BBC 6分钟英语 社交媒体上的年轻女性

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BBC Learning english com. Hello. This is 6 min English from BBC Learning English.

I'm Neil and I'm Beth. In this program, we're discussing the positives and negatives of social media in the lives of young people.

And this is a really trending topic at the moment because of what's happening in Australia, where a new law to limit under 16 year olds access to social media is being debated.

Neil tell me one good thing and one bad thing about having social media in your life?

Well, one good thing is it means I can see what friends are doing who live far away.

And one bad thing is it's really addictive and a massive waste of time.

Well, it's interesting to hear a man's perspective, neil, because when it comes to issues like cyber bullying is often young women who are most affected.

So soon will be hearing from women in different countries about their online experiences.

And remember, you can find all the vocabulary and a worksheet on our website, bbc learning english dot com.

But 1st, I have a question for you, beth, in 2024, which was the most regularly used social media platform in the world?

Was it a Facebook, B Instagram or C TIKTOK?

Oh, I'm going to say TICKTOK.

Well, we'll find out the answer at the end of the program.

Now, let's start with the positive side of social media.

As a politics student at Oklahoma University, 21 year old Haleyhurst campaigned in the 2024 US Presidential election.

Here she explains one benefit of social media to BBC Worlds Service program Pick of the World.

I do think social media has played a huge role in educating young voters on different policies and different people who are running.

I know Trump has recently said that he has a soft spot in his heart for tick talk.

With the growth of social media, it has sparked a lot more debates.

I think my generation two has seen so many climactic things happen.

Haley thinks one good thing about social media is that it sparks debates and conversations.

It causes debates to start. She comments that Donald Trump is a fan of social media by saying he has a soft spot for tiktok, if you have a soft spot for something or someone, you feel affectionate and fond of it, you like it a lot.

But of course, that's not the whole story.

Increasingly, young women are reporting the negative impact social media is making on their lives, and the pressure they feel to appear perfect online, especially from men.

Manvis Shaman, age 28, is a businesswoman and model with a large Instagram following who lives in Delhi, india.

And Kami Adiemi, is a 26 year old's travel blogger from Lagos in Nigeria.

Both young women discuss these social media worries with BBC World Service program.

Pick of the world at the person you're dating.

They might leave you just because of the social media.

They might think that you're not good for, you know, marriage, like you're not.

You can be a good partner because you're on social media, because you're being washed by a lot of people, and they feel a little intimidated by this.

You know what? We saw Your girlfriend, oh my God, she was wearing this.

Oh my God. But it affecting my personal life.

Some men or some people, don't want you to shrink yourself so that they can, like, be the bigger person.

They get to listen to what your friends say about you, what your family say about you, and they're not able to, like, stand up for you to say, oh, I know this person.

I believe she's not like doing these things.

For all our reasons, manvi thinks some men are intimidated by her popularity on Instagram.

Intimidated means to feel frightened or nervous because you lack confidence.

She feels people gossip about her posts and photos, using expressions like Oh my Gosh and Oh my God, to express their shock or surprise.

And Kenmy agrees. She says that on social media, some people want her to shrink herself, a phrase meaning that you underuse your full potential in order to avoid making people feel uncomfortable, or to fit in when she's believed online.

Can we says that these people don't stand up for her?

To stand up for someone means to defend or support someone who's being criticized or bullied.

And I think it's time you reveal the answer to your question.

Neil, I asked which was the most regularly used social media platform in the world?

In Facebook, instagram or TIKTOK, what did you say?

Beth Chick Chuck, I'm afraid you're wrong.

Is Facebook with over 3 billion

regular users? OK, let's recap the vocabulary we've learned in this program, starting

with the verb spark, meaning to cause something such as a debate or argument to start happening.

If you have a soft spot for someone, you feel affection for them, you like them very much.

To be intimidated means to feel frightened or nervous because you lack confidence in a situation.

The expressions, oh my gosh, and Oh my God, are exclamations of strong feelings like shock, surprise, anger or disbelief.

If you shrink yourself, you make yourself smaller and don't use your full potential in order to make others feel comfortable or to fit in with them.

And finally, to stand up for someone means to be vocal in defending a person who is being bullied.

Once again, our time is up.

But if you're ready for more, head over to the BBC Learning English website to try the worksheet with a quiz for this program.

See that soon. Good Bye. 6 min from bbc learning english dot com.

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