Social media pros and cons highlighted

Manama, Oct. 23 (BNA): Dr. Nadia Al-Tazi, Associate Professor of Social Psychology and the Coordinator of Educational Disabilities Programme at the Arabian Gulf University (AGU), discussed the role of social psychologists in guiding youth towards proper social interaction, warning of the negative aspects of these mediums on the family and society. She said during her participation in the workshop on youth issues and social media in the GCC countries, organised recently by the Kuwaiti Sociologists Association, in cooperation with the Gulf Association for Social Scientists in Kuwait, that social media is playing a key role for individuals and society due to the rapid development witnessed today in all societies, explaining that social media platforms have many positives and negatives that reflect on families and society. "Despite of all what have been said about the negatives of social media platforms on social relationships within families, and the profusely use of them by different age groups, especially children, teenagers and youth, but there are benefits too that surpass the negative side thanks to what these platforms offer in terms of allowing users to have easy and quick access to information, at any time," she said. According to Dr. Altazi, all the data available on the use of social media platforms makes psychosocial specialists optimistic and think positively towards social media regardless from the social and psychological problems resulting from misuse. Meanwhile, the workshop aimed at identifying the roles and effects of social media in serving youth’s issues in the Arab and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries as well as recognising the risks resulting from the use of social media on youth issues, proposing appropriate solutions and highlight the role of social workers and psychologists in facing of the challenges that confront young people and working to develop their skills and their optimal use of social media. The importance of the workshop lies in highlighting the work forces, production and the energy in the Arab society. Forecasts suggest that the number of young people in the GCC countries is expected to reach 65 million by 2030. The region is expected to provide attractive opportunities for private sector investors in the coming years, especially with promising opportunities in the education sector in particular which requires educated young people, capable of using modern technologies for the sake of their country and not against it in order to face the current challenges; according to a recent study conducted by management consulting company "Strategy".