning with "https") provides a safe and secure channel for your donors to make financial contributions without the drawbacks you'll find with social media. An SSL website not only offers an extra layer of encryption to protect data from hackers and identity thieves, but a trusted way to share personal data, like credit card numbers and addresses, without too many players involved. This applies to mobile versions of websites as well. You'll also remain in more control of fund distribution.

Social media channels lack the inherent trust that a well-renowned domain extension offers. One of the greatest advantages of a website is the ability to align with a trusted domain extension that can help you reach these passionate, cause-focused individuals. Year after year, reports show that the .org domain, for example, is trusted as the place where organisations, companies and individuals can come together around a shared interest or passion, and to make a difference in the world through cause-based efforts. This awareness, and most importantly trust, that a website domain can extend to your brand is just not available through social media channels.
A Blended Approach Works Best
The decision between a website or social media doesn't have to be all or nothing. Upon evaluating the pros and cons of using social media as your primary web presence, it's easy to see that a blended approach is best.

One particular benefit of a blended approach is that it can help safeguard your organisation from being left in the dark in the case of a cyberattack. Distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks are a type of attack aimed at taking a website offline by overwhelming it with internet queries. Public Interest Registry works very hard to secure the .org domain against this and other types of cyberattacks, but the reality is that these attacks do occur. The "silence" that can be caused by this type of cyberattack can be mitigated through having alternate online communications channels via a website and social media.

Another benefit of a blended approach is the ability to provide a custom communications experience for constituents. Social media can help you identify potential people to engage with and help you get their attention with targeted communications. Once engaged, you can provide more tailored information by directing them to a specific page on your website, or send them directly to a sign-up form or donation page.

Ultimately, having a website as well as a social media presence makes the most sense when it comes to reaching potential supporters, engaging with constituents and working to protect donor information.

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NGOs and Data Security: The Pros & Cons of Using Social Media as your Primary Web Presence

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Written by Paul Diaz, VP of Policy, Public Interest Registry This post is part of a Public Interest Registry series called "NGOs and Data Security" aimed at providing educational insights to noncommercial internet users around different data and information security themes. Using social media as your primary online

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Exploitation

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Social media is very important in every aspect because it has become a huge means of communication. There are many people who are too eager to see what notification they have got on their phone but many find it too distracting and troublesome.

On the other hand, social media in the workplace is a boon for faster communication which increases the efficiency in achieving smooth performance in the business.

Social Media:

Social media may be problematic for some but for most of the people it has been a great help because their productivity and outcome has increased greatly. Social media has also helped the employees and the top management to come closer and build relationships in and out of the company premises.

The following are the pros and cons of using social media in the workplace which will help you in getting a much deeper meaning as to why it is important and disadvantage at the same time.

Benefits of Social Media in the Workplace:

1. Strengthen your employees:

Engagement of the employees with the upper management is very important as it increases the free flow of communication from one person to another.

Through social media the top management can hear the views and opinions of the employee which will eradicate the problem of feeling that the voices aren't heard of the employees.

Communication is the key to a successful management and thus social media can help in improving the communication aspect in a company.

2. Increase in Productivity:

The employees who work are in need of compliments and motivation to balance their work effectively. Social media can help them in acquiring a lot of knowledge and can teach them conventional ways of practicing multitasking. For the work they have done, they need to know how much progress they have made in productivity and they also need compliments so that they get motivated to do more.

3. Helps in Analysing the performance of the company:

The data of the company can be analysed by social media by knowing the new company trends that will increase the employee productivity.

There are many training sessions being conducted to improve the skills and ability of the employees to contribute much better. Through social media, you can find effective leaders that aren't so noticeable in your department.

Social media will help in analysing and making plans and goals according to that information and the company can work efficiently.

4. Making people known about your existence:

There are so many companies that aren't noticeable and not known in their industry which hampers the growth of the company. In this generation, people are so hooked up on social media that without it they won't know anything about anyone.

If you want to make other people know about your company, then promoting your company on social media is the best and effective way.

5. Work ethics:

Some employees don't have any idea what work ethics even mean. Social media helps all the newcomers in the business world to know all the terms and work ethics of the company.

Social media does at least half the work of the company by just listing necessary information about how the company works and how the employee has to evolve in given conditions.

There are many companies who have shut down due to lack of co-operation between employees. Thus social media can help in spreading awareness about work ethics.

6. Online training to the employees:

Many companies spend a lot of money in training the employees but now there are other ways of training employees which are cost effective. There are many online training sessions that talk about various aspects of the workplace. There is also training available on the technical basis.

Social media will help in making cost-effective training to the employees where they can learn better and at the same time, the company will not have to spend a lot of money.

A company can establish their own unique identity by connecting with customers via social media. There are many brands that have been established just because of heavy advertising and social media.

Advertising is the costliest way of connecting with the customers but social media is cheap and at the same time it is very effective. You have to be available on social media almost every day by posting pictures, posts, videos and many more to create your brand.

8. Develops skills:

There are many networks such as LinkedIn that helps employees to connect with different kind of professionals and successful businessmen or entrepreneurs. When employees follow them they learn a lot of things which would increase their work ethics.

Such apps not only help people come closer but it also gives the training to develop skills and abilities in technical aspects and other aspects of the business. Employees learning new things are an advantage for the company.

9. Recruiting process gets easier:

Traditional modes of hiring an employee take a lot of time and effort and it isn't an easy thing to do. Social media helps in improving and making quick decisions while selecting the candidate.

When the employees update their skills and experience on LinkedIn or any other app, it helps the recruiter to know if that employee is the preferred candidate for the job. So when an employee is on social media it helps in learning a lot about the employee as an individual.

10. Cheap investment:

Investing your time and money on social media is the most cost-effective investment any company makes because it is cheap and very effective. Many companies spend a lot of money on costly methods such as advertising and many more. But social media has made it easier for the employees to connect and learn easier methods which increase productivity and also spreads the awareness about their brand. Many companies have chosen social media to increase their customers and at the same time increase the employee engagement.

11. Marketing aspect:

Companies are trying to target customers on social media because it is easier, cheaper and it also increases the productivity. Online marketing has made a lot of things easier and hence company considers social media to target their customers using marketing strategy.

Cons of Social Media in the Workplace:

1. Major distraction:

Social media is the major distraction for the employees to focus on their work. Facebook, whatsapp, tumblr, pinterest and many more are the major distraction for the employees that shift their focus from the work. There are many people that have been caught on playing games or viewing Facebook in the workplace which is wrong. Using social media in excess can slow down the productivity and efficiency in the organization which can bring loss to the company.

2. Rapid need of the Cyber security:

Using social media in the company premises is a boon and at the same it is also a great disadvantage because if you are using social media then you will be using internet. A lot of people steal confidential information of the business so there is increase in the number of hackers and spam. Cyber Security helps in eradication all this problem which may affect the company.

3. Creating new guidelines:

When the employees are using social media you have to state new policies and rules so that there is no wastage of time and compromising with company confidential information. Thus the manager have to make sure that they provide and transform their rules and regulation so that they can effectively improve transparency and decrease all the bad effects of using social media.

4. Misuse of Social media:

Facebook, Whatsapp, Tumblr, Youtube and many such social websites can create a lot of distraction if used other than the office use purpose. There have been certain percentages going up of wastage of time and less productivity because of social media. It is also difficult to keep on seeing what employees are doing or on how much time they are spending on social media.

5. Technical Risk:

When the employees use the office computer and laptops they download stuff which are fully loaded with viruses. At the end the person who is using the social media is not in any risk but the company's system can be at huge risk if the virus is too big. Thus social media usage in the office can be pretty risky because it can lead the company to a risk where they have to spend money on repairing and removing the viruses from the computer.

6. Silly mistakes that can affect the company reputation:

There are very few people who are very great at handling social media but there are some who don't know much so if they are given the responsibility of handling the social media of the company there is a lot of risk involved. There have been some mistakes done by the people who don't have much experience or knowledge on how to handle social media websites. Such mistakes have led to a lot of controversy and companies have gone through a lot of loss because of this.

7. Potential risk of exploitation:

Many companies have been hacked by their competitors or even people who have personal grudges so social media is the surface where the company can be targeted a lot. There have been people who have brought the reputation of the company down by sending wrong accusation about the business transaction or the policies.

8. Misunderstanding:

In Social media a lot of misunderstanding can be created if people didn't understand the news or any new update of the company. For Example take the controversy between snapchat and snapdeal. When Snapchat said in the interview that they won't be targeting India because it is a poor country. People misunderstood and thought it was Snapdeal who gave such comments. So they started uninstalling Snapdeal thus creating a loss for the Snapdeal company.

9. Harassment and Bullying:

Social media has those kind of people who have good skill and knowledge, but at the same time it has some bad people who created a lot of havoc and chaos due to their behavior on internet. Statistics reveal that many employees are targeted by the protestors and have been harassed and bullied on social media which have lead people to take bad decisions such as suicide.

10. Misleading information:

There is misleading information about the product or service that can be posted by the competitors or the protestors which can create a loss for the business. Being too much in the controversy is good and also bad for the company depending on what type of controversy it is. Misleading information affects the overall growth of the company because it will take time to educate people about what is right and wrong.

Social Media is a boon and at the same time, it has a lot of risk also. This would depend on how the company handles the problem. The company should be very particular about the usage of social media as it targets huge number of potential customer.

Social media can be a revelation in the workplace if it is used properly and efficiently without any distractions to the individual. It is obvious that social media has been a boon to make the life of the individual easy and dynamic but at the same time it can bring negativity in the life of the individual or the company.

Any unnecessary usage of social media can reduce the efficiency of the work and the potential of the employee. Social media gadgets should be used only for work related purposes other than personal benefits.

Hence it is important to link the using of social media in the workplace in proper manner for the benefit of the organization. If social media is used to the highest potential then it helps in the overall growth of the company.

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Social Media in the Workplace: Top 21 Pros and Cons - WiseStep

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Social media is very important in every aspect because it has become a huge means of communication. There are many people who are too eager to see what notification they have got on their phone but many find it too distracting and troublesome.

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Identity Theft

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Social Media sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and even Instagram are becoming the part of a modern worker's every day life. These tools are no longer just for personal use since many people use them in their professional lives as well. In the workplace, these social sites are being used for purposes such as marketing, employer branding, and corporate social responsibility; recruiters use LinkedIn to find and connect with candidates, and many employees use Google + for the chat feature to connect instantly with colleagues or conduct Hangouts. As HR consultants, we are often asked about the pros and cons of allowing social media in the workplace when developing workplace policies.

Pros:

Cons:

Decreased productivity/ lack of focus

Security and privacy concerns

Inappropriate online behavior

Brand reputation risks from review sites

If your company does not have a social media policy, it's a good idea to consider putting something in place. Here are some of the reasons why we recommend one.

The Best Reasons to Have a Social Media Policy

1. To communicate what is and is not acceptable social media use

2. To educate employees on safe social networking practices

3. To protect the company from misuse by employees in ways that could jeopardize the company's reputation or negatively affect its operations, such as posting confidential company information.

Once you have explained the boundaries of the policy, make sure to monitor and update it regularly as trends regarding social media are constantly changing. As an HR best practice, the policy should be reviewed and revised annually.

For additional information about current policies, refer to the National Labor Relations Board's guidelines to limit restrictions on employee's social media usage and my colleague's article on Risk Vs. Rewards of Social Media in the Workplace.

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benefits of social media in the workplace

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best reasons to have a social media policy

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Social Media sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and even Instagram are becoming the part of a modern worker's every day life. These tools are no longer just for personal use since many people use them in their professional lives as well.

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Stalking

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contributed by Jennifer Smith

In our social media-charged society, it's easy to assume that children should not be on sites like Facebook and Twitter.

Concerns range from safety to attention span to diminished 'real life' social skills to posture, blue light, and other dangers of screen time.

Our newsfeed is full of horrifying stories of when social media goes wrong. We also have eyes of our own and can see the ways tech-addiction can change children, so it's a natural inclination to want to protect them. Ironically, social media channels are often the reason for news stories gaining the traction they do, yet we want to shield our children from this kind of vitality and momentum-and the related dangers that exist online.

We turn to social media to understand social issues that tell us that social media is bad for us and even worse for children. This is how we fall into the trap of thinking of social media as 'bad' instead of examining its usage and effects and making adjustments accordingly.

Social media has obviously also become a major part of marketing for companies. A good social media marketing company will spend time responsibly studying online user behavior to find the right demographics.

See also Ways To Promote Positive Screen Time At School

This can be a fantastic advantage for your child to learn about healthy and eco-friendly new products and services that educate them and improve their lives, but also provided marketers a direct path to your child through data, content marketing, social media ads, popular YouTubers peddling products without making it clear that's what they're doing, and more.
The Cons Of Children On Social Media: Let's Get the Bad Out of the Way
Cons: Identity theft, stalking, bullying, self-image, artificial 'peer sets', a tendency towards the superficial

The harsh reality is that our children are exposed to a lot when they use social media.

This often the reason why social networks require children to be 13 years of age in order to create an account. Some parents choose to falsify birth dates to allow their child to use it sooner, which can work with close supervision provided that close supervision doesn't lapse.

Some children falsify birth dates on their own without their parents being aware. Of course, the assumption is that at 13, children are at the beginning stages of being able to process what they are exposed to. As parents, we need to base that on our individual child and their habits and maturity, and experience, not the date on their birth certificate.

Are children exposed to increased danger online? In some ways, yes. Bullying has become easier with peers and adults able to create anonymous accounts and target their victims. There is a dark side of the internet that scares parents, and rightly so. After setting appropriate boundaries with your child and close monitoring and persistent check-ins and reinforcing, you can help protect them from falling prey to either of these situations.
The Pros Of Children On Social Media: Yes, There is Good News
Pros: working knowledge of digital patterns; exposure to 'fake news' (this is good if they learn to discern the difference); possibility of healthier connections/role models if in a toxic situation at home; accessible 'networking' as they get older

For our children-so-called 'digital natives'-social media has existed for as long as they can remember. Children who are taught early on how to digest and use social media in a healthy way are children who can be more likely to use it responsibly in the future.

Successful users of social media will self-educate and be able to discern between fact and bias and plain 'fake news' much easier than the previous generations. They are more passionate about social issues and are more likely to engage in politics. They will know how to spot an internet scam much quicker and with greater ease than those of us who haven't been online as long.

These children will also be an integral part of changing the face of marketing on the social media platform. While many people cite that these children will suffer and be unable to publicly socialize, many are finding peers who are similar to them to connect with because they've been required to do so their entire digital lives.

These online friendships can even turn into face-to-face relationships through school, extracurricular clubs, and one day, their profession. This can be especially useful for the introverted child who is able to carefully craft their online identity and means of interfacing with peers. With careful supervision and guidance, online friendships can do a lot for the ever-changing child who is struggling to find their way in the world.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has gathered research regarding the pros and cons of social media usage in pre-teens and adolescents, and the risks and rewards are fairly evenly balanced. Check out their resources on discussing social media and its dangers with your teens for additional guidance on creating a conversation about internet safety.

When it comes to social media for children, there have to be boundaries in place. Children need that online and off because they carry those boundaries and their underlying assumptions into adulthood, giving them a better chance of using social media in healthier ways.

See also 6 Pros & Cons Of Social Media In The Classroom

Giving children small responsibilities that grow over time-allowing them to safely experiment and fail without trauma-is crucial for their mental health, their ability to make and maintain healthy relationships in life, and their ability to see themselves based on and through how they perceive others and how others perceive them.

Social networking isn't 'good' or 'bad,' but a vital teaching tool-an ongoing and useful and informative caricature of the real world they live in.
The Pros & Cons Of Children On Social Media

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The Pros & Cons Of Children On Social Media

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What are the pros and cons of children on social media? Well, a lot depends on what they're doing on social media. And on who you ask.

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Loss of control

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Tweet

In the past few years, social media has grown from being a medium where people socialize to one of the most powerful avenues for marketing and promotion of businesses. Social media marketing describes any marketing effort which is carried out via any social media platform; Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn etc. The sharp rise in social media marketing is occasioned by the tremendous advantages that this marketing effort offers. More and more businesses are including social media marketing as part of their advertising plan, while those that already have a social media marketing campaign are doubling their budgets in this regard.

But there are two sides to everything; including social media marketing. Social media marketing will only prove successful if done properly and effectively. Just like everything on earth, there are rules, failure to abide by the rules of social media marketing will cause it to have a detrimental effect on your brand or business.

Do not follow the bandwagon and jump unprepared into social media marketing; you may get burnt. It is important you carry out proper research and be well informed about all aspect of this marketing effort before you subscribe to it. Below are 10 pros and cons of social media marketing in mobile app development;
1. Time-consuming:
This is one of the biggest cons of social media marketing for a mobile app development company. For an effective marketing effort, you need to spend as much time as possible online refreshing your pages with contents suitable enough to keep your audience interested and engaged. This usually requires a lot of research, which would consume a lot of time. Also, social media marketing requires you to give timely responses to audiences who may comment or ask questions on your platform. All of these makes social media marketing pretty time-consuming.
2. Long time on ROI:
Every marketing effort has a goal, for some, it is about improving their customer base, and for some, it is about increased traffic to boost relevance and yet for others it is about increased sales. Depending on what your marketing objectives are for your mobile app development company, social media marketing can take a long time before showing a return on investment. If you are going into social media marketing for the first time it is important you know it is not a genie that will instantly start granting your wishes, it sometimes takes time.
3. Risk of negative publicity:
Social media marketing is a very powerful tool for the promotion of a mobile app development company, but it can also use that same force to pull down or negatively impact a business. When you decide to adopt social media marketing, one of the things you should know is that you are going into a new world and exposing your business or brand to new threats. The internet is filled with miscreant and unscrupulous elements whose wish is to see your business fail. They will slander your business and post negative comments even when they have no idea what your company does.

Without proper management, such negative publicity can go viral and irreparably damage the reputation of your business.
4. Loss of control:
This point is in tandem with the previous one. When a dissatisfied former employee or customer posts something negative about your brand or mobile app development company, this can go viral and it is usually difficult to control. Social media marketing takes control off business owners and marketers.
5. Dilutes brand voice:
In cases where you have more than one individual handling social media interaction and posting information on social media channel, it could sometimes lead to a mixture of voices particularly when there is no perfect synchrony between the individuals. This can confuse the audience a bit and some may lose confidence in following your brand.

Pros:
1. Low cost:
This is one of the key advantages of social media marketing over traditional marketing and even other forms of digital marketing. It is free to join all the major social media platforms and it is equally free to begin interacting with potential customers at a basic level. However, if you want greater returns for your mobile app development company you can decide to go professional and invest some funds into your marketing effort. This will generate greater returns for your business at a fraction of the cost of getting that same return while doing traditional marketing.
2. Big audience:
This is another major advantage of social media marketing. Promoting your mobile app development company or business or products on social media platforms affords you the chance of reaching millions of people. While traditional form of marketing caters to a fixed pre-determined audience, there is no limitation to social media marketing. It breaks down whatever demographic barriers, be it age, sex, or social status.
3. Fast:
If you are looking for one of the quickest ways to reach an audience with news or another form of information, then social media marketing is your best choice. Social media marketing can be relied upon for fast action and results. Immediately you publish on social media platform it is immediately visible to your audience all across the world. Currently, people link their social media platforms with their website, such that new information published on their website is simultaneously published on their social media platforms.
4. Interaction:
Trust is important in every business, the more customers trust your mobile app development company the more confident they are to buy your products and patronize your service. Social media marketing was built upon interaction, which is a hallmark of social media. Social media marketing allows for greater interaction between businesses and customers, which is painfully missing in the traditional form of marketing. Existing and potential clients can use these media to communicate their fears, ask questions and give relevant suggestions. This regular interaction builds a long-term relationship that would generate a profitable result for any business.
5. Brand loyalty:
This point is in tandem with the previous one. The greater the interaction between business and customer, the more comfortable the customer becomes, and this would lead to brand loyalty. Such customer will be more than willing to promote the business without being told to do so, or paid to do so. It also boosts online reputation. Regular interaction with your customers shows that you care for them. This would make them more trusting of your products or service.

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10 Pros And Cons Of Social Media Marketing In Mobile App Development

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Tweet In the past few years, social media has grown from being a medium where people socialize to one of the most powerful avenues for marketing and promotion of businesses. Social media marketing describes any marketing effort which is carried out via any social media platform; Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn etc.

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Legal violations

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Security

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Cyberbullying

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Networking sites are now a great source of communication, and serve the purpose of bringing long lost friends and families together. There are now many such sites around, that have laid down a platform for people of different parts of the world to come together. Also, these sites are treated as a stage to set up small businesses or even promote brands to gain some potential clients. However, the trend of being a part of these websites is more visible among teenagers and youth. These youngsters are at all times engrossed in the world of networking, without really knowing its benefits as well as dangers. Just as this form of networking has advantages, it also has its own bad features.
Some Positives
There are so many ways in which social networking has changed our lives for the better. Let us have a look at the most important ones.

The role and future of social networking sites is to maintain simple and easy interaction among people. Friends who have lost touch can again connect with each other and always stay in touch. Also, with the various privacy settings, one can customize their profiles and categorize their friends and family accordingly, and make groups to make chatting easy. These sites always help people to stay connected most of the time, and makes sharing and talking easy.

Other than only connecting with friends, many people can even meet and talk to other people who come from different countries, and get to know their culture and way of living. It is good platform for getting to know different people.

Also, it provides us with cheaper communication. Through these websites, promoting your business idea is simple, as one can find potential clients by just sitting at home.

Sharing pictures and videos is also possible through these sites. They give the opportunity to create your albums and videos, and post them in your profile.

With the facility of sharing pictures and also chatting, the distance between people has reduced too.

Some Negatives
Though these sites bring a lot of benefits to people all around, the basic purpose of them is being abused too. Let us take a look at the various disadvantages.

These sites require people to create their own profile on the site. These profiles are created out of revealing one's personal details, which could be misused by other unknown people.

The profile demands the certain interests and contact details that could cause a problem for youngsters.

There are certain sites that provide privacy settings, by which one can hide all their personal information to strangers, and keep it visible to only known friends. However, many are not aware of these privacy settings and do not use them correctly.

Also, some youngsters are willing to abuse someone's space or privacy, and even create a fake profile to cause them problems. In this case, the person must immediately block such a profile, which will stop such kind of disturbances to their privacy.

Online scams, stalking, identity theft, etc., are other huge and stressful problems that are caused under these sites.

There is also a possibility of your account being hacked. This could be a huge problem as the hacker might tend to forward obscene pictures or send messages through your account to your social network. To avoid this, one must keep a check on the privacy settings, and the password must be renewed from time to time.

Last but not the least, millions of people around the world are addicted to these networking mediums, and for no constructive purposes, which results in a lot of waste of productive time that could be used for something better.

People of all ages can be a part of the social network. However, maintaining strict privacy and not intruding into anyone's space is essential to avoid any sort of bad practices. These sites are brought up for the purpose of bringing people of similar interests together, and to even promote an idea of business to reach out to people all around the world. When the authenticity of such sites is maintained, then one can realize the actual purpose and potential of these websites.

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Social networking sites are rapidly gaining popularity among the youth today. The basic purpose of these sites is to bring families and friends together. Along with the clear purpose of these sites, many people have also misused this medium. This article will give you some positives and negatives of social networking.

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Personal information revealed.

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Networking sites are now a great source of communication, and serve the purpose of bringing long lost friends and families together. There are now many such sites around, that have laid down a platform for people of different parts of the world to come together. Also, these sites are treated as a stage to set up small businesses or even promote brands to gain some potential clients. However, the trend of being a part of these websites is more visible among teenagers and youth. These youngsters are at all times engrossed in the world of networking, without really knowing its benefits as well as dangers. Just as this form of networking has advantages, it also has its own bad features.
Some Positives
There are so many ways in which social networking has changed our lives for the better. Let us have a look at the most important ones.

The role and future of social networking sites is to maintain simple and easy interaction among people. Friends who have lost touch can again connect with each other and always stay in touch. Also, with the various privacy settings, one can customize their profiles and categorize their friends and family accordingly, and make groups to make chatting easy. These sites always help people to stay connected most of the time, and makes sharing and talking easy.

Other than only connecting with friends, many people can even meet and talk to other people who come from different countries, and get to know their culture and way of living. It is good platform for getting to know different people.

Also, it provides us with cheaper communication. Through these websites, promoting your business idea is simple, as one can find potential clients by just sitting at home.

Sharing pictures and videos is also possible through these sites. They give the opportunity to create your albums and videos, and post them in your profile.

With the facility of sharing pictures and also chatting, the distance between people has reduced too.

Some Negatives
Though these sites bring a lot of benefits to people all around, the basic purpose of them is being abused too. Let us take a look at the various disadvantages.

These sites require people to create their own profile on the site. These profiles are created out of revealing one's personal details, which could be misused by other unknown people.

The profile demands the certain interests and contact details that could cause a problem for youngsters.

There are certain sites that provide privacy settings, by which one can hide all their personal information to strangers, and keep it visible to only known friends. However, many are not aware of these privacy settings and do not use them correctly.

Also, some youngsters are willing to abuse someone's space or privacy, and even create a fake profile to cause them problems. In this case, the person must immediately block such a profile, which will stop such kind of disturbances to their privacy.

Online scams, stalking, identity theft, etc., are other huge and stressful problems that are caused under these sites.

There is also a possibility of your account being hacked. This could be a huge problem as the hacker might tend to forward obscene pictures or send messages through your account to your social network. To avoid this, one must keep a check on the privacy settings, and the password must be renewed from time to time.

Last but not the least, millions of people around the world are addicted to these networking mediums, and for no constructive purposes, which results in a lot of waste of productive time that could be used for something better.

People of all ages can be a part of the social network. However, maintaining strict privacy and not intruding into anyone's space is essential to avoid any sort of bad practices. These sites are brought up for the purpose of bringing people of similar interests together, and to even promote an idea of business to reach out to people all around the world. When the authenticity of such sites is maintained, then one can realize the actual purpose and potential of these websites.

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Social networking sites are rapidly gaining popularity among the youth today. The basic purpose of these sites is to bring families and friends together. Along with the clear purpose of these sites, many people have also misused this medium. This article will give you some positives and negatives of social networking.

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Carrier Clinic | Hackensack Meridian Health | Belle Mead, NJ
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Addiction Self-Help Support
Addiction self-help, as well as ongoing support, are integral and necessary in making a full recovery, which is why we also have specialists from both Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous, NJ, on premise daily to give our patients the reinforcement they need for relapse prevention.

Learn more about addiction self-help services

Alcohol Addiction Treatment
More than 17 million Americans have a substance abuse problem with alcohol. This means alcohol is one of the most commonly abused drugs in the U.S. Whether you drink to feel calmer, escape your problems, or sleep better at night, crossing the line from recreational to necessary drinking can be dangerous to your health and well-being.

Learn more about alcohol addiction treatment

Illegal Drug Addiction Treatment
Drug addiction is a life-altering phenomenon and a growing epidemic. Over 4 million people in the U.S. today are addicted to illegal drugs, the most common of which are cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamine, and heroin. Most of these drugs have an addictive effect after just a few uses.

Learn more about illegal drug addiction treatment

Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)
Alcohol and Drug Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) at Blake Recovery Center™

What is addiction? Addiction is a biological, psychological, sociological, and spiritual disease which affects virtually every aspect of an abuser's life. Consequences of addictive behaviors increase as disease progression continues. Those participating in our Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) are properly educated about these aspects of addiction.

Learn more about Alcohol and Drug Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)

Prescription Drug Addiction Treatment
Dependency on any substance - including painkillers, antidepressants, and stimulants - involves altering the brain chemistry with a toxin to quickly produce temporary relief from frustration, grief, or pain, without changing the thoughts or behavior that cause these negative feelings. Prescription drug dependency is a treatable disease that can be held in remission through lifestyle change.

Learn more about prescription drug addiction treatment

Alcohol Detox
Blake Recovery Center™ in Belle Mead, an alcohol detox center in New Jersey, is known for our effective alcohol detox program designed specifically for those suffering from alcoholism. The detox process can take up to a week but varies based on the severity of addiction.

Learn more about alcohol detox services

Drug Detox
Drug addiction is a serious illness with no do-it-yourself solution. Blake Recovery Center™, one of the most widely trusted New Jersey detox centers, is run by behavioral health experts with specialized training and vast experience to help those addicted to cocaine, crack, heroin, as well as prescription and other drugs to become clean.

Learn more about drug detox services

Adolescent & Teen Psychiatric In-Patient Services (ages 12-18)
Treatment for emotional, psychiatric and behavioral issues that can often be coupled with substance abuse addiction issues during this tender stage of life.
Learn more about our adolescent and teen psychiatric in-patient services

Adolescent/Teen Residential Treatment:
East Mountain Youth Lodge
A comprehensive clinical, therapeutic and educational treatment program for patients age 13-18 with psychiatric and/or emotional difficulties.

East Mountain School
A state-approved private special education school for 7 through 12th-grade students classified as emotionally disturbed or as having behavioral disorders.

Alumni Program
Blake Recovery Center™ Alumni and IOP Alumni The purpose of each Alumni program's monthly meetings and special events is to support graduates in making the transition from treatment into recovering life by providing support, fellowship and encouragement.
Learn more about the alumni programs

Dual Diagnosis
Did you know that substance abuse and mental illness co-occur in up to half of all people experiencing either of these issues? Addiction can be a multifaceted disease, which results in the need for inpatient dual diagnosis treatment. Someone suffering from both alcohol or drug addiction and an emotional/psychiatric problem is said to have a dual diagnosis.
Learn more about dual diagnosis treatment services

Family Intervention
At Blake Recovery Center™, a recovery center for the chemically dependent, we believe that family intervention is essential in every patient's recovery. That's why we conduct educational and family group counseling sessions in our special weekend programs that focus on family interaction. Here the patient and his or her family members, whether a wife, husband, child, sister, brother, mother or father, are given the opportunity to understand addiction, communicate about their feelings, and start to heal in a safe, caring environment.

Learn more about family intervention services

Residential Rehabilitation and Counseling
Blake Recovery Center™ is much more than a substance abuse detox and rehab center. Our residential rehabilitation program initiates the process of recovery from drug and alcohol addictions and encompasses a comprehensive treatment plan specific to the medical, emotional and social needs of each individual. Our proactive approach includes individual and group counseling, family intervention, addiction education, exercise, medical stabilization, and self-help support recovery via Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and/or Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meetings.

Learn more about residential rehabilitation and counseling

ESSEX COUNTY

Mountainside Medical Center (Montclair)
973-429-6963

HUDSON COUNTY

Palisades Medical Center (North Bergen)
201-854-5760

MIDDLESEX COUNTY

Old Bridge Medical Center (Old Bridge)
732-324-5289

Raritan Bay Medical Center (Perth Amboy)
732-442-3794

MONMOUTH COUNTY

Bayshore Medical Center (Holmdel)
732 -497-1776

Riverview Medical Center (Red Bank)
732-219-5325

Jersey Shore University Medical Center (Neptune)
732-776-4555

OCEAN COUNTY

Ocean Medical Center (Brick)
732-836-4664

Southern Ocean Medical Center (Manahawkin)
609-978-8972

Inpatient detox and residential addiction treatment. Intensive outpatient addiction treatment.

Inpatient psychiatric treatment including specialized units for adolescents, geriatric, acute and chronic behavioral health, dual-diagnosis, mental health, addiction, depression, acute psychiatric conditions, depression, psychosis, schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorders and ECT (Electroconvulsive Therapy).

Half-day partial hospital program for children between the ages of 7 and 12 experiencing behavioral health issues impacting their functioning at home, school and in the community. Psychiatric assessment, medication monitoring and intensive group therapy provided.

Adult outpatient psychiatric evaluation and medication management services.
Hackensack University Medical Center Outpatient Adult Behavioral Health Services (located at The Debra Simon Center For Integrative Behavioral Health & Wellness)
87 Route 17, Suite 1-118
North Maywood, NJ 07601
551-996-4450

Adult outpatient psychiatric evaluation and medication management services.

Middle and High school for youths and adolescents grades 7 through 12 with emotional and behavioral health conditions.

Inpatient residential program for adolescents age 13 - 18. Multiple specialized treatment units include acute mental health issues, dual-diagnosis (mental health and addiction, depression/suicidal). Two group homes on the campus for female adolescents with mental health conditions.

Inpatient psychiatric unit for treatment of acute psychiatric illness. Multidisciplinary team provides care during hospitalization and coordination with other providers for discharge and aftercare.

Inpatient psychiatric unit for treatment of acute psychiatric illness. Multidisciplinary team provides care during hospitalization and coordination with other providers for discharge and aftercare.

Individual, Group and Intensive Outpatient services for adults dealing with substance use issues. Psychiatric assessment, medication monitoring and medication assisted treatment also available.

Individual, group and family treatment for adults dealing with behavioral health issues. Psychiatric assessment and medication monitoring also available.

Individual, group and family therapy for children, adolescents and their families. Specialty services include therapeutic nursery groups, social skills groups, adolescent girl's groups as well as others.

Outpatient individual, group and family treatment for adults with mental health and substance use issues. Psychiatric assessment and medication management are also available.

Inpatient psychiatric unit for treatment of acute psychiatric illness. Multidisciplinary team provides care during hospitalization and coordination with other providers for discharge and aftercare.

Outpatient mental health services including individual, family, and group sessions. Psychotherapy, case management, psychoeducation, and psychiatric evaluations and medication management available in our outpatient counseling department. Adult Partial-Hospitalization and Intensive Outpatient Programs also available and this location.

Outpatient mental health services including individual, family, and group sessions. Psychotherapy, case management, psychoeducation, and psychiatric evaluations and medication management. .

Outpatient mental health services including individual, family, and group sessions. Psychotherapy, case management, psychoeducation, and psychiatric evaluations and medication management. .

Adult outpatient psychiatric evaluation and medication management services.

Individual, Group and Intensive Outpatient services for adults dealing with behavioral health issues. Psychiatric assessment and medication monitoring are also available.

Adult outpatient psychiatric evaluation and medication management services.

Inpatient psychiatric unit with adult crisis stabilization services, adult inpatient, geriatric (older adult) inpatient, dual-diagnosis (mental health substance use disorder) inpatient and ECT services.

Currently offering outpatient and Intensive Outpatient individual and group addiction treatment services, medication-assisted therapy (MAT). Inpatient addiction treatment services available in 2024.

Riverview Medical Center - Outpatient Addiction Recovery Services
Booker Behavioral Health Center
661 Shrewsbury Avenue
Shrewsbury, NJ 07702
732-345-3400

Individual, Group and Intensive Outpatient services for adults dealing with substance use issues. Psychiatric assessment, medication monitoring and medication assisted treatment also available.

Riverview Medical Center - Adult Behavioral Health Services
Booker Behavioral Health Center
661 Shrewsbury Avenue
Shrewsbury, NJ 07702
732-345-3400

Individual, Group and Intensive Outpatient services for adults dealing with behavioral health issues. Psychiatric assessment and medication monitoring are also available.

Inpatient psychiatric unit for treatment of acute psychiatric illness. Multidisciplinary team provides care during hospitalization and coordination with other providers for discharge and aftercare.

Adult outpatient psychiatric evaluation and medication management services.

Walk-in care for traditional urgent care medical needs, but also offers services to treat short term outpatient mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, mood disorders, and behavioral issues in adults ages 16 years and older.

OUMC Outpatient Behavioral Health and Addiction Treatment Services
1610 Route 88, 3rd Floor
Brick, NJ 08724
732-295-6543

Outpatient mental health assessment, evaluation and therapy for children, adolescents, adults and older adults. Individual therapy available. Specialized outpatient services for addiction treatment.

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Carrier Clinic | Hackensack Meridian Health | Belle Mead, NJ

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Carrier Clinic specializes in inpatient psychiatric treatment and treatment and rehabilitation for substance abuse, providing a complete array of expert care and education for adolescents and teens, adults, and older adults.

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Real-time feedback

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Our thoughts on growth marketing, website design and content strategy for contract manufacturers.

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Helps job seekers find jobs locally

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Proponents say social media spreads information faster than any other media. Opponents say it enables the spread of unreliable information.

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Spreads information faster than any other platform

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Proponents say social media spreads information faster than any other media. Opponents say it enables the spread of unreliable information.

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More informed about current affairs

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IMPORTANT NOTE: The PhoneSheriff product was permanently discontinued by this website's previous owner.

Need to monitor your child or employee? We recommend this product instead.
Please note we may receive commission on any purchase you make.

For Tweens

Protect your tween from gaining access to harmful content online. Set time limits on their phone and data usage from an easy online control panel.

PARENTAL MONITORING

For Teens

Protect your teenager by knowing who they contact and block them from communicating with people or websites that you don't approve of.

PARENTAL MONITORING

PhoneSheriff Has More Features

This system goes beyond allowing you to set limits on your child's phone usage time. You can determine who they can or can't communicate with, block websites or apps and view activities performed.

LEARN MORE

What does your child do on the mobile device you have provided them? Worried they're abusing their phone or tablet privileges? PhoneSheriff allows you to monitor actions and filter out those you don't want. You can even create a schedule for allowed usage.

PhoneSheriff is the next generation of parental control software for mobile phones and tablets. Do you need the ability to filter, block and monitor how your child uses your mobile device? If yes, then this software is ideal for you. Install this small program onto the device your child uses to begin monitoring.

After you install the password-protected software, it blocks the activities you specify and creates logs of every action your child performs. You have the option of showing your child a device notification and a tamper-proof icon to notify them that they are being monitored. This option can be turned off.

Using the Internet capabilities of your phone or tablet, the monitored activities and GPS locations are quickly inserted to your PhoneSheriff account. To view the results you simply login to your secure account at the PhoneSheriff web site. Logs are displayed by categories and sorted for easy browsing.

If you are worried that your children are using your phones and tablets inappropriately, then PhoneSheriff is just for you. SMS (text messaging) has become a popular way for people to connect. Are your kids spending too much time on the phone or tablet ? Are they talking to people you don't allow? Are they involved with Sexting? What are they texting about? You have the right to know.

Install this easy program to your child's phone or tablet to view and block disallowed activity. You can even access the logs from any location by logging into the secure site from any computer, tablet or phone Internet web browser.

By creating the first parental software to monitor Android smartphones, PhoneSheriff sets the global standard. Our programs have gained major media attention from dozens of radio stations, magazines and web sites all over the world. We are also a member of the Better Business Bureau of Northeastern Florida. This proves we stand behind our product and service. Keep reading for more reasons why you should choose PhoneSheriff.

Dedicated Customer Support
We stand behind our software completely. We offer support from real humans to answer any questions you might have. If you need help with the software simply contact us and have our representatives assist you through the process.

Not a Spyware Application
PhoneSheriff software can notify your child that they are being monitored. Since they know the software is installed, they will be more eager to follow your rules. This option can be turned off when your child's monitoring requires more discretion.

Trust a US based company founded in 2003
By purchasing from an established firm that has been creating monitoring software since early 2003, you can rest assured you'll receive professional grade software and service. Our company is also accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) with an A+ rating.

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PhoneSheriff | Parental Control Filtering Software for Mobile Phones and Tablets

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IMPORTANT NOTE: The PhoneSheriff product was permanently discontinued by this website's previous owner. Please note we may receive commission on any purchase you make. Protect your tween from gaining access to harmful content online. Set time limits on their phone and data usage from an easy online control panel.

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Make new friends

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Put yourself out there in a good way

Posting inappropriate statuses/pictures

Connect with students in other educational systems

Making people feel bad about themselves

Make new friends/communicate or connect with old friends/family

Cyberbullying

Get different opinions on things like surveys

Hacking into profiles and posting as them

Get a fanbase/try to make a name for yourself

Gossip/spread rumors

You could help somebody with anything on a blog just by stating your opinion.

Instead of mailing something and having it take a few days to get there or even paying to mail it, you can go right on the web and have it sent to someone in a matter of seconds.

The social media can bring people together that are interested in the same things as you are.

Ability to educate others in a different way

60 million Americans received help with major life issues (changing jobs, finding a new place to live, buying a car, and caring for someone with an illness) from people in their social networks in 2006. These people said social networking sites helped them connect with friends and experts who assisted in their decisions.

The use of social networking sites can cause personality and brain disorders in children, such as the inability to have real conversations, limited attention spans, a need for instant gratification, Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and self-centered personalities.

Social networking sites bring people with common interests together

Stalking people

Try to make an impact (helping with natural disasters and raising awareness)

Social media sites are expanding from general interest to more specific uses that benefit society. For example, sites have been created for medical purposes such as dealing with life altering diseases, alcoholism, drug addiction, weight loss, and autism.

Social networking sites have no way to verify that people are who they claim to be, leaving people vulnerable to solicitations from online predators who are able to mask their true identities.(twitter doesn't make you use a real name when facebook makes you use something that at least sounds like a real name)

Advertising yourself and a brand

59% of students with access to the Internet report that they use social networking sites to discuss educational topics including career and college planning, and 50% use the sites to talk about school assignments

If your profile is not private, people can get private information about you

Blog about your opinions to express yourself in a non-violent way

Colleges can recruit you on videos you put up on social media for sports.

Creating a blog that defames others.

Convenience (mass invitation online to events)

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Pros & Cons of Social Media - Digital Citizenship

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Put yourself out there in a good way Posting inappropriate statuses/pictures Connect with students in other educational systems Making people feel bad about themselves Make new friends/communicate or connect with old friends/family Cyberbullying Get different opinions on things like surveys Hacking into profiles and posting as them Get a fanbase/try to make a name for yourself Gossip/spread rumors You could help somebody with anything on a blog just by stating your opinion.

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Put yourself out there in a good way.

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Put yourself out there in a good way

Posting inappropriate statuses/pictures

Connect with students in other educational systems

Making people feel bad about themselves

Make new friends/communicate or connect with old friends/family

Cyberbullying

Get different opinions on things like surveys

Hacking into profiles and posting as them

Get a fanbase/try to make a name for yourself

Gossip/spread rumors

You could help somebody with anything on a blog just by stating your opinion.

Instead of mailing something and having it take a few days to get there or even paying to mail it, you can go right on the web and have it sent to someone in a matter of seconds.

The social media can bring people together that are interested in the same things as you are.

Ability to educate others in a different way

60 million Americans received help with major life issues (changing jobs, finding a new place to live, buying a car, and caring for someone with an illness) from people in their social networks in 2006. These people said social networking sites helped them connect with friends and experts who assisted in their decisions.

The use of social networking sites can cause personality and brain disorders in children, such as the inability to have real conversations, limited attention spans, a need for instant gratification, Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and self-centered personalities.

Social networking sites bring people with common interests together

Stalking people

Try to make an impact (helping with natural disasters and raising awareness)

Social media sites are expanding from general interest to more specific uses that benefit society. For example, sites have been created for medical purposes such as dealing with life altering diseases, alcoholism, drug addiction, weight loss, and autism.

Social networking sites have no way to verify that people are who they claim to be, leaving people vulnerable to solicitations from online predators who are able to mask their true identities.(twitter doesn't make you use a real name when facebook makes you use something that at least sounds like a real name)

Advertising yourself and a brand

59% of students with access to the Internet report that they use social networking sites to discuss educational topics including career and college planning, and 50% use the sites to talk about school assignments

If your profile is not private, people can get private information about you

Blog about your opinions to express yourself in a non-violent way

Colleges can recruit you on videos you put up on social media for sports.

Creating a blog that defames others.

Convenience (mass invitation online to events)

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Pros & Cons of Social Media - Digital Citizenship

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Put yourself out there in a good way Posting inappropriate statuses/pictures Connect with students in other educational systems Making people feel bad about themselves Make new friends/communicate or connect with old friends/family Cyberbullying Get different opinions on things like surveys Hacking into profiles and posting as them Get a fanbase/try to make a name for yourself Gossip/spread rumors You could help somebody with anything on a blog just by stating your opinion.

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1. Social media helps reduce loneliness of senior citizens who are socially isolated.

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My generation grew up in an era not known for leaps in technological advances. The lack of fun, lithium-ion powered iThings forced us to engage in antiquated traditions like going outside, socializing or reading. On the upside, living offline allowed us to keep screw-ups to limited audiences. We also experienced less bullying, anxiety and depression than later peers.

Related: Why Social Media Is Ruining Your Self-Esteem-and How to Stop It

Today, we often perceive anyone who shuns social media as old or out of touch. However, they might be the most mentally fit among us. In reality, most people have little awareness of the frequency with which they check their phones. In a 2015 study, participants checked their phones an average of 85 times each day and spent 5.05 hours per day using their smartphone. This is concerning because several studies and researchers have associated social media with several psychiatric disorders, including depressive symptoms, anxiety and low self-esteem.

Consider these 10 notable pro and con stances regarding social media use.

PROS:

1. Messaging on social media sites can lead to face-to-face interactions when plans are made via the sites.

2. Social media increases voter participation and facilitates political change.

3. Social media helps reduce loneliness of senior citizens who are socially isolated.

4. Social media allows for quick diffusion of public health and safety information during crisis events.

5. The U.S. military and the Department of Veterans Affairs use social media to help prevent suicide.

6. Social media can help disarm social stigmas like anxiety or depression.

7. Crowdsourcing on social media allows people to attain a goal, empowering users to achieve positive change.

8. Social media provides academic research to a wider audience, allowing people access to previously inaccessible educational resources.

9. Social media sites can help improve overall well-being by providing users with a large social group creating a "contagion" effect.

10. Professional networking sites like LinkedIn greatly assist companies to find personnel and job seekers to find work.

CONS:

1. Social media posts cannot be entirely deleted.

2. Social media can endanger our military, journalists and activists.

3. Social media use is associated with personality and brain disorders.

4. Students who are heavy social media users tend to have lower grades.

5. Social media can exacerbate feelings of disconnect and put children at higher risk for anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, eating disorders and even suicide.

6. Criminals can use social media to commit and promote crimes.

7. Social media can be a drain on time and use up hours that you can't get back.

8. Advertising practices of social media sites may create an invasion of privacy.

9. Social media facilitates sexting, which can lead to revenge porn, criminal charges and a proliferation of personal images.

10. Social media use can cause personality and brain disorders, ADHD and self-centered personalities-particularly in youth.

Clinical psychologist and author of The Teen Girl's Survival Guide, Dr. Lucie Hemmen writes that, "Most people experience huge benefits from taking a social media break. There is a way in which cultivating and maintaining your online identity can replace an authentic connection to your true self. The more grounded you are in your authentic value as a human being, the less likely you are to be a heavy user of social media and also to be negatively affected by it."

For example, if you know that your value is deeper and more complex than what you post and how many likes and comments you receive, then you are probably social media resilient.

The more grounded you are in your authentic value as a human being, the less likely you are to be a heavy user of social media and also to be negatively affected by it.

On the flipside, Dr. Hemmen adds that, "If you struggle with feelings of insecurity and find yourself putting a lot of time and effort into portraying yourself a particular way on social media, then you are more vulnerable and would benefit profoundly from regular breaks. You will have the space needed to move toward your true self."

Start by temporarily limiting your access. Challenge yourself to abstain from social media for a full week by removing Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other social media platforms from your phone for a duration of time. Once the initial withdrawal anxiety subsides, take notice if you feel better or worse. Being offline might just be a vacation for you.
Photo by jsdaniel via Twenty20

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How many times have you checked your phone today? | SUCCESS

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Real-time news and information

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Social networking has changed the way we communicate, do business, get our daily news fix and so much more. But is it really all it's cracked up to be?

That depends on who you talk to and how you're using it. A site like Facebook could serve as an opportunistic launching pad for a new business owner, or it could be an inescapable source of negative peer pressure for a young teen. There are pros and cons to everything in life-and that includes our social networking habits.

The Pros of Social Networking

There are a lot of upsides to social networking. Ask yourself how you can take more advantage of the following whenever you decide to check out your favorite social networks.

Connect to Other People All Over the World

One of the most obvious pros of using social networks is the ability to instantly reach people from anywhere. Use Facebook to stay in touch with your old high school friends who've relocated all over the country, use Google Meet to connect with relatives who live halfway around the world, or meet brand new people on social media from cities or regions you've never even heard of before.

Easy and Instant Communication

Now that we're connected wherever we go, we don't have to rely on our landlines, answering machines or snail mail to contact somebody. We can simply open up our laptops or pick up our smartphones and immediately start communicating with anyone on social media or one of the many social messaging apps available.

Real-Time News and Information Discovery

Gone are the days of waiting around for the six o'clock news to come on TV or for the delivery boy to bring the newspaper in the morning. If you want to know what's going on in the world, all you need to do is jump on social media. An added bonus is that you can customize your news and information discovery experiences by choosing to follow exactly what you want.

Great Opportunities for Business Owners

Business owners and other types of professional organizations can connect with current customers, sell their products and expand their reach using social media. There are actually lots of entrepreneurs and businesses out there that thrive almost entirely on social networks and wouldn't even be able to operate without it.

General Fun and Enjoyment

You have to admit that social networking is just plain fun sometimes. A lot of people turn to it when they catch a break at work or just want to relax at home. Since people are naturally social creatures, it's often quite satisfying to see comments and likes show up on our own posts, and it's convenient to be able to see exactly what our friends are up to without having to ask them directly.

The Cons of Social Networking

It's no secret that there's also a dark side to social networking. You may want to ask yourself how you can minimize the following cons of social networking as much and as often as possible.

If social media is your primary source for news and other information, you could end up in a filter bubble, which is when you've isolated yourself from new information and engaging with people who have different perspectives. If you've managed to stay in a bubble of harmful misinformation, it can damage relationships and even be dangerous.

Information Overload and Overwhelm

With so many people now on social media tweeting links and posting selfies and sharing YouTube videos, it sure can get pretty noisy. Becoming overwhelmed by too many Facebook friends to keep up with or too many Instagram photos to browse through isn't all that uncommon. Over time, we tend to rack up a lot of friends and followers, and that can lead to lots of bloated news feeds with too much content we're not all that interested in.

Privacy Issues

So much is shared online these days that issues over privacy are becoming an increasingly big concern. Whether it's a question of social sites owning your content after it's posted, becoming a target after sharing your location online, or even getting in trouble at work after tweeting something inappropriate - sharing too much with the public can open up all sorts of problems that sometimes can't ever be undone.

Social Peer Pressure and Cyber Bullying

For people struggling to fit in with their peers - especially teens and young adults - the pressure to do certain things or act a certain way can be even worse on social media than it is at school or any other offline setting. In some extreme cases, the overwhelming pressure to fit in with everyone posting on social media or becoming the target of a cyberbullying attack can lead to serious stress, anxiety and even depression.

Increased Feelings of Social Isolation

Since people are now connected all the time and you can pull up a friend's social profile with a click of your mouse or a tap of your smartphone, it's a lot easier to use online interaction as a substitute for face-to-face interaction. Some people argue that social media actually promotes antisocial human behavior.

Distraction and Procrastination

How often do you see someone look at their phone? People get distracted by all the social apps and news and messages they receive, leading to all sorts of problems like distracted driving or the lack of gaining someone's full attention during a conversation. Browsing social media can also feed procrastination habits and become something people turn to in order to avoid certain tasks or responsibilities.

Sedentary Lifestyle Habits and Sleep Disruption

Lastly, since social networking is all done on some sort of computer or mobile device, it can sometimes promote too much sitting down in one spot for too long. Likewise, staring into the artificial light from a computer or phone screen at night can negatively affect your ability to get a proper night's sleep.

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There are both good and bad aspects of staying connected to people on social media. Here are a few of the most common pros and cons.

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You can communicate with everyone around the world.

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Social networking has changed the way we communicate, do business, get our daily news fix and so much more. But is it really all it's cracked up to be?

That depends on who you talk to and how you're using it. A site like Facebook could serve as an opportunistic launching pad for a new business owner, or it could be an inescapable source of negative peer pressure for a young teen. There are pros and cons to everything in life-and that includes our social networking habits.

The Pros of Social Networking

There are a lot of upsides to social networking. Ask yourself how you can take more advantage of the following whenever you decide to check out your favorite social networks.

Connect to Other People All Over the World

One of the most obvious pros of using social networks is the ability to instantly reach people from anywhere. Use Facebook to stay in touch with your old high school friends who've relocated all over the country, use Google Meet to connect with relatives who live halfway around the world, or meet brand new people on social media from cities or regions you've never even heard of before.

Easy and Instant Communication

Now that we're connected wherever we go, we don't have to rely on our landlines, answering machines or snail mail to contact somebody. We can simply open up our laptops or pick up our smartphones and immediately start communicating with anyone on social media or one of the many social messaging apps available.

Real-Time News and Information Discovery

Gone are the days of waiting around for the six o'clock news to come on TV or for the delivery boy to bring the newspaper in the morning. If you want to know what's going on in the world, all you need to do is jump on social media. An added bonus is that you can customize your news and information discovery experiences by choosing to follow exactly what you want.

Great Opportunities for Business Owners

Business owners and other types of professional organizations can connect with current customers, sell their products and expand their reach using social media. There are actually lots of entrepreneurs and businesses out there that thrive almost entirely on social networks and wouldn't even be able to operate without it.

General Fun and Enjoyment

You have to admit that social networking is just plain fun sometimes. A lot of people turn to it when they catch a break at work or just want to relax at home. Since people are naturally social creatures, it's often quite satisfying to see comments and likes show up on our own posts, and it's convenient to be able to see exactly what our friends are up to without having to ask them directly.

The Cons of Social Networking

It's no secret that there's also a dark side to social networking. You may want to ask yourself how you can minimize the following cons of social networking as much and as often as possible.

If social media is your primary source for news and other information, you could end up in a filter bubble, which is when you've isolated yourself from new information and engaging with people who have different perspectives. If you've managed to stay in a bubble of harmful misinformation, it can damage relationships and even be dangerous.

Information Overload and Overwhelm

With so many people now on social media tweeting links and posting selfies and sharing YouTube videos, it sure can get pretty noisy. Becoming overwhelmed by too many Facebook friends to keep up with or too many Instagram photos to browse through isn't all that uncommon. Over time, we tend to rack up a lot of friends and followers, and that can lead to lots of bloated news feeds with too much content we're not all that interested in.

Privacy Issues

So much is shared online these days that issues over privacy are becoming an increasingly big concern. Whether it's a question of social sites owning your content after it's posted, becoming a target after sharing your location online, or even getting in trouble at work after tweeting something inappropriate - sharing too much with the public can open up all sorts of problems that sometimes can't ever be undone.

Social Peer Pressure and Cyber Bullying

For people struggling to fit in with their peers - especially teens and young adults - the pressure to do certain things or act a certain way can be even worse on social media than it is at school or any other offline setting. In some extreme cases, the overwhelming pressure to fit in with everyone posting on social media or becoming the target of a cyberbullying attack can lead to serious stress, anxiety and even depression.

Increased Feelings of Social Isolation

Since people are now connected all the time and you can pull up a friend's social profile with a click of your mouse or a tap of your smartphone, it's a lot easier to use online interaction as a substitute for face-to-face interaction. Some people argue that social media actually promotes antisocial human behavior.

Distraction and Procrastination

How often do you see someone look at their phone? People get distracted by all the social apps and news and messages they receive, leading to all sorts of problems like distracted driving or the lack of gaining someone's full attention during a conversation. Browsing social media can also feed procrastination habits and become something people turn to in order to avoid certain tasks or responsibilities.

Sedentary Lifestyle Habits and Sleep Disruption

Lastly, since social networking is all done on some sort of computer or mobile device, it can sometimes promote too much sitting down in one spot for too long. Likewise, staring into the artificial light from a computer or phone screen at night can negatively affect your ability to get a proper night's sleep.

Thanks for letting us know!

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There are both good and bad aspects of staying connected to people on social media. Here are a few of the most common pros and cons.

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Social media helps you get involved politically

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My generation grew up in an era not known for leaps in technological advances. The lack of fun, lithium-ion powered iThings forced us to engage in antiquated traditions like going outside, socializing or reading. On the upside, living offline allowed us to keep screw-ups to limited audiences. We also experienced less bullying, anxiety and depression than later peers.

Related: Why Social Media Is Ruining Your Self-Esteem-and How to Stop It

Today, we often perceive anyone who shuns social media as old or out of touch. However, they might be the most mentally fit among us. In reality, most people have little awareness of the frequency with which they check their phones. In a 2015 study, participants checked their phones an average of 85 times each day and spent 5.05 hours per day using their smartphone. This is concerning because several studies and researchers have associated social media with several psychiatric disorders, including depressive symptoms, anxiety and low self-esteem.

Consider these 10 notable pro and con stances regarding social media use.

PROS:

1. Messaging on social media sites can lead to face-to-face interactions when plans are made via the sites.

2. Social media increases voter participation and facilitates political change.

3. Social media helps reduce loneliness of senior citizens who are socially isolated.

4. Social media allows for quick diffusion of public health and safety information during crisis events.

5. The U.S. military and the Department of Veterans Affairs use social media to help prevent suicide.

6. Social media can help disarm social stigmas like anxiety or depression.

7. Crowdsourcing on social media allows people to attain a goal, empowering users to achieve positive change.

8. Social media provides academic research to a wider audience, allowing people access to previously inaccessible educational resources.

9. Social media sites can help improve overall well-being by providing users with a large social group creating a "contagion" effect.

10. Professional networking sites like LinkedIn greatly assist companies to find personnel and job seekers to find work.

CONS:

1. Social media posts cannot be entirely deleted.

2. Social media can endanger our military, journalists and activists.

3. Social media use is associated with personality and brain disorders.

4. Students who are heavy social media users tend to have lower grades.

5. Social media can exacerbate feelings of disconnect and put children at higher risk for anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, eating disorders and even suicide.

6. Criminals can use social media to commit and promote crimes.

7. Social media can be a drain on time and use up hours that you can't get back.

8. Advertising practices of social media sites may create an invasion of privacy.

9. Social media facilitates sexting, which can lead to revenge porn, criminal charges and a proliferation of personal images.

10. Social media use can cause personality and brain disorders, ADHD and self-centered personalities-particularly in youth.

Clinical psychologist and author of The Teen Girl's Survival Guide, Dr. Lucie Hemmen writes that, "Most people experience huge benefits from taking a social media break. There is a way in which cultivating and maintaining your online identity can replace an authentic connection to your true self. The more grounded you are in your authentic value as a human being, the less likely you are to be a heavy user of social media and also to be negatively affected by it."

For example, if you know that your value is deeper and more complex than what you post and how many likes and comments you receive, then you are probably social media resilient.

The more grounded you are in your authentic value as a human being, the less likely you are to be a heavy user of social media and also to be negatively affected by it.

On the flipside, Dr. Hemmen adds that, "If you struggle with feelings of insecurity and find yourself putting a lot of time and effort into portraying yourself a particular way on social media, then you are more vulnerable and would benefit profoundly from regular breaks. You will have the space needed to move toward your true self."

Start by temporarily limiting your access. Challenge yourself to abstain from social media for a full week by removing Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other social media platforms from your phone for a duration of time. Once the initial withdrawal anxiety subsides, take notice if you feel better or worse. Being offline might just be a vacation for you.
Photo by jsdaniel via Twenty20

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How many times have you checked your phone today? | SUCCESS