AC-T2-002 Academic · Task 2 · advanced · 40 min · 250+ words Opinion Essay Society

Social Media Impact on Society

The question

Social media platforms have fundamentally changed how people communicate and share information. However, concerns have been raised about their impact on mental health, privacy, and social relationships. To what extent do you think the benefits of social media outweigh the drawbacks? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. Write at least 250 words.

Instructions

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. • Evaluate both benefits and drawbacks • Take a clear position on the extent question • Support arguments with relevant examples • Demonstrate critical thinking and analysis

How to approach this opinion essay question

An opinion (agree or disagree) essay needs a clear position from the introduction to the conclusion.

Paraphrase the statement and state your opinion in the introduction.
Give two main reasons, one per body paragraph, each with an example.
Consider the opposite view briefly, then explain why you still hold yours.
Conclude by restating your position in different words.

How to plan this answer

Structure

Introduction: paraphrase the way social media has changed communication, then state your overall judgement on the extent question (for example, that benefits outweigh drawbacks, but only with safeguards).
Body 1: the main benefits, such as connecting people, sharing information quickly and supporting small businesses.
Body 2: the main drawbacks, such as harm to mental health, privacy risks and weaker face-to-face relationships.
Body 3: a balanced evaluation, weighing the two sides and explaining which outweighs the other and under what conditions.
Conclusion: restate your judgement in the form of a clear answer to the extent question.

Idea bank

Social media allows diaspora communities and people in remote areas to stay in touch, which would be difficult through letters or occasional calls.
Small businesses, including craft sellers and local restaurants, can reach customers at very low cost through platforms rather than paid advertising.
Research on adolescents has linked heavy use of image-based platforms with lower self-esteem, as young people compare themselves with edited images.
Data collection by platforms raises privacy concerns, particularly when personal information is sold to advertisers without clear consent.
Online campaigns have brought rapid attention to social issues, but also spread false information during emergencies, making fact-checking essential.
Some families report that shared messaging groups help older relatives keep in contact, though others say that screens reduce conversation at the dinner table.

Useful vocabulary

to what extent: To what extent the benefits outweigh the harms depends on how the platforms are used.
far outweigh: The social benefits far outweigh the risks for most users.
a double-edged sword: Social media is a double-edged sword, offering connection while also exposing users to harm.
misinformation: Misinformation spreads quickly during crises, which can mislead the public.
digital footprint: Every post contributes to a digital footprint that may be difficult to erase.
in the long run: In the long run, widespread screen use may affect young people's concentration.
on the whole: On the whole, the advantages are real, but they depend on responsible use.
constant exposure to: Constant exposure to idealised images can lower self-esteem.
lend support to: Research studies lend support to the view that heavy use is linked to anxiety.
a case can be made that: A case can be made that the harms are being overstated by critics.

Common mistakes

Failing to answer the extent question directly, so that the essay describes both sides but never states how far the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.
Listing benefits and drawbacks without any analysis of why one matters more, which reads as description rather than evaluation.
Making claims about mental health or privacy without a specific example, such as a named study, a type of platform or a real situation.
Using the phrase 'social media is bad' as a conclusion, which is too absolute for a question that asks about extent.
Repeating the same point in both the benefits and drawbacks paragraphs, such as describing connection as a benefit and loneliness as its opposite without any new reasoning.

Examiner tip: Answer the extent question directly in your introduction and conclusion, and weigh the two sides against each other rather than listing them separately.

Model answers by band score

Written for this question to show what changes from one band to the next. Try the task yourself first, then compare.

Band 6 answer

Social media is very popular today and it has changed the way people communicate. Some people think that it has many benefits, but other people worry about the problems. In my opinion, the benefits are bigger than the drawbacks, but not completely. First, the benefits of social media are clear. People can contact their family and friends easily, even if they live in another country. For example, I use video calls to talk to my cousin who study in Australia every week. Also social media is a good way to get information quickly, and many small businesses can sell their products to many customers with a low cost. So it is useful for the economy. However, there are also drawbacks. One problem is the mental health. Many young people compare themselves with others on Instagram and they feel unhappy about their life or their body. They also spend too much time on their phones, so they sleep less and have less time for real friends. Another problem is privacy, because companies can collect the personal data and sometimes people share too much information about themselves. Moreover, false news spread very fast and can make trouble in society. Even so, I think these problems can be reduced. Parents can control the time of children, and users can learn to use the privacy settings. Governments can also make laws to protect personal data of the people. Therefore the drawbacks are not impossible to solve, but the benefits of social media can not be replaced easily. In conclusion, I believe the advantages of social media outweigh the disadvantages if people use it carefully and responsibly.

Why this is band 6

Position is clear (benefits outweigh drawbacks, 'but not completely') and is maintained, which addresses the extent question.
Ideas are relevant but generally stated, with examples such as the cousin in Australia and Instagram being only briefly developed.
Limited vocabulary and repeated structures, with errors like 'my cousin who study', 'the mental health' and 'can not'.
Band 7 would develop the reasons in greater depth and use a wider range of accurate complex sentences.

Band 7 answer

Social media has transformed how people communicate and share information, yet it has also raised serious concerns about mental health, privacy and relationships. In my opinion, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks, although the drawbacks are significant and need to be managed. The main advantage of social media is that it connects people across distances. Families separated by migration can share daily moments through photos and video calls, and communities can organise quickly, for example during natural disasters. Social media has also become a valuable tool for small businesses, which can reach customers cheaply without the need for a shop. In addition, it offers access to news and information that would once have been available only through newspapers and television. Nevertheless, the drawbacks cannot be ignored. Research suggests that heavy use is linked to anxiety and low self-esteem among teenagers, partly because they constantly compare themselves with the edited lives of others. Privacy is a second concern, since platforms collect vast amounts of personal data, often without users fully understanding how it will be used. Furthermore, misinformation spreads rapidly online and can damage public trust, as happened with false health claims during the pandemic. Despite these problems, I believe most of them can be reduced rather than being an inevitable cost. Parents and schools can teach young people to use social media critically, and governments can require stricter data protection and make platforms remove harmful content. Many users are also learning to limit their screen time. In conclusion, while social media poses real risks to mental health and privacy, its benefits in communication, commerce and access to information are greater, provided that users and regulators act responsibly.

Why this is band 7

Clear position on the extent question with a well-organised answer: benefits, drawbacks, mitigation and conclusion.
Ideas are supported with relevant reasons and examples (small businesses, comparison with 'edited lives', false health claims).
Good range of vocabulary and complex grammar with only minor errors.
Band 8 would be more precise, with the claims weighed against each other in more depth rather than simply listed.

Band 8 answer

Social media has reshaped how people communicate and obtain information, but it has also provoked legitimate anxieties about mental health, privacy and the quality of human relationships. On balance, I believe the benefits outweigh the drawbacks, although only if the risks are actively managed. The most significant benefit is connection. Families divided by migration can share everyday moments through photographs and video calls, and communities can mobilise within hours, as happens after floods or earthquakes. Social media has also democratised commerce, enabling a home baker or a small craftsperson to reach thousands of customers without the overhead of a shop. For many people, it has made information and public debate more accessible than ever before. Yet the drawbacks are substantial. Studies have linked heavy use among teenagers to anxiety and diminished self-esteem, partly because users measure their ordinary lives against curated highlights. Privacy is another concern, as platforms harvest vast quantities of personal data, frequently without users appreciating how it will be exploited. Misinformation is a third problem, since false claims about health or elections can circulate faster than corrections. What persuades me that the benefits still prevail is that most of these harms are amenable to remedies. Schools can teach digital literacy, so that young people learn to question what they see. Regulators can enforce transparent data practices and require platforms to act on harmful content, and users themselves are increasingly setting limits on screen time. By contrast, the connective and economic advantages are difficult to replace by other means. In conclusion, social media carries genuine risks, yet its contribution to communication, enterprise and access to information is greater, provided that individuals, schools and governments respond to those risks.

Why this is band 8

Position on the extent question is precise and qualified ('only if the risks are actively managed') and is argued throughout.
Ideas are well developed and weighed, with the key argument being that most harms are 'amenable to remedies' while the benefits are hard to replace.
Precise vocabulary ('democratised commerce', 'curated highlights', 'amenable to remedies') and natural cohesion with rare errors.
Band 9 would be fully seamless and incorporate the personal-relationship concern in the prompt in more depth.

Band 9 answer

Social media has reshaped how people communicate and obtain information, but it has also provoked legitimate anxieties about mental health, privacy and the quality of human relationships. On balance, I believe the benefits outweigh the drawbacks, though only if the risks are actively managed. The most significant benefit is connection. Families divided by migration can share everyday moments through photographs and video calls, and communities can mobilise within hours after floods or earthquakes. Social media has also democratised commerce, enabling a home baker or a small craftsperson to reach thousands of customers without the overheads of a shop. Public debate, too, is more accessible than it has ever been. Yet the drawbacks are substantial. Studies have linked heavy use among teenagers to anxiety and diminished self-esteem, partly because users measure ordinary lives against other people's curated highlights. Relationships can suffer when online contact displaces the unhurried, face-to-face kind. Privacy is a further concern, as platforms harvest vast quantities of personal data, frequently without users appreciating how it will be exploited, and misinformation can circulate faster than any correction. What persuades me that the benefits still prevail is that most of these harms are amenable to remedy, whereas the advantages are hard to replicate. Schools can teach digital literacy so that young people learn to question what they see; regulators can insist on transparent data practices and swift action against harmful content; and users are increasingly setting limits on their own screen time. By contrast, no other medium has matched social media's combination of reach, immediacy and low cost. In short, social media carries genuine risks, but its contribution to communication, enterprise and civic life is greater, provided that individuals, schools and governments rise to the challenge of managing them.

Why this is band 9

The position is nuanced and consistent, and it addresses all three concerns in the question (mental health, privacy and relationships).
Every idea is fully extended and weighed, ending in a persuasive comparison ('amenable to remedy' versus 'hard to replicate').
Fully natural, sophisticated language and tightly controlled sentence structure, essentially error-free.
Cohesion is invisible: paragraphs flow by logic rather than through signposts.

Band levels are our estimate against the public IELTS criteria; they are not official scores.

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