With the ever-increasing technology, new trends and lifestyles occur as a result. Social media has become part of our world, and nearly all youths today are part of various social media networks. There was the need to have a network system that would improve human relations and networking, and the internet was the answer to this need. Social media was born due to the need of human beings to communicate as we are social beings. Since its inception, social media has achieved many essential roles, and we could talk of its many advantages to society (Orben et al. 10226). However, social media has come under significant criticism lately. Many people never knew that it would have devastating adverse effects on society.
The enticing nature of social media has affected some people, and they have become addicts. Nowadays, many people deviate from everyday human interactions and dive into social media for comfort (Berryman et al. 310). It has been seen majorly among teenagers and young adults, and people prefer to spend time on social media other than spending quality time with other people. Ensuring that people are enlightened on this danger of social media and encouraging physical human relations would curb this problem.
Social media is consumed so much that the masses depend on it for most of their daily activities. When people rely on social media, various dangers other than addiction, such as cyberbullying and trolling, become an enormous problem (Byrne 40-45). Body shaming, trolling, and other cyberbullying trends are a problem on many social media platforms (Baccarella et al. 433). As a result of these adverse conditions on social media, significant issues such as loneliness, depression, and suicide have become widespread.
Lastly, low self-esteem issues and heightened lifestyle expectations among social media users exist. Celebrities are often on social media platforms, and many people follow these celebrities (Hawi and Maya 577-585). The kind of way of life they live is over-the-top, and this has put excessive pressure on the youth that relies on social media for comfort. Cybersecurity and filtration of social media content would save this situation. However, the most outstanding solution would be to have an enlightened generation that knows their worth and how to separate reality from fantasy.
Works Cited
Baccarella, Christian V., et al. “Social Media? It’s Serious! Understanding the Dark Side of Social Media”. European Management Journal, vol. 36, no. 4, 2018, pp. 431-438. Elsevier BV, Web.
Berryman, Chloe et al. “Social Media Use and Mental Health among Young Adults.” Psychiatric Quarterly, vol. 89, no. 2, 2017, pp. 307-314. Springer Science And Business Media LLC, Web.
Byrne, Elizabeth et al. “Cyberbullying And Social Media: Information And Interventions For School Nurses Working With Victims, Students, And Families.” The Journal of School Nursing, vol. 34, no. 1, 2017, pp. 38-50. SAGE Publications, Web.
Hawi, Nazir S., and Maya Samaha. “The Relations among Social Media Addiction, Self-Esteem, and Life Satisfaction in University Students.” Social Science Computer Review, vol. 35, no. 5, 2016, pp. 576-586. SAGE Publications, Web.
Orben, Amy et al. “Social Media’s Enduring Effect on Adolescent Life Satisfaction.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol. 116, no. 21, 2019, pp. 10226-10228. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Web.