📱Advantages of using social media💻Intermediate English listening Level 3/B1 - For and against

[0:00]Hello, and welcome to another episode of Elephant English podcast. Today, we're going to be talking about the advantages of using social media, which is a very common topic in B1 exams. Nowadays, millions of people around the world use social media. It is used to communicate with other people, to share information, and to create web content. There are different forms of social media, such as blogs, social networking sites, instant messaging, sites to share photos and videos, and podcasts. They are used so much that currently, more than half of the world's population now uses social media, as more than four billion people are active users. One of the main benefits of social media is that it is a great tool, because you can connect with other people who are on the other side of the world. You can send messages, photos, or videos to them, and they can receive them instantly. You can use it to contact people that you already know, but you can also meet new people. In addition, social media can be used for educational purposes, like this channel, for example. You can learn new things on YouTube, TikTok, and other apps, if you look in the right places. Not only can you learn languages, but also you can learn how to fix things, how to practice a certain sport, or even how to cook a recipe. From a business perspective, social media can be used to promote and advertise your company. We've mentioned that half of the world is connected to social media, so that means that there are a lot of possible future consumers on them too. They are often used to promote people's websites, and you can press on a link on their social media profile that takes you to the web page that they are trying to advertise. Also, some forms of social media help people to form communities. If you have a hobby, you can join a Facebook group or a Reddit page where you can share your experiences or creations with others. You can follow people who inspire you, too, even if they live in a different country or continent, creating a community that wouldn't have existed if social media didn't exist. Finally, another benefit of using social media is that you can reach very large audiences. If you want to spread a powerful and important message, it is easier to be seen or noticed. When someone retweets, reposts, or forwards your message, it can reach thousands of users. This can be positive if your message is aimed at helping other people or fighting for a change. So, today, we have talked about the benefits of using social media. I will be making another video, which will be about the disadvantages of using social media. If you have enjoyed this, please like this video and subscribe to my channel. Remember that you can find the transcript of this video and some activities related to the content of this video in the description box. Thank you, and see you next time.