5 Advantages and Disadvantages of Facebook for Students | Drawbacks & Benefits of Facebook for Students

Facebook is a social networking site that allows people to connect with others regardless of where they are situated in the world. With almost 2.7 billion users, it has become the most powerful social media site till date. 

It is nearly impossible to find a modern teen whose life is not impacted through Facebook. Many people irrespective of their age groups, already created account in this site. This includes students as well. 

Students started using Facebook for various purposes ranging from entertainment to education. It is no doubt that Facebook helps students in many ways. And in the contrast, it can harm them too. By knowing the pros and cons, students will know how to use this social networking site without negatively affecting their lives. 

In this article, I will be concentrating on 5 Advantages and Disadvantages of Facebook for Students | Drawbacks & Benefits of Facebook for Students. Through this post, students will know the pros and cons of using Facebook.

Let's get started,

Advantages of Facebook for Students

1. Connecting

Facebook can be used to establish connections with students all around the world. Wherever you are in the globe, you can stay connected with your friends and family. It can be used by the students to communicate with other peer students and educational institutes. 

Many teens often find it interesting to chat with their pen friends with similar interests. Some students even develop their language skills by chatting with a foreigner from a different country.

2. Information

Facebook is the biggest platform that people tend to share information in regular basis. Same can be used for educational purposes as well. By creating a group in Facebook, students will be able to exchange information with their peer. In this group, students share information exams, homework and assignments. 

Institutes can open a Facebook page and communicate with their students on regular occasions. For an example, they can alert the students whenever the schools are opened or closed.

3. News

Unlike our elders, students don't need to read morning newspapers or switch on the television to watch news. Students can gather latest news and headlines by simply following a Facebook page. There are various news pages available from international news agencies that provides regular updates about latest news all around the globe. These pages provide instant news update from their local countries to international level. 

Although there are numerous apps and websites for this purpose, many students feel convincing to use Facebook.

4. Talent Expression

Facebook is a platform where students can use it to showcase their academics as well as other talents. It can be one of the ways to expose your hidden talents. For an example, students can create a Facebook page in which they post their photography skills. Or post videos of them singing and dancing, all that can gain public attention.

5. Career Opportunities

Students with higher education or similar qualifications will be able to find career opportunities that is best suited for their profile. Universities all around the world post ads on Facebook so that can recruit new candidates for their educational programs. 

Similarly, it helps students find their dream job. Companies too post about their job offerings on Facebook pages. Using such pages, students can find work offers with their qualifications.

Disadvantages of Facebook for Students

1. Addiction

While Facebook brings us lots of benefits when it comes to information and news, the same social networking site could bring negative effects to the student's education. 

Facebook is known to be a platform that is highly addictive. It includes many features such as chatting, stories and newsfeeds all that can make a user spend more time. This kind of excessive usage could seriously affect the focus students are having on their academics. 

2. Anti-Social

Most teenagers who use Facebook are more interested about their own world. In a race to get more followers and friends, they might forget to interact with the real world. 

Some teens mention that they have no time to spend time with family members while being in social media for hours. This will definitely impact the relationship we are having with our family as well as surrounding friends. Whatever the social media it is, excess usage can make us anti-social.

3. Vulgarity

Facebook is not completely free of vulgarity. Underage students, particularly teenagers could be exposed to such vulgarities without their parent's concern. Even though Facebook takes maximum measures  to prevent vulgarity, there are still some Facebook pages and groups which promotes violence and post adult contents. 

Even if a student don't go searching for it, they could be accidentally exposed. So it is the duty of the parents to take care of their children from such vulgarities.

4. Cyber-Bullying

Some students are also subjected to cyber-bullying on Facebook. The same type of racial, religious, body shaming abuses that happens in schools and communities can also take place online. More than adults, children are more often lead to these kinds of harassments. 

However for dealing with such situations, Facebook offers some options such as blocking, unfriending or reporting the person. Many children are not aware of these tools.

5. Health Concerns

Similar to other social networking sites, excess usage of Facebook could negatively impact the student's health in many ways. One such is obesity. What do they expect sitting in front of a computer for a long time and avoiding physical activities. So definitely, they are going to gain few pounds. If such activities are prolonged, this could lead to obesity.