Introduction
Social media is integral to human life, allowing individuals to access information quickly and communicate with people from other countries. Even though social media has many benefits, some people may argue that it hurts the public, and the problem is increasing. This paper will cover the most common issues and benefits caused by social media and how this issue is analyzed through a sociological perspective. Social media’s popularity can increase; however, this can lead to issues such as anxiety and isolation, which can detrimentally affect both societies and individuals.
Dual Influence of Social Media
Connecting people from different parts of the planet allowed humans to create communities where individuals share their interests with a broad audience. It became easier to express thoughts and become popular through social media (Allcott et al., 2020). Nevertheless, an extended stay online can cause addiction to social media, and this issue has serious consequences. For example, a decrease in productivity, insomnia, anxiety, and depression (Allcott et al., 2020). Inappropriate images and cyberbullying can also decrease the level of self-esteem and raise other mental issues.
Social media helped many social groups fight for their rights. The massive spread of such problems as discrimination has helped people from minority groups to achieve more freedom and feel secure. Children at schools prefer to use social media to show the existing bullying from their peers (Mundt et al., 2018). In this case, social media played a significant role in developing protests and campaigns on social topics.
However, the spread of misinformation is massive, and the problem is increasing significantly. Fake news and propaganda are some of the main aspects that may ruin users’ experience on social media. Polarization in opinions appears when people cannot distinguish between right and wrong information.
Application of Sociological Theories to Social Media Study
Social factors play a massive role in the influence of media. For instance, Ritzer & Stepnisky (2021) explained that sociological theories include an exchange model that forces people to give their resources to followers. Likes, followers, comments, and shares determine the value of these resources. Therefore, social media helps to increase social validation and enhance status. Learning theory also applies to social media usage, as people regularly follow the behavior of their surroundings and copy specific actions (Ritzer & Stepnisky, 2021). Constant exposure to harmful content like bullying and aggressive attitudes can normalize inappropriate attitudes and change how people communicate in social media and real life.
These two theories cause the conflict concept, which is one of the main parts of the science of sociology. By creating interest groups, misunderstandings and different views become a massive problem that causes conflicts (Ritzer & Stepnisky, 2021). Some social groups might not be ready for online aggression, and the consequences might be unpleasant. Understanding social media’s impact can help stop the spread of opposing sides on social media and improve users’ experience.
Conclusion
In conclusion, individuals should understand that while they can keep in touch with people all around the world via social media, the risk of related issues such as health problems, insomnia, and cyberbullying remains high. Harmful causes should be analyzed more deeply to eliminate their influence on individuals. Therefore, sociological theory helps to find the roots of many problems in social media. Overall, it is essential to stay aware of the potential impacts of social media and avoid harmful attitudes from other users. This knowledge can help to minimize the negative consequences.
References
Allcott, H., Braghieri, L., & Eichmeyer, S. (2020). The welfare effects of social media. American Economic Association, 110(3), 629-676. Web.
Mundt, M., Ross, K., & Burnett, C. M. (2018). Scaling social movements through social media: The case of Black Lives Matter. Social Media + Society, 1-14. Web.
Ritzer, G., & Stepnisky, J. (2021). Modern sociological theory. SAGE Publications.