By Maria Andonakopoulou & Emily Kiriazi (A Class)

You’re a typical teenager and you are returning home. I’m sure the very first thing you will do is to connect to the Facebook and Instagram, like we all do sadly. Social networking (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, MSN, etc.) nowadays affects more and more our lives. It has become an issue that has been a subject of controversy on whether it affects positively or negatively teenagers’ lives.

Using social networks has numerous advantages. First of all, it is an easy way of communication for all people and especially young people. Because of their limited spare time, communicating online with their friends is a much easier and quicker way of doing so. Moreover, it is an opportunity to express easier their feelings. Additionally, people have the ability to send pictures, videos, voice records that can make the conversation more enjoyable. Not to mention that social networking can help a teenager to boost his self-confidence by socializing and making more friends.

On its downside, it is commonly accepted that social networks affect negatively students’ life in various ways. Students end up being addicted to the use of such networks (Facebook) and spending several hours, more than they really should, resulting in setting aside their homework and studies. Furthermore, it is a common phenomenon nowadays students to be mislead by strangers. By using social networks you also expose private information to everyone; photos and data about you, where you live, your friends, your personal life and everything that is going on in your life leaks through the networks available for everyone to see. The majority of teenagers end up having no real-world life, as they feel forced to waste time exposing every minute of their life on the Facebook, for example.

     All the above considered, social networking can be beneficial for young people if used in an appropriate way and not uncontrollably.