Social media has, without a doubt, become especially important in modern society.  

Research that was recently carried out by English IT specialists shows that, it today’s society, 92 percent of youths are on the internet daily and 71 percent are on more than one social platform. In all, 31 percent of the world population makes use of social media.  

Given that social media is a relatively new concept, it is not yet clear what the immediate and future implications could be. The term ‘addiction’ is often being used to refer to people who habitually use social media. 

Research shows that 1.23 billion people use Facebook every day for an average of 17 minutes. 18 percent of those who were interviewed for the study reported that they cannot do without their social media platform. Every second there is an average of 4.17 million likes and an update of 293,000 statuses.    

Given that people are using social media in record numbers without a sign of abatement, what is social media being used for? 

According to new information, the days when we switched on our television sets to watch the early morning news are soon over. 85 percent of those interviewed who said they use social media said that they turn to Twitter and Facebook for a news update when they get up in the morning. 68 percent of people born after 1982, in particular, follow news on Facebook; 83 percent of people who are looking for work are on Facebook, 40 percent on Twitter and 36 percent on LinkedIn. 

Nowadays it makes sense for companies to recruit people through social media. According to the latest reports, almost 75 percent of successful recruitment has been done over social media. To reach people aged 45 years and more, the most efficient social platforms are Facebook and LinkedIn. Some youths (aged between 18 and 29 years) are turning to Twitter to promote their skills and their availability for work. 

What can we conclude from all this? The reality is that the impact of social media is profound. The news we have heard and continue to hear about Cambridge Analytica, in particular, raises some concerns. If it is left unfiltered, social media can become a threat to any society which is ruled by the rule of law. Legal experts, the guardians of the rules of law, should work to ensure that this threat does not materialize. The distinction between fact and non-fact is critical not only for lawyers but for all in a free society.