Many people today are constantly using some kind of social media, such as instagram, twitter, snapchat, tumblr, facebook and many more.  According to wearesocial as of 2015 nearly 1.685 billion people had at least one social media account. It is commonly used to keep in touch with friends and family, to see what’s going on in the news, to follow new trends, and for lots of other things. But with the recent increase in social media usage people are beginning to question whether it is helping or hurting us. People have many different opinions but I believe it is helping us communicate by keeping us connected to old friends, making people feel more comfortable, and allows people to catch up on what is going on in the news.
   

Social media is helping us stay in touch with friends and family members who live far away. It helps us communicate by sharing photos on websites like instagram, texting, facetiming, and instant messaging. Even sites like twitter and Facebook allow people to read posts  about what is going on in people’s lives. According to How Teens View Their Digital Lives 52% of teens believe social media helps relationships with friends. Being able to see what your friends are doing when you don’t live close can make you feel more connected and closer together. After moving away from all of my friends being able to see all of each other’s posts on social media makes us feel like we are still part of each other’s lives even though we aren’t together very often.Some people believe that social media makes teens more anti social and closed off. However it actually allows people to communicate more often and lets them stay connected with friends who live far away. Such as when I moved to Kentucky from California i was worried I wouldn’t be able to stay in touch with them. But with the help of social media including texting, Instagram, and Twitter we stayed in touch, we and are still as close as we always were. In today’s world “Smart phones and social media expand our universe.” they make it so much easier to “connect with others”.-Daniel Goleman. With the help of all the new technology we have access to now, it is much easier to not only stay in touch with people who live close, but also friends and family members who live far away.
     

Social media can also make some people more comfortable with sharing their feelings and ideas online. Social media gives people a place to express themselves freely where they feel safe. According to “the digital world of teens” 1 in 4 teens say social media makes them less shy. This is because they feel as though they have a voice and because they are not talking in person they feel less exposed. Others also prefer to share online because the anonymous aspect social media provides a feeling of safety and protection.  Kids who are shy or maybe do not have many friends at school may feel more comfortable behind their screen. They can find people they have things in common with and people they can express themselves to. When they don’t have to talk in person they may often feel like there is less pressure or chance of being laughed at or judged. This benefits us because we can now feel less nervous about expressing ourselves. Other people may believe social media is hurting our communication because bullies online judge people for what they say. But that can also happen in person so if people feel safer talking online then it is a definite benefit, and on social media rude comments and users can be reported, blocked, even deleted. According to Amy Jo Martin, social media is a great way to “[give] a voice and a platform to anyone willing to engage.”.
       

Finally social media is a useful tool in communication because it provides a convenient way to quickly share news and ideas. Many social media sites now provide features that allow people to keep up with the news and latest trends. Apps like twitter, instagram, and Facebook offer this feature. It allows people to scroll through photos and articles to see what is happening in the media. According to “social media good for democracy?” 2/3 people use the Internet to get news. They can get caught up on what is going on with the presidential election, what is happening with new diseases, social issues, and even who just won their first Oscar. Some people may believe using social media makes people anti social. However getting the news on social media not only gives people something to talk about on social media but it also gives them things to talk about in person. Social media now provides quicker and easier “Access to information and the ability to give a voice to people who would never have been heard.”.
     

Overall social media is a great tool to utilize in communicating with all people. It can help to keep in touch with friends and family members whether they live close or far away. Some people have also said that communicating online makes them feel more comfortable than communicating in person. It also keeps people up to date on the latest trends and news. When used the right way social media is a very helpful tool and can greatly improve communication. Everyone should try and learn how to properly use social media to maximize its communication opportunities. All people need to try out some form of social media and learn how to use it to their advantage so it can help them accomplish what they want done. So go out today, sign up for a social media account, and learn about how it can help you communicate better.