I know many of us can relate to my introduction above. Let me catch your interest a bit further. The MTN network further advanced the extent of social media for us (youths especially) by making available the EXTRA COOL package, which ran for FREE between the hours of 12:30 and 5 p.m. (if I remember correctly), as we enjoyed unlimited phone call conversations during this period. It was fun while it lasted, but little did we know the late nights caused more harm than good by reducing our sleep time and possibly a long-term stress effect.
Initiative comes not just with merits but also demerits. The prevalence of pornography peaked during that period, particularly on daring sites. We were excited to meet with virtual partners online and always looked forward to such engagements. The exposure to uncensored pornographic or erotic sites heightened also, especially when the phone gadgets advanced and became smart enough that we could access these sites from the comfort of our homes. Unfortunately, many homes in Africa would not sit their children down to talk about puberty, sex, and relationships. All these ignored teachings we found out by ourselves through social media.
Another social media platform that had the interest of many youths in Nigeria was 2go. Yeah, many Nigerians can relate. 2go had different chatting rooms of interest, and here, we made friends and even stayed late into the night chatting. Not many of those friends exist in my life today, just a handful, and I probably never met just one or two physically. But while it lasted, we had a place to run to, talk to strangers like friends, and probably cause trouble comfortably and in the convenience of our homes.
I think it was Yahoo Messenger medium that I met a lady friend named Monica. She was my virtual online girlfriend, and I constantly sought out money and time to visit the internet cafe outlet to meet with her. I guess the social media provided just a perfect platform to express those pubertal hormones—a foreign girlfriend who I never met till today and don't even know her whereabouts today. My engagement in conversations with her was genuine, which contrasts with the norm of internet fraud, where unsuspecting foreigners are duped and jilted of significant funds. It never crossed my mind, but I guess the kind of communication I had is what the internet fraudsters capitalize upon to feast on their victims. And a good number of us have engaged in distant relationships that have been facilitated through social media.
Memory is sweet, but let me come back to the recent times and age of social media. As much as I would love to just write the pros and cons of social media as though I am answering an exam question, I am sure you have enjoyed my approach.
The major advantage of social media is information. We can know what is happening in faraway parts of the world through a click on our phones or accessing the internet. We are also able to communicate easier and faster rather than write the letters we needed to post through the post office. And, with the help of a YouTube video in addition to guidance from my sister, I prepared for the first time a local food recipe that came out fine, but I have not tried it again. My WhatsApp status remains a point where you'll enjoy memes of all sorts, and the likes of TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook have caught the delight of many. All these media help to pass information and relax tensed emotions.
SocialFi, simply put, is monetizing social media through decentralization. It involves a merge of social media and decentralized finance. Social media and its content are monetized. Streaming on social media like YouTube, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, and even Telegram has been a source of revenue generation both for owners and users of these platforms. People have made genuine and significant money on social media, and the world gradually has come to accept the unifying digital currency, cryptocurrency. Blockchains like #Hive have earned quite a number of people financial liberty while they share and impact other users. I know people that began their crypto journey without monetary inputs but have earned quite a lot. Here, social media has facilitated this advancement and opportunity.
If you have not been scammed in Nigeria, you may have a relative or friend who has fallen victim to the plots by those unscrupulous elements. It's painful, but hacking and scamming people continues to ravage society. Before now, I used to enjoy listening to breakfast news on the stereo; however, the news has been mentally disturbing. The news has surrounded kidnappings, accidents, fire incidents, news of war, etc. Much of this news has deformed our mental states. In addition, we watch a two-hour movie and relate its application to real-life experiences and expectancy, which often does not work. And yes, many people complain their partners spend too much time on social media, neglecting quality time together, which is true.
I remember having a consultation with an ophthalmologist last year after I experienced a brief period of blurry vision, and the diagnosis was "dried eyes," which was a result of excessive exposure to screen time. Social media is addictive, and our lives cycle around staying on social media. This has increased our risk of eye problems.
Since I wouldn't want to bore us with a lengthy read, let me pause here and have your feedback or share your thoughts on the pros and cons of social media.
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