What’s unsocial about social media in Bhutan?

Are people using their time wisely on social media? Photo: Stock Snap

Social media can be a beautiful angel or an unruly beast depending on how society uses it. That’s how some members of the press described social media in a recent panel discussion.

There are an estimated 250,000 Facebook users in Bhutan (32.5% of the population). Add to this the number of people using Twitter, WhatsApp, WeChat and other social networking sites. With cheaper access to smartphones and mobile Internet, a growing number of Bhutanese spend an increasing amount of time and energy on social media. How we spend our time and energy online calls for serious contemplation.