The Pros and Cons of Using Facebook
When Facebook was founded in 2004, it was seen as a new innovation that would make our world more connected… and better for it.
Now more than a decade later, Facebook has been in the center of multiple scandals, including its role in the 2016 presidential election and its sale of user data to third parties.
As a result, many people have decided to spend less time on the platform or delete their account entirely.
It’s true that Facebook has some serious problems, but do its benefits outweigh its downfalls? If you are considering leaving Facebook, read below for our pros and cons!
Pro: You stay connected to long-distance friends and family
Facebook is a great way to stay in-the-know about people who you can’t see or talk to on a regular basis. You can also use Facebook to re-connect with old friends from high school and college.
Con: Facebook uses your data
From the 2018 Cambridge Analytics scandal, we learned one very important thing: Facebook knows a lot about its users and sells that information to advertisers. While Facebook has done a lot in the past year to protect consumer data, users still have to sacrifice some of their privacy when using the platform.
Pro: You can connect with new people
Facebook is one of the only social media platforms that allows for large-scale communication through its “groups” feature. This allows people to connect and share information with new people across the country and around the world. For example, the “Nonprofit Happy Hour” Facebook group is a major hub for non-profit professionals to share stories and best practices.
Con: It can be distracting during interpersonal time
Facebook can connect you to long-distance loved ones and new people, but it can also disconnect you from the people right in front of you. Due to the addictive nature of smartphones and social media, Facebook can distract its users during valuable in-person time with friends and family.
Pro: Events feature makes organizing easy
No other social media platform does event organizing like Facebook. The website has been helping people find, organize, and respond to all kind of events, from graduation parties to local concerts to national protests like the Women’s March.
Con: Negativity and political extremism
Facebook has been the site of cruel political disagreements, cyber bullying, fabricated news stories, and even the rise of extremist groups. This negativity and online rage can impact one’s mental and emotional health, as well as the health of our society.
Like any product or service, Facebook is not perfect. However, we hope this guide helps you think about how you use (or don’t use) the platform.
