So Many Pros and Cons and Pros and Cons!

I absolutely love social media. To be honest, I have to think that life probably stunk a bit before we had it by comparison. Thanks to social media, I am able to keep up with the growth and adventures of my nieces and nephews who live on the other side of the country. Thanks to social media, I made contact with a nursing instructor in Portland Oregon and together we wrote an informal paper providing guidelines to Facebook users on how to respond when someone is threatening to commit suicide. Thanks to social media,  corrupt governments, companies, and other organizations have been disrupted. Thanks to social media, people are sharing their DIY knowledge and families are saving money! Woohoo!

I just completed my 12th year as a school counselor at a K-8 public charter school in Florida. Although our school boasts fewer problems with bullying and general unkindness than most, we do still have our issues. With social media use on the rise over the past several years, of course it has cropped up as an issue with the kids at school. On line bullying is on the rise. And when bullying is happening on the web, it happens at lightning speed.

I could write forever about the pros and cons of social media. The list is endless. And social media has a list of pros and cons just as every single other advancement in our culture has had before it . . . and will after it. It really does come down to how we choose to use the tool.

I, for one, will continue to don my rose-colored glasses and view our Web 2.0 as a powerful force for good.

What do you think? What are some of the pros and cons that you see connected with online communication? Remember the list is endless! Can you come up with a new one?

Tally-ho!