1. Handout 2 Positive aspects of social media
Exploring social media
Handout 2 Positive aspects of social media

2. Assessment criteria The learner will:
1.1 Describe the positive and negative aspects of using social media
Source: Ofcom Adults’ media use and attitudes Report This sees an overall increase from 60% in 2014.

3. Social media
Around 70%* of adults have at least one social media profile.
Around 90%* of those aged 16–24 have at least one profile.
Facebook and Twitter continue to be the most popular sites.
The increasing popularity of social media suggests there are many positive aspects of joining an online community.
Many of those positive aspects may be identified by looking at what people use social media for.
Source: Ofcom Adults’ media use and attitudes Report This sees an overall increase from 60% in 2014.

4. Positive uses of social and business networking
Making friends and forming relationships
Finding a job
Staying in contact with friends and family
Sharing photos
Recouping lost contacts
Exchanging news and information
Asking for help
Fundraising
Making friends and forming relationships – through friends of friends suggestions it is quick and easy to make contact with others which may extend beyond virtual friendships.
Finding a job – professional networking sites allow you to provide a resumé of your skills and experience and notify you of potential employment opportunities. Others who know you professionally can endorse your skills.
Staying in contact with friends and family – our lives have become time-poor and few people have time to keep in touch with friends by telephone; social network sites provide a quick way of maintaining contact wherever those friends are in the world.
Sharing photos – allowing friends to view and download photos.
Recouping lost contacts – with around 70% of the adult population having a social network profile, it is easy to find old friends you have lost contact with and quickly catch up on what they have been up to.
Exchanging news and information – by sharing posts, there is rapid dissemination of news and information that you may not otherwise find out about.
Asking for help – it is easy to ask your group of friends for advice or help, for example, if you are looking to find a new flatmate.
Fund-raising – posted and shared clips of videos showing friends performing amusing actions have been highly successful in raising money for charities.

5. Positive uses of blogging/microblogging
Communication
Providing/receiving information
Voicing opinions
Keeping up with those whose lives you are interested in – whether personally known or not
Source of income
Communication – blogging can provide a form of emotional outlet in expressing joys and successes and fears and worries and can put you in touch with others with similar experiences. It can also improve written skills.
Providing/receiving information – news travels fast on Twitter: it is often the first source of information on events. Blogs based on personal experiences can provide a source of comfort/support for those going through similar experiences.
Voicing opinion – the opportunity to have your voice heard by a wide audience. Exposure to others’ opinions assists in personal growth and empathy.
Keeping up with those whose lives you are interested in – be they personally known or not: you can follow those people you are interested in or who share your own interests.
Source of income – it is much easier to start a blog than have a book published. Successful bloggers who provide a high-quality source of information on their subject can earn their living from Pay Per Click and advertising.

6. Positive uses of forums/chat rooms
Accessible advice
Answers to specific questions
Sharing information
Empathy/support
Accessible advice – the anonymity of the internet helps people to seek advice they may not otherwise have the courage to do so.
Answers to specific questions – forums are usually topic-led and the chances are there is already a posting with the answer you need. If not, other forum users are available to ask.
Sharing information – it is an efficient use of experiences to help others in the same circumstances.
Empathy/support – for those going through difficulties, it is reassuring to know they are not alone.

7. Positive uses of photo/video sharing sites
Photographic instructions
Informative
Entertaining
Showcasing talent
Presentations
Photographic instructions – many YouTube users search for instructional videos on how to perform a task such as putting up a light fitting, changing a hard drive.
Informative – photo upload sites such as Flickr can inform eg on choice of holiday destination.
Entertaining – many amusing and entertaining clips are available and can be searched for or are suggested to you based on what other users have viewed. Sixty-five percent of those aged watch at least one online clip per week.
Showcasing talent – many now successful people had their ‘big break’ on YouTube, eg Susan Boyle, Justin Bieber, Carly Rae Jepson.
Presentations – business presentations can be made accessible to those unable to attend in person.

8. Positive uses of interest catalogues/bookmarking sites
Accessing information and products/services of interest
Identifying new areas of interest
Generating ideas
Sharing information with likeminded people
Showcasing crafts

9. Summary of positive aspects
Time-saving way of staying in touch
Ease of communication with many people/businesses
Cheap/free
Interaction – a chance to be heard
Promotes creativity and learning
Opens up new interests
Ease of finding resources of interest
Source of empathy, help and advice
Exchange of news and information
Showcases talent

10. Any questions?