Social Media, good or bad?

 Social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter has connected hundreds of thousands of people throughout the world.  Sounds great doesn't it?  People getting in virtual contact, some renewing their connection, others creating new online friends.  Seems like a great service, but there is an ugly side to this industry.  

First off, yes it's an "industry", data mining is a very profitable business.  Gathering your information, browsing history and click habits and selling them to advertisers is what keeps those sites running.  That doesn't sound too bad, does it?  Although at times it seems like there's more to it.  You might mention to a friend about getting a new hat, then you pop online only to get hit with hat ads. Seems bizarre to think that someone or something is listening to your conversations but your phone is always listening.  Conspiracy theory or plausible?  The technology to have your phone eavesdrop is real, 

Another side of social media is some of those connections can turn into more than online relationships.  Love can bloom, and that can be a wonderful thing.  Although sometimes those people are already involved in relationships, and these new methods of communications can be very enticing.  It starts with some sassy posts, perhaps some private messages.  Then contact information is shared, texting and phone calls follow.  Some people think online relationships are not cheating, others feel it is.  My opinion is that people who think it not cheating are probably involved in one of those relationships.  

Getting people together, organizing parties or events can make social media a fabulous platform,  You can reach many people with little effort or funding.  Problem is sometimes you reach some people you may not want.  Facebook has been called out for allowing some posts that can incite violence, informing of an intent that may not be benevolent in nature.  Of course they leaped into action....

Recently Facebook has been "purging" groups and people they deem unworthy of their services under the guise of their terms.  I have heard from many people who have never been in "Facebook jail" and have had their accounts deleted.  Facebook will not reconsider their decision and will not permit those who've been purged to sign up again.  Freedom of speech versus freedom of enterprise, tough call.  However even though Facebook is a private business, they are also a public entity.  They should act in a manor according to the press and not have the ability to determine at will who and what constitutes hate speech.  The recent inquiries from congress and the evasive nature of Mark Zuckerberg certainly tells a tail in itself.  

Bottom line is that social media is at best questionably useful?  It can cause great harm or great good depending on the intent of the poster.