Social Media – PTE Summarize Group Discussion

PTE Summarize Group Discussion – Social Media

Narration: Three students are discussing whether social media does more harm than good to university students.

Speaker1: Have you noticed how much time we all spend on social media every day? I think it’s become a real problem-it’s distracting, affects mental health, and keeps people from having real conversations. I’ve seen people cancel plans just to stay home and scroll through feeds, which really worries me.

Speaker2: I totally agree. A lot of students end up comparing themselves to others online, which just makes them anxious or unhappy. Not to mention how easy it is to waste hours scrolling instead of studying or actually hanging out with friends. Just last week, I lost three hours watching random videos when I should have been finishing an essay.

Speaker3: Actually, I don’t see it that way. Social media helps me stay connected with friends from home, join student groups, and even find academic opportunities. It’s all about how you use it-it can be a tool, not just a distraction. For example, I found my current research assistant position through a LinkedIn post from my department.

Speaker1: I get that, but the algorithms are designed to keep you hooked. Even if you start with good intentions, it’s easy to fall into endless scrolling. And don’t forget about privacy issues or misinformation. Once you click on one controversial topic, your feed gets flooded with similar content-it’s hard to escape.

Speaker2: Yeah, and it often replaces face-to-face interaction. I’ve seen people sitting together in the cafe, everyone on their phone instead of talking. It kinda defeats the purpose of being on campus, doesn’t it? We’re losing the ability to read body language and have deep, spontaneous conversations.

Speaker3: I understand the concerns, but banning or overly criticizing social media isn’t the answer. We should focus on digital literacy-teaching people how to use these platforms responsibly. It’s part of modern life, and we need to learn to navigate it. We could host student-led workshops on setting boundaries and curating a positive online experience.

Speaker1: That’s a fair point. Maybe the issue isn’t social media itself, but how we use it. If used intentionally, it doesn’t have to be negative. But without proper education, most people won’t use it intentionally-they’ll just consume.

Speaker2: True. Balance and self-control are key. Maybe the university could offer workshops on healthy digital habits instead of just telling us to log off. Learning to use tech mindfully is a skill, just like time management or critical thinking.

Speaker3: Now that’s something I could support. Guidance is better than restriction. Let’s make technology work for us, not against us. Maybe we can propose a “Digital Wellness Week” through the student union to raise awareness.

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