Social media is a part of our day-to-day life in this day and age. There are many different social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter Instagram, and many more. 3.96 billion people use social media worldwide, but it doesn't come without its problems.
In my opinion, although social media has its good sides, such as keeping in touch with people, friends, and family, it also has a dark side. There has been so much online trolling and bullying that sadly has sometimes resulted in people committing suicide. I personally, like many others, use Facebook on a daily basis as it allows me to keep in touch with my sister and baby niece who live in Liverpool, but I have to admit that social media has its fair share of downsides. I have seen bullying and also inappropriate content that has been shared around these platforms, which does worry me.
Social media has become a place where everything needs to look and seem perfect, when in fact it's mostly all for show, or not even real. This puts a massive amount of pressure on today's young generation, the constant need to look like a famous person or influencer is damaging. It causes a lot of self-image problems, especially with young girls who aspire to be like a current influencer or celebrity. It makes us compare ourselves to others, this can lead to so many problems when it comes to body image and a person's self-esteem, as well as their perspective of themselves and others. There is also been numerous cases of people posting inappropriate pictures or videos of an ex or someone they know as a way of revenge. It has a significant impact on the victim. It has now been made against the law to do so and is considered to be 'revenge porn'.
Another downside to social media is the amount of time we spend on it every single day, it is, in my opinion, addictive. There is the fear of missing out (FOMO) that grips us to keep checking social media so there is nothing we feel we've missed out on. The average teen spends around 9 hours a day on social media. It can give people an unrealistic view of reality. There have been many studies that suggest long usage of social media increases the risk of anxiety and depression in users. It also suggests it affects our sleeping habits, as many of us are scrolling through social media for hours on end at bedtime, and this leads to many different sleep problems and mood swings.
Today's users seem to be getting younger, this is a worry as there is a much higher chance of them being bullied, and even groomed on these social media platforms. Inappropriate content is another major concern, not everything on social media can be monitored and it's a worry what kids could potentially come across. There is also concern about our privacy being breached as social media allows everyone and anyone to access our information, address, workplaces, and places that we have studied.
The majority of us have a phone or tablet where social media is constantly accessible, this can have a significant negative effect on day-to-day life, the constant notifications make it harder to switch off. Many of us use social media as a security blanket; if we are feeling anxious or left out in social situations, then social media is there and makes us feel more secure. Every spare moment we have, we like to spend on social media, which sometimes can lead to an unhealthy obsession. It can lead to distractions at school or work, making it harder to concentrate on studies. Studies have also found that if you reduce your online activity by 30 minutes a day, it reduces a significant amount in depression and anxiety.
Overall, although social media is important because it allows us to be connected all the time, thus maintaining our social contacts, the disadvantages still take precedence due to all the online bullying and trolling and the impact it can have on our daily lives. Hopefully, this will change in the future, and maybe there will be stricter laws when it comes to social media and the online bullying people suffer from on a day-to-day basis.