In the constantly changing reality of the modern world, numerous forms of media allow people to communicate and share all types of information. Mass media is changing all the time, and there are different ways to define its forms. They can be divided into traditional (television, radio, books, newspapers, etc.) and new (websites, podcasts, social networks, blogs, video, and music sharing platforms, etc.) forms of media (“What Are Types of Media?”). In my opinion, YouTube is currently one of the best media platforms. Even though the use of YouTube is often considered to have many negative effects, it is my favorite form of media because I have learned to use it as an educational tool.
Many people consider YouTube to be harmful, claiming that it is full of useless information, which poses a special danger to the minds of children and teenagers. It is believed that the way this platform works can make one spend too much time watching videos that they do not intend to watch but get distracted and eventually lose several hours doing it. Furthermore, studies have revealed the connection between the compulsive use of YouTube and mental health problems, such as depression and social anxiety (De Bérail et al.). Nevertheless, the question of whether YouTube should be seen as the ultimate evil might need further consideration.
On the one hand, the compulsive use of this platform does have the potential to reduce its users’ mental well-being and physical health. This is due to its addictive features: “the videos provide us with relevant information that stimulates a dopamine response” (“How YouTube is Addictive”). On the other hand, this is what all of the streaming platforms and social networks do. Although YouTube might currently be one of the most addictive Internet platforms, countless sources can be just as addictive if only one starts to use them excessively.
Therefore, I do not consider YouTube to be harmful or dangerous by itself; moreover, it is my favorite form of media. Firstly, it is a great learning tool for me because I am a visual learner and find it easier to watch a video on a topic than to read about it. I think that YouTube is the platform with the most interesting and original educational content that has ever been created. Courses on history, philosophy, and many other subjects are available to anyone, and that seems truly astonishing to me. Secondly, it has introduced me to so many creative people, which also helped develop my own creativity.
In spite of my fondness for this platform, I was not always able to only use its advantages. While I have admired them from the beginning, I also used to spend too much time watching videos that had no value to me. However, after losing those precious hours, I often got so frustrated that I finally decided to limit my time on YouTube and only watch videos on education, art, science, and everything that intellectually stimulates me.
Drawing on my personal experience, I came to the conclusion that YouTube is the best type of media to use both for educational and leisure purposes. Although some criticize it for being addictive and damaging, I believe that it is the way people use it that makes all the difference. It might be worth focusing on developing one’s inner discipline and self-control in order to use all the benefits of YouTube and other media.
Works Cited
De Bérail, Pierre, et al. “The relations between YouTube addiction, social anxiety and parasocial relationships with YouTubers: A moderated-mediation model based on a cognitive-behavioral framework.” Computers in Human Behavior, vol. 99, 2019, pp. 190-204.
“How YouTube is Addictive.” Medium, Web.
“What Are the Different Types of Media?” Marketing Analytics and Social Media Reporting | Whatagraph, Web.