Social media is a phrase that gets thrown around a lot these days, but it can be difficult to answer the question “What is social media?” » Social media is basically the websites and applications that we use to create and share content about our daily lives, by participating in various sites. Information technology (IT) is the category that social media falls into and is rapidly evolving while being integrated into many areas of modern Australian life. The reason is that children of the 21st century are considered the digital generation. It is the latest technology that spreads information faster than any other media in the world; and this is why social media appeals to the “digital generation”. Social media presents a number of positive characteristics in everyday life, but there are also a number of negative characteristics correlated with it. Social media has been proven to not only harm the well-being of individuals, but their families and communities also feel the effects. There are countless social networking sites around the world, which exist to support a variety of interests. For the majority of children and adolescents, access to the Internet is most important at home. From 2008 to 2009, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), computer use was significantly higher in households where there were children than in those without. Interestingly, 91% of households with children had access to a computer, while only 73% of households without children had access to a computer. The ABS also noted that broadband internet is more likely to be accessible in a household where children resided. The main contributing factor to the results listed above was income... middle of paper ...... time spent on social networking sites is essential for parents to have a sense of control over activities in their child's line. presence, while minimizing the risks of dependence on these sites. Social media does more harm than good in society, if traditional, personal interactions continue to be replaced by conversations via online networking sites, it will not be long before they are seen as the " standard”. Traditional methods of interaction will continue to be threatened if the effects of social media are not realized. Social networking sites were created to allow individuals to communicate more easily and effectively in a timely manner. They were not created to completely support face-to-face communications. Constant use of online networks does more harm than good, not only individually, but also within the community.