Learn to derive benefits from social media

Anything that comes with advantages carries in different proportions its disadvantages too. Social media is one but the perfect example. With bigger advantages associated with social media, it is risky and might, in the biggest way, disadvantage its users if they are not extra careful and cautious.

From revolutionising the digital communications and entertainment industries to creating millions of jobs for social media managers and revolutionising the digital economy through online marketing and influencing, not leaving behind online learning, social media is as well disadvantageous.

Besides the recent spat online of a man who pretended to be a woman to make easy money, thousands of people have coined different tricks to con others in social spaces. 

In my own confession in one of my articles (Daily Nation, January 15, 2021) on how I fell prey to social media con artists, it is evident that the game is still on and even on a higher level with people opening accounts on social media platforms using the names of influential individuals to lure them into parting with their money.

Some offer fake Fuliza, about which the telco Safaricom has warned its subscribers in vain.

Social media is becoming more dangerous by the day. For instance, one could be seriously looking for someone to engage in a romantic relationship but, by bad luck, falls into the dirty hands of a person of their gender who, after “falling in love”, create excuse after excuse, using that person’s resources, but they will never meet.

Facebook’s free data plan, which its users can access without using data, allows them to view text content without displaying photos and videos. Somebody could thus be easily tricked as they cannot go through the other user’s timeline to confirm at least their profile information.

Let the Ministry of ICT and Digital Economy, in conjunction with mainstream media, pursue ways to help the citizens cope with social media challenges as they enjoy its many benefits.

Mr Karani, a digital media communications practitioner, is a student at KCA University. [email protected].