Benefits and challenges of social networking during COVID-19: Personal perspective

ABSTRACT

In December 2019, our lives changed forever, as a new virus named COVID-19, disrupted the lives of people worldwide. The spread of this virus has had critical effects on people's health and social interactions, security and national, the economy, and individual attitudes, activities, manners, and behaviour. This dire situation called for governments world-wide to adopt various strategies to contain the spread of the virus and minimise its negative impacts on individuals, communities, and nations. People were asked to self-isolate to avoid contagion and, within a matter of weeks, many began working from home. People started to use sophisticated social networking (SN) applications to communicate, collaborate, connect, and cooperate to exchange information, ideas, keep fit while confined at home, and obtain news about the spread of COVID-19 world-wide. This paper will present an individual perspective on SN during the COVID-19 period, examining and discussing the benefits and challenges associated with SN. Copyright © 2021 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.