What potential issues or errors could arise from using the mysql_query function in this context?

Using the mysql_query function in this context can lead to SQL injection vulnerabilities if user input is not properly sanitized. To solve this issue, it is recommended to use prepared statements with parameterized queries to prevent SQL injection attacks.

// Using prepared statements with parameterized queries to prevent SQL injection

// Assuming $conn is the mysqli connection object

// User input
$user_input = $_POST['user_input'];

// Prepare the statement
$stmt = $conn->prepare("SELECT * FROM table WHERE column = ?");
$stmt->bind_param("s", $user_input);

// Execute the statement
$stmt->execute();

// Get the result
$result = $stmt->get_result();

// Fetch the data
while ($row = $result->fetch_assoc()) {
    // Process the data
}

// Close the statement
$stmt->close();