(Introduction)

Social media are a positive and negative aspect of modern life that is here to stay. Since the
beginning of the internet, this virtual world has offered various platform options that have evolved over
the years. In the age of technology and communications, each person has a profile on at least one of
the best-known platforms of this type: Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat or Twitter are a fundamental
part of the way many individuals understand the world. Undoubtedly, their ability to connect people
from all over the world and the window they open to other realities have had a lot to do with their rapid
expansion. Also, the fact that they help in aspects as important as business or even love have played
a very important role in this regard. However, more and more experts are showing their concern about
the possible negative consequences that the indiscriminate use of these platforms can cause.
Psychologists, doctors, educators, and sociologists are investigating what the side effects of such
networks might be.
(body 1)
Online job opportunities have an extremely beneficial impact on the economic aspect. For users
who want to start a business or work with different clients on their own, social networks can become
one of their greatest allies to achieve these goals. In recent times, workers send their CV’s online, and
most companies visit platforms like Linkedin to find a candidate that fits what they are looking for.
What's more, anyone can create an ad campaign on Facebook or Instagram and get tons of new
followers for very little money. In fact, many large companies have almost completely abandoned
traditional advertising and are focusing primarily on using these platforms to gain new customers.

Social networks are a great source of entertainment and also can be used to fill time in a very
stimulating way. For example, today the largest provider of audiovisual entertainment is without a
doubt YouTube, which has many more followers than any current television network. The same is true
in other areas such as video games (a field in which Facebook is becoming one of the undisputed
market leaders), photography (Instagram is possibly the platform of reference in this area), music
(Spotify leads the reproduction and downloading of music of various genres for free), the channels
(with YouTube as a means of expression for the best-known artists, and other small artists to make
themselves known) or the production of audiovisual content through of short homemade videos for the
large audience such as the Chinese application Tik Tok, so fashionable among today's young people.

(body 2)

Social media sometimes stop being simple tools to become a central piece of our lives and
very addictive. For many people, their profile on their favorite platform is practically the most
important thing in the world; to the point that they develop serious problems, such as anxiety if they
don't get the number of likes they want. Unfortunately, social media addiction is an increasingly
common phenomenon in the developed world. Not only are more and more people showing classic
symptoms of this psychological disorder with each passing day, but they also start earlier and earlier.
Nowadays, adolescents or even young children carry a mobile phone everywhere and they remain
expectant to what happens on their screens, looking for the attention that this type of platform can
provide them.
Opening up to the virtual world carries a series of dangers that concern most people. Users are
constantly exposed to problems such as scams and data theft, credit card copying, the sale of
defective products and other types of fraud. As we have already mentioned, today anyone can start an
advertising campaign on Facebook or Instagram and reach thousands of users for a very low cost. The
problem is that not everyone who takes this action is going to have good intentions. For example, it is
very common to find "online stores" promoting products with incredible discounts through internet.
Many times, people who have tried to take advantage of these offers have found that the product did
not really exist, and with the unpleasant surprise that the page through which they tried to buy a
product, was fake. Identity theft is something that normally occurs among the youngest. What usually
happens is that someone opens a fake account pretending to be another person or even a company,
with the intention of directly harming the affected person or stealing personal information. There are
cases of grooming, trolls, racist, religious and xenophobic attacks, criticism and insults, inappropriate
content, spams, cyber viruses, among others.

Being influencers and being influenced: creativity, easy money, role models, values and the
new generations. The Internet is a place with a large number of people with a great ability to
communicate and attract the audience, as well as having a great ability to constantly generate content.
All with a smartphone, tablet or online channel. They do not necessarily have to be famous people, but
they are considered "experts" in a particular topic (fashion, technology, gastronomy, travel, etc.) on
which they develop and communicate. In recent years, the ideal job for many young people around the
planet is to have as many followers as possible who guarantee popularity, which represents economic
income, sponsors and world fame. The reality is that only a bunch of people have achieved the desired
category of influencers and they are taken as role models for children and adolescents who want to be
like them. The problem is that young people see this trend as an opportunity to achieve economic
benefits and popularity. Along the way, many of them suffer from depression, neglect studying, do not
take into account other job opportunities and feel that their dreams are frustrated if they do not achieve
that goal.

(conclusion)

In conclusion, the use of platforms can have both positive and negative aspects that have
completely revolutionized the way of life of many people. The truth is that more and more
individuals are unable to understand the world without the use of these platforms. They provide the
necessary answers to questions and requirements, connect the world and entertain. Even so, it is
essential to control the way they are used to minimize their risks while making the most of their
advantages.