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The Complex Impact of Social Media on Modern Society
Understanding Social Media
Social media is websites and applications that enable users to create and share content or to participate in social networking. Currently, the most popular platforms include Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, Youtube, Reddit, and Pinterest. Social media has become such a massive part of society that it is nearly impossible for one to live without being affected by it in some form. When used correctly, social media can be a great tool for communication and interaction, but when used incorrectly, it can also be a source of stress, a platform for bullying and end up having a negative impact on one’s life.
The Positive Side of Media
Social media can be an excellent platform on which to connect with one’s friends and family. “You can express yourself by showing off your favorite song lyrics or posting pictures of your new outfit. It is a lot harder to feel embarrassment over the internet than in person, so people find it easier to vent their feelings on sites like Facebook”. One can receive positive feedback on the content he shares, such as his outfit or feelings, and this can result in a boost in self-esteem. One can also build up a friendship based on common interests, which are easily expressed through the use of social media. By disclosing one’s day-to-day problems on social media, he can find other people who are experiencing similar difficulties. Communicating with those people would be an excellent way of coping with one’s situation because those people with have the best understanding of the problem and will be able to empathize.
This can be especially helpful when dealing with stressful situations such as the death of a loved one, injury, illness, anxiety problems, depression, as well as numerous other problems. “A new study from the University of Leuven in Belgium finds that Instagram, the hottest platform on the market, can help adolescents cope with depression and social anxiety. In a large-scale study, youths were surveyed twice a year regarding their use of social media and their life contentment. Instagram usage correlated with feelings of friendship and closeness, which reduced depression.
For some people, social media can help them cope with their social anxiety and depression as well as improve their overall quality of life. “Social media websites such as Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram are essential for catching up with friends, releasing your inner thoughts, and sharing great moments that you have experienced (Odunze, par. 1). Social media is an efficient way of keeping in touch with people whom one may not see very often. Through the use of social media, one is able to stay interconnected on a global level.
“With so much of the global community being nearly constantly connected to social media, delivering news alerts on social media channels reaches more people faster. News outlets can share breaking stories, alerts, and other important bits of news instantly with their followers. When more people are aware of a situation, those working to secure locations and ensure the safety of the general public can perform their job duties more efficiently”. Social media provides an effective platform on which important information can be spread instantly.
The Dark Side of Social Media
Although social media has many positives, there are also many negatives to having social media. There is a great correlation between social media use and the amount of sleep per night. Gloria Mark, an informatics professor at the University of California, Irvine (UCI), conducted a study on this correlation. “When it came to a correlation with computer/phone use, the researchers found the greater the sleep debt a student accrued, the more time they spent looking at social media, regardless of whether it was on their computer or their phone.
The researchers conducted end-of-week interviews with the participants and found many use Facebook as part of their sleep and wake routines. And about 20 students described using social media as part of their pre-bed ritual — something experts frown upon”. Based on this study, researchers were able to conclude that students experienced a lack of sleep due to their excessive use of social media before bed. Another striking discovery in this study was the fact that some students considered social media a part of their “pre-bed ritual.”
It is extremely easy to lose track of time when using social media, and this can result in severe sleep deprivation, which leads to exhaustion throughout one’s day.Cyberbullying is another major problem associated with the use of social media. It has been an increasingly common phenomenon for bullying and harassment to take place online through social media. Bullies feel as though the device, which they use to harass other people, is a form of protection for them. By not having to look at the victim, a bully is able to post hurtful comments, spread rumors, and express hateful opinions without having to face the consequences which would accompany those actions if they were to be done without hiding behind a screen. “Alarmingly, teens typically suffered cyberbullying in silence.
“Kids really are hesitant to tell anyone when cyberbullying occurs,” Hamm said. “There seems to be a common fear that if they tell their parents, for example, they’ll lose their Internet access”. Children are too afraid to reach out for help when they are being bullied in fear that they will suffer consequences due to the actions of their tormentors. This creates a dangerous situation as most parents are not monitoring their children’s social media accounts and are unable to help their children deal with the bullying due to the fact that they are not aware of it. “It has been well documented that cyberbullying has resulted in tragic events including suicide, and self-harm and clearly, more needs to be done in order to protect vulnerable children and adults from online bullying”. There is not nearly enough regulation on social media platforms to subdue the bullying and harassment which occurs on social media platforms.
The Emotional and Relationship Impacts of Media
Social media can also affect various other emotions, such as envy, loneliness, and anxiety, as well as affecting relationships. “In a study involving 600 adults, roughly a third said social media made them feel negative emotions – mainly frustration – and envy was the main cause. This was triggered by comparing their lives to others…exposure to such highly idealized representations of peers’ lives may elicit feelings of envy and the distorted belief that others lead happier and more successful lives”. This can have a negative effect if one feels as though they are inadequate or unsuccessful after viewing the actions and accomplishments of their fellow social media users. Social media also greatly increases how often one checks his phone.
For example, if one were to look around a restaurant while waiting for food to be served, he would find that the majority of customers would be checking their phones. Social media is also a large factor in relationships. Even a small action, such as someone’s significant other liking a post from a member of the opposite gender, can cause a fight between a couple which can possibly lead to a breakup. Social media is still a relatively new tool and, like all new things, has its positives and negatives. As society learns more about social media, it will work and adapt to make social media a safer and overall better platform on which to operate. When used correctly, social media can be a great tool for communication and interaction, but when used incorrectly, it can also be a source of stress and a platform for bullying and end up having a negative impact on one’s life.
Works Cited
- Agrawal, A. J. (2016, March 18). It’s Not All Bad: The Social Good Of Social Media. Forbes. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/ajagrawal/2016/03/18/its-not-all-bad-the-social-good-of-social-media/
- Almendrala, A. (2015, June 23). Cyberbullying And Depression Go Hand In Hand, According To New Study. The Huffington Post. Retrieved from https://www.huffpost.com/entry/cyberbullying-and-depression_n_7645176
- Brown, J. (2018, January 5). Future – Is Social Media Bad for You? The Evidence and the Unknowns. BBC. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20180104-is-social-media-bad-for-you-the-evidence-and-the-unknowns
- Bullying UK. (n.d.). Effects of Cyberbullying. Retrieved from https://www.bullying.co.uk/cyberbullying/effects-of-cyberbullying/
- Liu, L. (2017, April 17). Researchers Find That Social Media Can Make You Happier or Miserable. Entrepreneur. Retrieved from https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/292429
- Odunze, K. (2013, March 26). Social Media Keeps Us Connected. The Daily Collegian. Retrieved from http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archives/article_8d40b120-9536-11e2-b698-0019bb30f31a.html
- BBC News. (2013, April 8). The Positives and Negatives of Using Social Networking Sites – BBC News School Report. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/schoolreport/22025903
- Wikipedia. (2018, March 20). Social Media. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_media
- Smith, S. (2016, February 5). Sleep And Social Media: New Study Finds Link Between Facebook Use And Lack Of Sleep. Medical Daily. Retrieved from https://www.medicaldaily.com/sleep-and-social-media-new-study-finds-link-between-facebook-use-and-lack-sleep-369116
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