The Internet Has Changed The Way We Communicate, and Much Communication Today Happens Through Social Media - IELTS Essay

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Model Essay 1

The rapid expansion of the internet and proliferation of social media platforms have transformed global communication, engendering both expansive benefits and significant risks. While I assert that these changes are largely beneficial, this essay will explore both the enhanced connectivity and the associated challenges of misinformation, proposing that education and regulation are essential for mitigating the negative impacts.

Social media transcends traditional communication barriers, such as the slow pace of letter delivery, by enabling instant global interactions through emails, tweets, and messages. This immediate connectivity enhances personal relationships and fosters international cooperation. For instance, during crises like natural disasters, social media platforms like Twitter prove crucial for quickly sharing information and coordinating relief efforts, thereby playing a key role in emergency response and recovery. This function highlights social media's transformative impact on how we connect and collaborate across distances.

However, social media's engaging features, such as vast reach and anonymity, contribute to its drawbacks by facilitating the spread of misinformation. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the rapid circulation of unverified information through these platforms created widespread confusion and posed serious public health risks. Additionally, the algorithms that drive content curation on these platforms tend to prioritize user engagement over accuracy, promoting sensationalist material that may not be truthful, thereby compounding the problem. This dynamic highlights the need for careful management and regulation of social media to mitigate its negative impacts while preserving its benefits.

Despite these concerns, I contend that the evolution of communication through social media is fundamentally positive. Introducing comprehensive digital literacy programs in schools would empower young users to critically evaluate online content and recognize biased information. Such initiatives, supported by policy changes that hold digital platforms accountable for content management, can significantly reduce the impact of misinformation.

In conclusion, while social media presents new challenges in the form of misinformation and rapid dissemination of harmful content, these issues can be addressed through education and regulatory reforms.

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Model Essay 2

The invention and the prevalence of social media have influenced how individuals communicate with others in this contemporary society. While some people believe that this is a positive change, others argue that there are negative impacts of social media. I firmly believe that while there are cons of social media as well as pros, we can mitigate it through education.

One of the advantages of using social media is being able to communicate with anyone in the world without any delays. In doing so, users can send different types of information, including texts, images, videos and emojis. This is a substantial development compared to letters, which is an old way of communication, as they took few months to be sent overseas and allowed only papers and small items to be put in the envelopes. Moreover, individuals can even share images and videos that are posted by other users on social media. My friend and I often send hilarious reels to each other on Instagram to help each other relieve stresses. This exemplifies that social media allows users to keep communicating with their friends and families even if they do not have any recent updates.

While there are advantages of social media, it also has negative effects on individuals, such as misinformation. Since all individuals can share information without expertise in the technological field, a lot of fake posts and videos can be observed on social media. For instance, many users pretended to be citizens of Ukraine or Russia when the war between these two countries broke out, spreading incorrect update about the war. Furthermore, once fake information is posted on social media, it can be shared unintentionally by other users who believe it to be true, thus allowing it to spread among users quickly.

From my point of view, social media is a positive development. The negative aspects of social media are the undeniable facts; however, they can be mitigated by encouraging schools and parents to educate their kids about possible dangers on social media before letting their children use it.

In conclusion, social media holds both positive and negative effects on users. However, it should be viewed as a positive development, considering how education can be an effective way to mitigate its negative impacts.

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