Social networking sites, such as Facebook, are considered by some people to have had an enormously harmful effect on individuals as well as society and local communities. While I believe that online social networking has had a beneficial influence on individuals, I agree that such sites have had a mainly damaging effect on local communities.
First of all, with regard to individuals, social networking sites play a vital role in helping people communicate with others from different countries. In the past, individuals were only able to communicate with their immediate circle. For example, these sites create plenty of opportunities for people to share interests and participate in discussions through groups, clubs, and online courses.
Moreover, the effect that social networking sites have had on society and local communities can only be seen as damaging. Despite being part of local communities, individuals tend to communicate with people online instead. Consequently, they are often unable to build strong and supportive relationships with those around them. To illustrate, many people spend long periods of time interacting online with individuals whom they have never met and may never meet in the future.
In conclusion, although social networking sites have a positive impact on individuals, they can have a damaging effect on society and local communities. I believe that people should be encouraged to participate in local activities in order to strengthen community relationships and promote social interaction.