Influence Of Social Media

Social media is an essential aspect of modern life in the 21st century. Social media websites and applications allow individuals to communicate with each other through sharing information, views, pictures, and videos. The common examples of social media websites are Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and WhatsApp, which millions of people worldwide utilize for communication and entertainment purposes.

The development of social media has facilitated communication. It provides individuals with an opportunity to communicate with friends and relatives and be aware of what is going on in the world. However, there are certain downsides to using social media, such as impact on psychological well-being, reduced physical interaction, spread of misinformation, and addiction to social media.

Positive impact

Another benefit of social media is that it enhances communication among individuals. In the previous days, people kept contacts via correspondence, phone calls, and meetings. Social media has facilitated maintaining close ties with individuals from afar locations. Family members, friends, and relatives staying in distant places can now communicate through messages, calls, and posts. Social media has also provided opportunities for connecting to people through joining online groups based on one’s area of interest and profession. It means that people have become able to make new friends with similar views.

Social media offers instant access to information. Users are able to know the latest news, educational and health-related information instantly. The students use social media to gain access to educational materials and tutorials while institutions and teachers use social media to disseminate information globally. Moreover, social media has revolutionised the world of business. Social media has been used in business organisations for advertising their products and services and establishing their brand. There are also individuals who make money from social media by posting contents like videos and vlogs. Such possibilities have created job opportunities and led to the development of the economy. In addition, social media highlights social and environmental issues and helps to create awareness regarding environmental protection, human rights, education, and health.

Social media has also been a source of entertainment. People love to watch videos, listen to music, see photographs, and follow the works of their favorite personalities. It also gives the opportunity to people to express their creativity and innovative ideas in the form of writing, songs, etc. It also boosts the morale of many youths.

Negative impact

However, along with the numerous benefits, social media poses some disadvantages as well. Firstly, many people compare themselves with other people online as they see pictures altered by filters and lavish lives people lead. Teenagers suffer the most from such kind of influence. Continuous consumption of idealized pictures of beauty and success causes stress, anxiety, and even depression.

Moreover, social media addiction is a rather frequent phenomenon these days. Social media is specifically created to make a person engage and get attached to the website or app, receive notifications, likes, and comments. Therefore, people might spend a lot of time online instead of studying, working, playing sports, and communicating with their relatives. Pupils addicted to social media may fail to concentrate and achieve poor results in studies.

Finally, fake information is widely spread on social media these days. The problem with social media is that all the information travels fast there. Fake news may cause numerous difficulties as they mislead people. Bullying through the Internet is another critical concern. Individuals might get bullied, insulted, or threatened, leading to such mental problems like anxiety and depression and even isolation and lack of self-confidence. The young generation is especially exposed to it. Also, although social media helps us stay connected online, its heavy usage means less face-to-face communication.

Responsible use

However, the effects of social media on various individuals differ. Students find learning and collaborative material on these sites, but their heavy usage might divert them from their academic work. Families stay connected through social media regardless of the vast distance by sending images, video clips, and messages. However, overusing social media can reduce their interaction with family members at home. Social media provides companies with platforms where they can market their goods or services to customers and gain useful reviews from them. Negative reviews and criticism on the part of customers may harm businesses.

There are certain steps to ensure maximum utilisation of the social media sites with minimal effects. These actions include minimising screen time, avoiding spreading false information, maintaining respectful behavior towards others, observing privacy and security issues, and spreading meaningful content. Social media exerts a constructive effect on society through improved communication, information exchange, business support, increased social consciousness, and promotion of creativity. On the other hand, it also poses several difficulties in the form of psychological problems, addiction, spreading of incorrect information, cyberbullying, and decreased real-life interactions. Social media affects individuals based on its use. In case social media is utilised appropriately and moderately, it can prove to be very useful and advantageous for people of all age groups while enabling them to keep a good balance between their online and offline life.

(Gotame is pursuing BIT at Westcliff University.)