Social media: A force for positive good, or an outlet for the trivial?

Sometimes I wonder just how much good social media does, or if it’s meant to do good at all. Maybe it’s not meant to do anything. It’s just there.

In a way it boils down to how you define good. What kind of outcome do you expect from using social media?

If you define good by the re-establishment of long forgotten friendships, connecting with lost relatives, promoting a cause or organization or creating awareness about an issue, well maybe there is some good to be had in social media. You can do some of these through more traditional communications methods, like newspapers, as well though.

Even...