We have all seen cyberbullying in real life. We have all seen the negative effects of it on our friends, family and significant others. Which brings up the question, can social media truly be used for good? Can it fulfill its original purpose of community and kinship? Yes, it can.

These past few months and even in the past few years, school shootings, and shootings around the country have rocked the United States. Coming out of the despair, darkness, and death we have seen high schoolers, like all of us, stand up and use social media to initiate change. After the Parkland shooting, high school students stood up and said ‘no more’. The ability to initiate change is a way high schoolers can use social media for good. We have seen this through both tragic events such as school shootings, and looming events such as climate changes. In both instances, High schoolers stood up and initiated the change and used social media for the common good. But what if there is not a giant social event? What if there is nothing you can initiate change on? Can you still use social media for good?

The answer to all of those questions is unequivocal yes. Social media in its purest sense is a platform to communicate, engage, and interact with friends, family, and significant others. As high schoolers, the only thing we have to do to engage and use social media for good, is one, realize that it is a platform, and two, realize that we need to speak to each other with respect. Respecting others does not mean we have to agree with 100% of what people think. Respecting others means that you listen and not use derogatory or charged words in conversation with others on social media.

So the next time, you Snap, DM, and or Tweet, remember your words can make a difference. Your words can lift people up. Your words can make a change. Make that change positive.