Social networking can be characterized as a virtual setting where people form groups to socialize. Traditionally, social networking has mainly taken place offline amongst friends or others with similar interests. But as technology has developed, the idea of social networking has shifted to the point where it now mainly refers to online social participation. The phrase “social media” refers to a computer-based technology that allows people to share ideas, opinions, and knowledge through online networks and communities. Internet-based social media allows instantaneous electronic sharing of content, including documents, movies, images, and personal information. Social media would simplify for SMEs, users, higher management, and people at all firm levels to access information.

Today, many businesses have begun distributing technical documents made for their staff over social media. Naturally, not all information can be made public. What should be displayed and what should be kept for internal use exclusively is up to the company. However, the current trend is still pretty robust. Social networks significantly increase the accessibility of documentation.

Additionally, they facilitate efficient communication between the company’s management and employees, enhancing the effectiveness of their collaboration. There is no denying the beneficial impact. Utilizing social networks to provide technical material to consumers is another well-liked business trend. This propensity outweighs the previous one much more. It improves the company’s sociability and level of service. It develops a positive, trustworthy, and transparent image of the business. Once more, communication becomes more effective, informative, and timely.

The creation of help content and assistance with the design of marketing materials is one of the duties of technical writers. Initiated as a tool to connect with friends and family, social media was eventually embraced by companies looking to reach out to customers through a well-liked new communication channel. The strength of social media is the ability to connect and share information with anyone on Earth or with many people at once. Many people desire to communicate on social networking websites like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, among others. Today’s social network platforms are used to debate disagreements and have conversations on various topics and ideologies. Our collective online interactions have transformed as a result of social media. It enables us to stay in touch with friends who live far away, communicates with one another, and access an infinite quantity of knowledge. It also allows us to learn about what is happening in the world in real time. In many ways, social media has made the world seem more approachable by assisting people in finding common ground with others online.

More than 75% of social media users are teenagers (Boyd and Ellison 224). They may interact in a way that is harmful if it is not guided and regulated. Instead of emulating the maturity in reasoning displayed by adults, teens’ primary goal on social media is to attract the attention of their peers to themselves. On the other hand, teenagers frequently share graphic images of themselves to bring attention to themselves. Although there are advantages to social media, many point out its drawbacks and compare its excessive use to addiction. Inattention, worry, and envy are all things that they can cause, according to some. Depression is associated with excessive social media use, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information.

Teenagers constitute the bulk of social media users, which has made them easy prey for crooks and a variety of online bullies, often known as “trolls.” Teenagers are vulnerable to cyberbullying. Social media trolling has proven to be the most harmful type of bullying. In the physical world, bullying is terrible; in the digital one, it is tolerable but quite bothersome. Cyberbullying is risky since everyone can see comments against a person (“The 2014 Survey: The Biggest Internet Impacts by 2025,” para. 1). The saddest part is that a targeted person has nowhere to turn for assistance.

 

References :

Technical Communication: Social Networking. (2022, February 3). StudyCorgi.com. https://studycorgi.com/technical-communication-social-networking/

Social Media: Definition, Effects, and List of Top Apps. (2021, August 31). Investopedia. https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/social-media.asp

Carr, D. F. (2012, January 4). How Social Media Changes Technical Communication. InformationWeek. https://www.informationweek.com/government/how-social-media-changes-technical-communication

Technical Communication in a Social Media World | Toward Humanity. (2015, January 17). http://www.solari.net/toward-humanity/2015/01/17/technical-communication-in-a-social-media-world/

Nice, B. (2021, December 13). Social Networks in Technical Writing – Level Up! Medium. https://medium.com/level-up-web/social-networks-in-technical-writing-6af8c81571f3