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Dual Impact Of Social Media

Arshiya Tyagi, AIS Gurugram 46, Alumna

Indistinguishable from the two sides of a coin, the world of technology, in particularly social media, has its own pros and cons. With over half the global population scrolling through social media platforms daily, the impact is profound, multifaceted, and paradoxical - a double-edged sword that both empowers and challenges society.
On one hand, the six-inch glowing metallic piece, acts as a portal to the world, facilitating effortless communications globally.The power social media now holds is unfathomable. It has transformed from a simple communication tool to a complex digital ecosystem that profoundly impacts one’s daily lives. These interactive technologies facilitate content creation, sharing, and aggregation across virtual communities. As of 2024, over five billion people worldwide engaged in social media platforms representing approximately 60% of the global population. Besides, digital media is also transforming global trade dynamics, particularly benefiting start-ups and emerging economies. It enhances international trade by facilitating communication, reducing costs, and increasing market access. It enables businesses to engage in e-commerce, where digitally deliverable services accounted for nearly 64% of service exports in 2020.
On the flip side, this unprecedented growth of social media paves way for incessant misuse of tech by radicals and urban guerrillas, making national security a topmost concern. Not only does it threaten national security, but also looms as a potential threat to the mindset of the youth, regarding fraternity and co-existence. It’s an uncensored platform which allows free expression that may create waves of harmful content, hate speech, and extremist views.
It is for this very reason that countries in the past have banned social media during crisis to restrict information flow, stopping the spread of fake news and controlling public narrative during conflicts, thus preventing potential unrest. Russia restricted X and Facebook during Ukraine conflict in 2022 while Venezuela temporarily banned X during political protests in 2024.
The tremendous power that social media holds, especially given the vast amounts of data it taps, calls for implementation of newer strategies. The pandemic led to a wakeup call for countries to prioritise and privatise their data, resulting in countries boycotting several apps like Tiktok, Likee, Camscanner, as a form of mass protest.
The trend of boycotting not the country’s trade and goods but their technological innovations is an exhibition of the magnitude of potential that the technological advancement of every country bestows on a global scale, thus termed as “Digital Trade”. China had predicted this technological misuse eons ago, thus initiating a privatised system of social networking. No data of the grand-dragon country ever gets released without proper examination and cross-checks. They have apps of their own and the data is impermeable to other countries.
In essence, social media acts as a mirror reflecting human behaviour, amplifying both one’s best collaborative instincts and most destructive tendencies. Users must navigate this landscape with awareness, understanding that every share and interaction carries potential consequences. The key lies in mindful engagement of these platforms while mitigating their pitfalls.
(Arshiya is currently pursuing BTech in CS from Jaypee Institute of Information Technology, Noida.)

A super fit generation

Amity is a dynamic learning ecosystem dedicated to the holistic growth of every student. It has been our mission and vision to nurture a super-fit future generation for a brighter India. Hence, sports are intrinsic to everyday life at Amity where aerobics holds a special place. It has been thoughtfully woven into the daily routine and curriculum across all branches of Amity. Fun, energetic and engaging, aerobics involves rhythmic body movements that children thoroughly enjoy. These exercises - ranging from dancing, zig-zag movements, walking, gymnastics, cycling, swimming etc. - not only prepare students for the day ahead but also boost their overall well-being by improving flexibility, muscular strength and cardiovascular fitness.
Recognised as an official gymnastic event by Sports Authority of India, aerobics at Amity is taught by trained and certified instructors, who customise each session according to age, grade and physical capability. And not just aerobics, sports teachers for every discipline at Amity are selected after a rigorous selection process. Each one of these coaches is an expert in their discipline, ensuring that our children get the best guidance. Amitians have not only participated and won medals at various national level competitions but also represented India at World Youth Aerobics at Dallas, USA and Korea. In fact, teams from AIS Pushp Vihar, AIS Saket and AIS Gurugram 46 are regular participants at prestigious international competitions. At Amity, aerobics is more than just a physical activity - it is a way of life.
It’s time to say, hip, hip, hurray!
Ace archer Rishabh Yadav, an alumnus of AIS Gur 43, has been selected for 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Amity has also produced other sporting stalwarts as Arjuna awardees Parimarjan Negi and Vantika Agarwal, both chess masters.

Fun journalism

Every child looks forward to summer vacations as it is the time to explore new hobbies, travel, or simply unwind with family and friends. But what if there was a way to combine fun, creativity, and real-world learning? Yes, you heard it right. GT  brings to you the Summer Special Newspaper Making Workshop, a 5-day programme that plunges you into the world of journalism. Curated meticulously to hone your journalistic skills, the workshop will focus on every aspect of newspaper-making. From reporting, reviewing, and story writing to advertising, photography, and layout design; each workshop will be conducted by experts from the media world. Whether it’s penning an article or capturing the perfect photograph, the workshops will equip children with all the tools they need to become confident student journalists. And the best part? Every child walks away with the newspaper they’ve created themselves! After all this learning, participants will also gain a major advantage of contributing to future editions of GT. Open for children from Class VI-VIII, this workshop will also make you ready for a position in the GT Editorial Board. So, while summer may be synonymous with mangoes and lazy days, for us at GT, it is also an opportunity to experience the buzz of a newsroom. Come, and create your own newspaper and carry loads of memories with GT
(For details, refer to the advertisement on page 4)

GT M@il

Dear Editor, 
This is in reference to the article ‘A candid letter’ published on page 5 of the GT edition dated May 5, 2025. I opine that this article was poignant and effective. The passionate plea of the author to those responsible for the horrific attacks in Pahalgam to ponder over the wreck they have left, the irreparable loss caused to the victims’ families, and the inadvertent self-damage they have done to themselves is truly heart wrenching. The letter strengthens Indian resolve to stand up to these cowardly acts. The spirit of humanity and brotherhood remains alive in India just as brilliantly. The letter reminds us of the futility of terrorism and the enormity of the capacity of brotherhood. Let’s salute all our soldiers who put themselves in danger so that we can wakeup everyday with surety of tomorrow. I would also like to extend my congratulations to the YP winners.
Rajit Ranjan Pandey
AIS Gurugram 43, XII B