Debate preparation template

First speaker guide

Topic Are social networking sites useful or harmful to people?

Speakers’ names Johan Sebastian Valencia

Speaker’s position (Affirmative)

Greeting and Introduction
Good morning chairperson, opposition and audience.

We are going to be meet for several days to debate about Information Technology and
this one affects people.

The topic for today's debate is, are social networking sites useful or harmful to people?

Outline your team's case:

a) Your points:
I will be speaking about...

● Social networks in languages learning.

● Group working through social networks.

● Social networks as an information source.

b) Second speaker's points:
Our second speaker will be talking about....

● Social networks and bullying.

● Phishing.

● Fake news.
Your First Point
State your argument:
My first point is social networks in language learning.

Thanks to Information Technology today is easier interact with other people with no
need to be in the same place at the same time, For example, in social networks like
Facebook is possible to create forums through fan pages, and in this way, teacher and
students can help themselves in any moment, sharing their knowledge and solving their
doubts.

Your Second Point

State your argument:
My second point is group working in social networks.

What's the information that supports your argument?

Social networks have become an important communication mean, and this has allowed
people can work together although they are not in the same place. For example, in some
schools, teachers have used Facebook to create spaces where their students can discus
on several topics. Another use of Facebook for group working is group chat, in these
chats people can add several users to talk about a topic in common.

Your Third Point

State your argument:
My third point is social networks as an information source.

What's the information that supports your argument?

Thanks to the internet it's currently possible to find many information sources, for
example, virtual newspapers, news web pages, social networks, etc. Due to social
networks are used for many people daily, many newscasts have decided to post their
news to achieve that as many people as possible can see them, that’s why social
networks as Facebook are a good option to share information quickly.
Closing statement
Chairperson, opposition and members of the audience, in conclusion, I can say social
networks give us a chance to interact with others with no need to be in the same place
and this fact facilitates communication with others, raising a new way of learning in
schools and universities because thanks to the internet we are in a new world that offers
us many possibilities.

Second speaker guide

Speaker’s position (Negative)

Expressing disagreement with first speaker’s arguments

I disagree on what you say because it’s right the use of social networks have several
benefits, it’s also right social networks exposes people to several risks such as
cyberbullying, phishing, fake news, problems to interact with other people face to face,
etc.
Briefly State the Points You Will Make
Today I will be talking to you about:

● Social networks and bullying

● Phishing.

● Fake news.
Your First Point
State your argument:
My first point is social networks and bullying.

What's is the information that supports your argument?

Well, bullying has been in our lives for a long time and this one didn’t have the same
effect that it has today. I think this was mainly because bullying didn’t have a wide scope,
but today this is different because the use of internet and social networks as Facebook,
Instagram, Twitter, etc, this has done that when a person is a victim of bullying, more
people can take place because of all users can see this. Bullying made in the net is known
as cyberbullying. This type of bullying has taken many lives in recent years, especially in
teenagers, that’s why is so important to pay attention to this for taking care of our loved
ones.

Your Second Point

State your argument:
My second point is phishing.

What's the information that supports your argument?

Today it’s so easy to create an account in a social network, due to the low control of
identity authentication, a person can easily phish to another one. This fact makes a
person can be humiliated by another one because the victimizer can share obscene text
or pictures, insult others making believe the phishing victim is who makes that. Without
any doubt, this can damage the reputation of the phishing victim.
Your Third Point
State your argument:
My third point is fake news.

What's the information that supports your argument?

In social networks is so easy to find news about many topics every day. However, it’s so
important to check the veracity of these ones and the source of information be reliable
because some news is fake, and if we believe in all news with no checking if these ones
are true or not, we can share fake information that can create panic among people or
provoking they are uninformed.

Closing statement
Chairman, opposition and members of the audience, in conclusion, it’s right to say that
social networks have benefits and dangers, all this depends on the use of people do of
these ones. For example, if you use them for learning or communicating with relatives
that are away from you, without any doubt, social networks will be useful, but on the
contrary, if you use them to hurt or humiliate others, these ones will be harmful.