Introduction
Social media has had a major influence on society in the 21st century, enabling people to engage with each other in radically new and different ways. In less than a decade, it has transformed how we stay in touch with friends, shop, network and gather our news. Many of the almost 1 billion users of Facebook — and the millions who use Twitter, or blogs — cannot imagine communicating without these tools. Hence, there is a great impact of social media on relationships, among people.
How does social media contributes positively to these relationships?
A lot of people use social media as a convenient way of keeping in constant touch with the people in their lives they don't call everyday. For instance, a college friend got engaged! A favorite cousin is moving across the country. A girl they met once at a party who's baring her midriff in her profile picture wrote on their fiancee's wall -- hold on, where'd she come from?
With online dating no longer considered banned and 65% of adults using social media sites in their daily lives, it was only a matter of time before Cupid hung up his wings and logged onto Facebook. “Social media has completely changed the approach to relationships, replacing roses and candles with tagged photos and flirty status comments. While Aristotle believed love was composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies, the romantics of 2012 would argue that real intimacy would be two souls inhabiting one conjoined Facebook account. “
“Social media is positive in the sense - it’s hard to imagine a time before the ring of the iPhone or the chime of the AIM message, couples survived for centuries on monthly letters, daily dinner chatter and long awaited visits. But since the rise of instant messaging, email, Facebook and Twitter, relationships are placed under unique stresses to keep a close eye on their partners’ media substance.”
“The case of Social Media vs. Romantic
References: Article on : DOES SOCIAL MEDIA MAKE OR BREAK RELATIONSHIPS? http://newmediarockstars.com/2012/07/does-social-media-make-or-break-relationships/ retrieved on 30th September 2012 Article on : Facebook Relationship Problems: How Social Networking And Jealousy Affect Your Love Life http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/09/facebook-relationship-problems-social-networking_n_955980.html retrieved on 27th september 2012. Article on : Social media can both help and hurt real-life relationships http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/wellness/story/2012-02-13/Social-media-can-both-help-and-hurt-real-life-relationships/53084556/1, retrieved on 27th September 2012. Article on : Social Media’s Effect On Romantic Relationships http://www.bitrebels.com/geek/social-medias-effect-on-romantic-relationships-infographic/ retrieved on 29th September 2012 Article on : The Negative Impact Of Social Networking Sites On Society [Opinion] http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/negative-impact-social-networking-sites-society-opinion/ retrieved on 1st October 2012 Ito M, Horst H, Bittani M, et al. Living and Learning With New Media: Summary of Findings From the Digital Youth Project. Chicago, IL: John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Reports on Digital Media and Learning;2008.Available at:http://digitalyouth.ischool.berkeley.edu/files/report/digitalyouth-TwoPageSummary.pdf. Article on : The Impact of Social Media on Children, Adolescents, and Families http://www.pediatricsdigest.mobi/content/127/4/800.full retrieved on 4th October 2012