“Social media makes people less social.”
“Social media makes people less social.”
As social media enables us to express our thoughts, ideas and feelings in a complete new way, it has become an important way of communicating in the 21st century. It has become a vital part of our everyday life. The total number of people using social media continues to increase globally.
However, the nature of the problem is that there is no consensus whether social media is making people more or less social.
With the help of your arguments, I will develop a report on this topic; stating an observation of the opinions given (anonymously) and providing a conclusion. Your feedback is therefore very much appreciated. 
Yes, I agree
Side Score: 14
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No, I disagree
Side Score: 17
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Use of social media makes people lazy. Less contact by joining each other physical. People "leveren minder inspanningen" om echt met elkaar in contact te komen. Ook denkt men minder na over wat er in de boodschap staat omdat je niet ziet hoe de ander reageert. Side: Yes, I agree
I do agree. Social media is a very good tool to keep in touch with other people. However it is not a replacement for social behavior. For social behavior is in my opinion real-life interaction necessary. So social media on it's own makes people less social. Side: Yes, I agree
I believe that because of the existence of social media, people have become less social. They'd rather ask something through a message on Facebook, than face to face. I also think that people find out what other's are up to on for instance Facebook. For this reason, they are less willing to ask how the person's doing. That's why I think that social media makes people less social. Side: Yes, I agree
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I do agree, because many people start to forget how to communicate in real life. In example, there are many people who have whats app and other social media usage who communicate differently than in real life. Some expressions are easier to communicate via social media. The main argument against the use is clearly the use of social media during dining or in traffic. Side: Yes, I agree
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Thank you for your reply Moontervelde! I understand why you agree with my debate statement. However, some people argue that social media makes you more social as you are able to speak to people you otherwise couldn't (due to time and distance limitations). And how about social media as a way to add to social skills (think for example of shy people who initially open up more online than in real life). How do you see this? Side: Yes, I agree
I agree, because I think that social media often causes people to stay at home whereas otherwise they might have gone out to meet other people. In addition, i think that because of social media people will become worse in communicating face to face, especially the younger generation who grew up with social media. If people do not talk to others in real life enough they will fail to learn to recognise facial expressions and body language. And while you have time to think of an answer on social media, with face-to-face communicating you will have to respond immediately, which might be hard if you don't practise it often enough. Side: Yes, I agree
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definitely! simple example: you cant even go out for some beers or dinner without at least half of the people checking their phone and messages every 5 minutes! people should learn to go back to real face to face, personal communications.. showing emotion and effection. Side: Yes, I agree
couldn't agree more. often people think they are social if they use social media a lot but quite often the opposite happens. people befriend strangers and people they barely know on Facebook and if they see them in real life they are too shy to even look them in the eye. of course this it not always the case but excessive use of social media makes us less social. if we talk to person A we want to know what person B is up to, and vice versa because we're used to get all information 24/7 Side: Yes, I agree
Even though social media has facilitated digital interaction between humans, it does not always contributes to social interaction in real life. People can be very open on social media, mainly because they are expressing through writing. However, the same people are often quite different and more reserved in person. Nowadays people prefer being on their phones interacting with their friends on social media, rather than focusing on what's happening around them at that moment unless they absolutely need to. Side: Yes, I agree
Let me start by asking a question first: have you ever just met someone (through a common friend let's say) who seemed quite shy in real life, but then proved to be totally comfortable via the social network? I did. And this is why I agree with this statement. People get a lot of confidence when they write. There are studies (e.g. http://truecenterpublishing. Of course, there is no doubt that social media is a fast way of getting in touch, yet I tend to think more and more that this will overtake real-life interactions. Getting used to speak to friends via social media pulls you away from feeling the connection one feels when communicating face-to-face. Misinterpretation of the message is also part of it. Social media lacks the intonation of the voice and the word-emphasis that may change an entire sentence's meaning. There is another aspect of why people may be less social in this matter. Let's take Facebook as an example. Facebook helps you keep in touch with people you have known for a long time and are probably far away from you. But you don't ask them how they are very often, do you? Why is that? Isn't it because you see photos and updates from them every now and then? It's easier to 'like' a photo or a status, just to let your friends know that you are aware of their updates and the fact that they are doing well. This is where social interaction disappears, because you no longer need to ask someone about themselves, when you already know the answer. Hope my answer is good enough :) Side: Yes, I agree
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This is a tough one, because I can see it from both sides. For people with social anxiety, for example, social media is a great way for them to meet new people without having to sacrifice parts of themselves. However, for the majority, social media can be all-consuming. An addiction that takes over offline life and subconsciously forces people to be on their phone all the time. So yes, it makes people way less social, because physical interaction becomes a nuisance and they miss out on real life connections that will last MUCH longer than their online life will. Side: Yes, I agree
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Thanks for your reply Kazerian2001! I understand you prefer talking via social media over having to wait for the mail to arrive as it is (time-wise) more efficient. Yet, how do you feel about the actual 'social' aspect? Do you think social media makes you less social or not? And why? Side: Yes, I agree
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Since I am not the most outspoken person in the real world, social media has made it possible to stay up to date with most of the people I care about. While it isn't an alternative to social "reallife" interaction, it is a helpfull platform to add on to the experience. Social media should not replace regular interaction, but used as an added bonus. When you see someone you have also added onto your social media, it is easier to find a topic to talk about for example, without the struggle to start a conversation. Side: No, I disagree
Social media does not make people less social, nor does it make people more social. Social media however enables you to pursue a more active online and/or offline social life. If you have trouble communicating in real life, social media can be your stepping stone. If you already have a good social life offline, social media can easily bring you into contact with more people, thus increasing your social circles. It is up to the user. This is the positive spin on things. However, if less-social individuals choose to spend more and more time online, interacting through social media, this can lead to decreasing social skills in real life. So once again: it is up to the user. Side: No, I disagree
This is something that being a 17 year old and having a father who is terrible with new age technology(As well as always bad mouthing the transformation of how we communicate because of technology) I can speak very much about. I first want to begin by saying I am a very avid internet user(In fact I am at school using a computer as we speak) and can say that through the internet(Mainly through gaming online Like xbox playstation and PC games) I have made very lasting friendships with people that I find cool and hilarious. Although I do not know them in real life, it has gotten to the point that when we are older we could meet up somewhere and chill! I have at least 4 or 5 friends that I havent physically met that I would love to meet someday and they feel the same way. An old timer like my dad would never understand how Its possible to build friendships without seeing eachother in person. This is why My main point is: Through all these years the breakthrough of communication through technology is ALMOST as strong as actually being in the same room with the person. Between voice and video chatting on the daily as well as sharing crazy gaming moments and personal moments with these people, It is incredible how much you feel like you are all in the same room. If anything Social media(Mind you I am counting the communication through gaming mainly because the only difference is we are playing a video game while communicating either through text voice or video{Sometimes we just hop on and chat and never even end up starting a game}) has made me more social in everyway! But there is a fine line between using social media to communicate and CHOOSING social media over going out to meet the person. I could say a lot more but this is already too long haha Ill end it with this: It is easier to keep in touch with people through social media, But if you choose to sit in your house and chat with the person on facebook, instead of making plans or choosing not to go out, that is when it goes to far. Its all about balance. Side: No, I disagree
I believe Social Media encourages quick and easy communication, the ability to share information with people from all over the world no matter the time is absolutely essential to this. Whereas a phone call requires that both participants are awake and active at the time, and a physical letter can take days or even weeks to reach the intended recipient, Social Media makes for quick "permanent" communication. Both in proliferating yourself by expressing an opinion or posting on developments in your life, through which you can easily inform a lot of people who may have an interest in your life, and in keeping social contacts. Side: No, I disagree
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Thank you for your reaction Myaora! I understand your point of view. Can I ask you to clarify your statement? You note that social media is good for quick and permanent communication (and thus easy). However, you do not state whether this adds to being more or less social? May I ask you in addition how you feel about people texting while having dinner in a restaurant or going out with friends? Side: No, I disagree
I don't think it makes them less social. I think it transforms 'socializing' into another form. Although face-to-face communication is the most valuable, in my opinion, I am happy to be part of my friends and family's life back home or wherever they are, via Social Media. Side: No, I disagree
I don't think that social media make people less social, I think they make them social in a different way. Via social media people can stay in touch with others all around the world, with an ease that was unheard of a few decades ago. Social media help people stay connected, even though the connections might be slightly superficial. It's true that people spent a lot of time today on social media, the Internet and their computers, but that doesn't necessarily make them less social, but rather as I said, differently social. They may be connecting with people they wouldn't have the time to do so with otherwise, or people they wouldn't be able to stay in touch with. Side: No, I disagree
I disagree. I consider social media as an extension of my social life. It creates possibilities to keep in touch. I have friends who live quite far away and don't talk to in real life often. Social media is a great way to keep up with each other. Had there not been social media or email, I would have lost touch with them long ago. It is also a lot of fun to post pictures or post what you are doing on for example Facebook. People can like it or react on it. That way you know what someone is occupied with these days. You can also post that you are on your way to the pub. This way other people will know, too, and they can decide to join you. :) Side: No, I disagree
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Definately not. It's ofcourse how you perceive the word 'social'. Does it mean the actual interaction with someone (IRL) or is any contact with some being social? I would say no.. These questions always arise when new technology has been developed. For me, being social means all form of interaction with people. It can be at a bar, on the phone, via the internet.. It's all a form of social interaction. Side: No, I disagree
Social Media helps me to be social with my friends who are abroad. Without social media I won't be able to keep the contact with my friends whom I met when I was abroad for my exchange or with my old friends from my country. We could use the normal mail but then it will take weeks if not months to answer each other. With social media I can be in contact 24hrs with all my friends and chat with them when I want (or they :). Plus, it does not affect my "real" life and I still prefer to meet with people in person rather than online. Side: No, I disagree
I think social media adds another opportunity for people to be social and is therefore making people more social. The quality of some social relationships is higher in person, but for many other examples social media is avery good, if not the best, alternative. People who are shy in real life, or people who have limited time to actually meet up, can get or remain in contact with people, near and far. Side: No, I disagree
I think most people completely misunderstood the function of the telephone, SMS and nowadays social media. In theory, these are channels intended for short and useful communication: "how are you, where do we meet, when" etc..it should all be short and to the point - I'm refering to IMs and chat services. It is also useful in long distance relationships of any kind (like Adelina stated). If social media would be used for what it was intended (or with moderation) it would not affect the rest of one's social life. It is easy to get addicted and even replace face to face interaction with this type of communication. It can also be useful for conversation at less convenient hours (when it's not as easy to meet in person but there is something that needs to be communicated). To conclude, in the majority of cases, I don't think social media makes people less social but people themselves become/have to/choose to be less social. Side: No, I disagree
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I disagree with this statement because for me some of my social media contacts are as valuable to me as my face-to-face contacts. Because I have travelled I have met a lot of people from all over the world and social media helps me keep in touch with them. So in that way it makes me even more social. I do believe face-to-face relationships with some friends is important. Side: No, I disagree
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