Individual Report: Social Media's Impact, Security, and Business

This individual report delves into the multifaceted aspects of social media, commencing with an introduction to the internet and the role of social media platforms. The main body of the report examines the positive and negative impacts of social media on internet usage, including increased accessibility and marketing improvements, alongside the fading of other internet applications and the potential for social media to replace other internet uses. It also provides an in-depth analysis of security and privacy challenges, such as classic and modern threats like phishing, spam, clickjacking, and identity cloning, and proposes measures to mitigate these risks, including privacy settings, limited information sharing, and the use of antivirus software. Furthermore, the report compares and contrasts various social media platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, discussing their unique features and applications, and evaluating their suitability for business purposes. It also highlights the role of social media as a crucial communication tool. The report concludes with a summary of the findings and provides references to support the analysis.

INDIVIDUAL REPORT
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
1. Positive and negative aspects of social aspects of social media on the internet......................3
2. Challenges and measures of security and privacy that are taken during the use of Social
media platform.............................................................................................................................5
3. Examples of Social media, compare and contrast their features, applications, discussing
their suitability for businesses......................................................................................................7
4. Social media site is a Communication tool..............................................................................9
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11
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INTRODUCTION
Internet is the wide network which connects computer system at global level. It consist
data lines of high bandwidth that is the backbone of the internet which are connected with huge
internet hubs and distribute data at different locations like Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and
web servers. Internet has various important applications and social media is mostly used because
it enables different users participate to share, view and create contents on social networking sites.
This report discusses, impacts of social media, challenges and security measures while using
these online websites. Later, it contains knowledge about which applications are suitable from
business perspective.
MAIN BODY
1. Positive and negative aspects of social aspects of social media on the internet
Social media have become the important tool for the businesses, education, shopping,
globalisation etc. this plays major role in transforming life style of people and changing the trend
vigorously (Tuten and Solomon, 2017). Social media sites like Facebook, twitter and many more
application are helpful in getting news, approaching journalists to share their opinions and latest
updates so it becomes the daily routine for the people.
Social media which have become a significant part of people's daily life and many people
most of them are youngsters and young adults. This have attracted attention of many people and
which have generated concern in many people to find out what are the positive and negative
aspects of social media. Which are as follows-
Positive Effects of Social Media
Social Media have Increased use of Internet
One most important positive effect that social media have made on internet is that it gas
increased use of social media. Earlier when social media was not in existence very few people
were having knowledge of internet and its uses (Greenwood, Perrin and Duggan, 2016). From
the time social media came into existence everyone is well aware of internet and as users of
social media are increasing day by day knowledge of people about internet is also increasing day
by day.
Social Media has Improved uses of Internet
Earlier internet uses were very limited and the manner in which internet can be used were
also very limited. There were no such platforms from which videos and pictures can be shared
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but as growth of social media through internet all such things like pictures, videos and graphics
can be shared with other people. This have increased quality and standard of internet uses.
People are able to share their thoughts in more creative forms which is a positive effect of social
media on internet.
Improved standard of Internet Marketing
Through growth of social media standard of internet marketing have also improved.
Social media provides various means for promotion of brands and products like through creating
page and referral promotions which not used to exist before social media. These have increased
use and importance of internet (Siddiqui and Singh, 2016). Because of social media scope of
internet have also increased which is also an important positive effect of social media on internet.
Negative Effect of Social Media
Social Media have faded the other uses of Internet
There are various other uses of internet which have been faded by social media. It is
considered as 80 percent of internet space id used by social media. This have resulted in fading
of other internet uses. There are other uses like educational, search engine and Emails, news and
information and digital media which is also run on internet. All these uses of internet have been
faded because of social media. These uses of internet are more benefit than losses on the other
hand disadvantages of social media are being more visible than its positive sides. But because of
social media these uses have been faded and only social media is being used by the people on
internet.
Social media have replaced Internet
It is visible that many times social media and internet are used interchangeably. Which is
not good and anything which is negative and spread through social media affects' internet and
other works which are based on internet. In his form social media have a very negative effect on
internet and its other uses. For example to control use of social media internet connections will
be restricted and which will not only stop uses of social media but because of that other uses of
internet also get restricted (Gaspar and et.al., 2016). This is a main negative effect that social
media has on internet.
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2. Challenges and measures of security and privacy that are taken during the use of Social media
platform
Challenges and issues related to security and privacy during the usage of social media
applications
Classic Threats
It includes phishing attacks , spam, cross-site scripting etc. it extracts the user's personal
information and attack on the linked accounts as well which are related to the user.
Phishing attacks- this is a fraudulent type of attack that is intruder acquires all the
personal data of user by masquerading by showing as a trustworthy other party by using stolen or
fake identity.
Spam attacks- Unwanted messages are fall into this category. Nowadays, spam messages
are proved dangerous more than traditional emails due to send from unknown and fake profiles
(Parent, Gobble and Rochlen, 2019). Then it gets accessed on the accounts of user and they steal
their private information.
Cross site scripting- This attack is denoted as XSS and target the web applications. It
allows to access the web browser of user and run code which is malicious by intruder. It results
into compromise data, information theft which is stored as cookies, numbers of credit cards and
passwords.
Modern Threats
To acquire the private data of the people, modern threats are used. New techniques are
applied by the intruder to attack on the user's information.
Clickjacking- It intends the online user to click on the link, so that the person can get the
likes. But it is just a trap established by the attacker, so it can access the information and make
modification on the user's profile.
Fake profiles- This is typical attack and running from the starting of using these social
media sites. Fake profiles are developed by the attackers to collect the people's the private
information and then it is misused.
Identify Clone Attacks- In this attack profile cloning is done, it makes the similar profile
of the existing user by stolen credentials. So, they can connect with the user's network and theft
information. Later, they use this information for misuse and distribute on the internet.
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Information Leakage- Social media platform gives the chance to openly share the
opinions, views, information with others (Uhls, Ellison and Subrahmanyam, 2017). But the
intruder in seeking the chance to interfere in the user's profile and access the relevant information
for its own utilisation and implicating in negative manner.
Location leakage- Using the mobile devices for finding the different locations is fine but
the user reveals their geographic data on these social networking sites is absolutely wrong. It
may attract the attacker which can harm him. Accessing the location of user, is new threat which
leads to danger in various sense.
Cyberstalking- This is monitoring or tracking and recording the movements of the
individual through keep eyeing on the user's profile. It is used to harass the people. It specially
done with the women to target them and getting their personal information (Lee and Hong,
2016). It comes under the cyber crime and it has punishments in laws for harassing someone.
Measures for security and privacy during the usage of social networking sites are as
follows:
Privacy Settings: Users should check their privacy settings of the social networking sites.
It is very relevant, as it contains adequate safety and security settings which allows the specified
control on the profiles. It helps to get expected level of privacy and control the unauthorised
access on the profiles. Applying maximum customised settings in privacy gives advantage to
safe and secure the data, also by using protection techniques of privacy given by the social
networking sits help to keep information safe (Zhao, Lampe and Ellison, 2016). Also, it helps in
hiding the personal information from the strangers.
Personal Information: If the information shared on the social platform and accessed by
third party, then it would not be guaranteed that the contents are not private anymore. So, users
should take care about limiting the use of the social media and sharing the private information.
Otherwise, the personal information is leaked and distributed on internet.
Location Information: Many users reveal their current location on the social media apps
which may result into harm for them. So, they should not disclose their information related to
their location and trying to keep it private.
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Antivirus and Anti-spyware: Users have to install the antivirus and anti-spyware to secure
their laptops, computers and mobiles phones from the spyware and malware attacks. This helps
to provide restriction on any malicious data injecting by the intruder and protect the sensitive
data.
Third Party Applications: There are various third party applications are running on the
internet. User install them and then it gives the pop-up on the window to allow the access on the
devices like allowing phone calls access, messages access, gallery, etc. So, they can monitor and
controls the activities done by the user (Shu and et.al., 2017). Also, they transfer the private data
from the user's device. So, people have to uninstall these third party applications from their
devices to protect important and private data.
3. Examples of Social media, compare and contrast their features, applications, discussing their
suitability for businesses.
Internet is wide platform for using and creating different application and varieties of
websites available on it (Hall-Phillips and et.al., 2016). There are various examples of social
media available such as Social networks (LinkedIn, Facebook, etc.), Bookmarking sites
(Pinterest, Digs, Flipboard, etc.), Social news, Media sharing (YouTube, Pinterest, etc.), Blogs,
Social sites for review. Community blogs (Vannucci, Flannery and Ohannessian, 2017).
Social networks like Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and many other applications are
connecting people from different corners of the world.
In these sites most used sites of social media are Facebook and Twitter. Both of these sites gave
their own specific features which have made them so popular among people and have increased
the number of users drastically . Comparison in Facebook and Twitter is as follows-
Both are social media sites and their features are different from each other.
Features of Facebook includes Friends, Face, Wall, Newsfeed, Fan Pages, Groups, Apps, Live
Chat, Likes, Photos, Videos, Text, Polls, Links, Status, Pokes, Gifts, Games, Messaging,
Classified section, upload and download options for photos. Whereas features of Twitter includes
Tweet, Retweet, Direct Messaging, Follow People & Trending Topics, Links, Photos, Videos.
Uses of both these sites are different.
Facebook have feature of instant messaging and on the other hand this feature is not there in
Twitter.
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Facebook allows for many activities when users are active on it but activities that Twitter offers
are very limited to Tweet, Retweet and sharing pictures and media.
Facebook is available in 140 language on the other hand twitter is available in 29 languages only.
There are many features which are supported by Facebook like gaming which is not supported
by Twitter.
Facebook post is not limited to words whereas post which is twitted on Twitter can be only 140
characters long.
Important feature of Facebook is that it allows to add friends which is not there in Twitter. In
Twitter one can only follow or be followed (Go and You, 2016). This is important reason why
many people prefer using Facebook and not Twitter.
Facebook allows feature of editing the post which is not there in Twitter.
Success of Facebook have led its company to own many other companies like Instagram and
WhatsApp which are also social media and instant messaging sites.
When it comes to their suitability for business from above comparison and description it can be
said that Facebook is better option than Twitter though both can be used together but n case
company chose to use only one site for marketing in such situation Facebook is better. Reason
behind this is that
Facebook allows for more variation and options than Twitter (Erragcha, 2018). In Twitter user
can only promote itself through promotional tweets but on the other hand in Facebook user can
promote their company and products through creating a page of the company and by promoting
through other pages which are active on Facebook and have many followers.
Other than that post which companies use for promotion in Facebook characters are unlimited
and company can convey their message more elaborately and clearly on the other hand in Twitter
limit for character is 140 only from this point of view Facebook is better option than Twitter.
Languages in which company can promote are also higher in Facebook comparing to Twitter.
Facebook have 140 languages whereas Twitter has only 29 languages which are very less
comparing to Facebook..
Both these sites are available in form of application.
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4. Social media site is a Communication tool
Social media applications play major role in order to connect people and develop new
relationships from different locations. When social media is connected with original meaning of
communication is such case it is really a communication tool. This is because social media
provides platform where sender can send their message and receiver can receive the message and
can reply too. This is known as communication exchange of thoughts and ideas. In its many
forms social media is a communication tool, these forms are as follows-
Everyday millions of people who are on social media can talk to other users in form of
messaging, which is a communication tool. Both the parties can send and receive messages of
each other.
Millions of people share their opinion of social media which are seen and considered b people
which can be high and low in numbers. For example people sharing their point on view on
politics, religion and other aspects of life which would have been difficult otherwise to
communicate. When people use these mediums as communicating their views which are than
obviously communication tools.
Most important use of social media as a communication tool is when companies and brands
communicate with their customers and prospective customers. Most important tool to
communicate to customers by companies have become social media. In various forms which are
unique, attractive in which companies communicate with their clients is social media.
One important factor in this is that through social media messages can not only be sent and
received in written form but in oral form and in videos and graphical forms are also possible.
This justifies that in whatever manner one like to communicate they can use social media sites.
CONCLUSION
According to the report on the social media, usage of these sites has positive and negative
impacts on students, businesses, society and youngsters. It is majorly used as the communication
tool nowadays. Using these social networking sites created many challenges and issues like
threat of information leakages, attacks by the intruder to acquire personal data of the user and
harms the security and privacy of the individual. Along with these issues, safety measure is
discussed in the report and how the online social media applications are useful for the businesses.
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