Many people believe that social networking sites(Such as Facebook) have had a huge negative impact on both individuals and society. 

To what extend do you agree?

Model Answer (Band 9): 

Social networking sites, for instance, Facebook, are thought by some to have had a detrimental effect on individual people as well as society and local communities. However, while I believe that such sites are mainly beneficial to the individual, I agree that they had a damaging effect on local communities. 

With regards to the individuals, the impact that online social media has had on each individual person has clear advantages. Firstly, people from different countries are brought together through such sites as Facebook. Whereas, Before the development of technology and social networking sites, people rarely have the chance to meet or communicate with anyone outside of immediate circle and communities. Secondly, Facebook also has social groups which offer individuals a chance to meet and participate in the discussion with people who share common interests. 

On the other hand, the impact that Facebook and other social networking sites have had on society and communities can only be seen as negative. Rather than individual people taking part in their local community, they are instead choosing to take more interested in people online. Consequently, people with communities are no longer forming close or supportive relationships. Furthermore, society as a whole is becoming increasingly disjointed and fragmented as people spend more time online with people they have never met face to face and who they are unlikely to ever meet in the future. 

To conclude, although social networking sites have brought individuals closer together, they have not has the same effect on society or local communities. Local communities should do more to try and involve local people in local activities in order to promote the future of communities life. 

detrimental 英 [ˌdetrɪˈmentl] 美 [ˌdetrɪˈmentl] adj. 不利的；有害的 n. 有害的人（或物）；不受欢迎的求婚者

disjointed 英 [dɪsˈdʒɔɪntɪd]  美 [dɪsˈdʒɔɪntɪd]  adj. 脱节的；杂乱的；脱臼的

fragmented 英 [fræɡˈmentɪd]  美 [ˈfræɡmentɪd]  adj. 片断的；成碎片的 v. 分裂（fragment的过去分词）；使成碎片