The ever growing influence of social media and chat apps has indeed made this world flat. You could connect with individuals or groups virtually from any corner of the world. All this with a supportive device and an internet connection.
Contents
- 1 Why Need Social Media / Chat Apps?
- 2 Influences and Benefits
- 3 Challenges and Concerns
- 4 Confidentiality breach
- 5 Fake information and rumor spreading
- 6 Chain messages and Unnecessary forwarding
- 7 Instrumental in threatening and obscene sharing
- 8 Information misuse and hacking
- 9 Information authenticity
- 10 The Summary
Why Need Social Media / Chat Apps?
So what among these that you are looking for -> Live video chat with your family member residing in the far west? Sharing photographs and memories with your social circle about your recent travel trip? Interested in keeping yourself updated about the media trends, fashion brands, and latest news updates?
Keen about competing in network gaming and score sharing? Willing to contribute in a social knowledge sharing community at your convenience? Or just want to spend leisure time in casual chats and gossips? Social media websites and chat apps offer all the aforementioned features and a few more.
Influences and Benefits
Several popular social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and chat apps like Whatsapp, Skype, and Hike, have played a significant role in drawing near families and friends. This has been crucial in speeding up the communication by great means. An easy and convenient user interface has also allowed people of all ages to participate in virtual activities.
It has also led to quick multimedia sharing with targeted users, special interest groups, and social communities. This had been influential in sharing news and graphics snippets, spot on, to anybody having the access to the technology.
Many businesses are also exploring opportunities to extend social media and chat apps to trigger more business and earn money. E-commerce players are working on different ways to use social media not just for promotion but for sales. This may lead to streamlining the order processes, secure the communication channel and the payment mode for income generation.
Challenges and Concerns
Social media and chat apps have certainly connected the world, improved communication throughout and made information/knowledge sharing easy. However, going in line with Newton’s first law of motion, it also poses several challenges and concerns for the Government and Intelligence agencies.
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Confidentiality breach
Social media and chat apps make it easy for people to leak out confidential information to the non-concerned parties.
Fake information and rumor spreading
It is a bitter truth that some people use editing software to tamper images and videos of others. Various social media platforms become a channel to spread derogatory rumors by circulating these images/videos. This is a direct attack on one’s privacy.
Chain messages and Unnecessary forwarding
Many chain messages and forwards instruct users to send that message to other users or groups, not doing so will bring ill fortune etc. Prompts users in unnecessary information spreading.
Instrumental in threatening and obscene sharing
Again social media and chat apps may allow mischief mongers and ruffians to send threatening or obscene message or content to targeted individuals or in the groups.
Information misuse and hacking
Not all social media websites and chat apps are completely secured enough to prevent hacking of chat messages or media content. This allows room for information in private chats or groups to be misused by others.
Information authenticity
It is advisable to not to share your user information or password with anyone – be it your family or your superior at the office. Provide them the files or document they are concerned to minimize the threat of compromised information.
In an organization, it is critical to secure your credentials to ensure that no one misuses it to put blame on you. Even giving someone access to your smartphone can land you in serious trouble. It opens the opportunity to access the device and make illegal use of it.
The Summary
To wrap up, social media and chat apps have abundant benefits to offer to the world for a prosperous and healthy development. Yet, it is not far from concerns and challenges that need urgent attention. It is up to an individual to use it for creating a positive field around. If used in right sense by the right group of people, social media, and chat apps will certainly be a boon for the humankind.