In today’s world, multitasking has become the norm. We are amazed at how we handle everything. We depend on our smartphones for work, school, our personal and social lives. The increase in the number of social media platforms has unlocked new opportunities for people to showcase their personalities, connect with peers and seek validation. Platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok offer a wide variety of online content that could significantly influence peoples’ lives and emotional well-being. These days, the Internet plays a big role in our everyday life. Social media has also done so.
The impact of social media has been significantly shaped by the Internet’s explosive growth. Some 4.2 billion users are active worldwide. It makes it quite evident that every brand and business must have some level of social media presence. While social media has its perks, it could have negative effects on its target audience.
Back in 2005, social media was in its primitive phase. Demographically, it was quite popular and growing in the US with about 5 per cent of the population as users. With time, it spread all over the world and as of today, most of the worldwide population now has access to various social media platforms.
According to a research conducted in 2019 on social media usage in the US, it was found that the most accessed social media platforms among adults were YouTube and Facebook, while adolescents preferred Instagram and Snapchat.
Currently, around 97 per cent of 13- to 17-year-olds use at least one of major available online social media platforms, globally.
People and Organisations’ Attraction to Social Media: Reasons
Cost-effectiveness Social media platforms are often free to use, making them an attractive option for businesses, especially small ones. The only investment required is time, which can be significantly less than the costs associated with traditional media such as print ads, TV commercials, and brochures.
Unlimited access Social media levels the playing field, allowing businesses of all sizes to engage with a global audience without needing extensive resources or industry contacts. This accessibility provides equal opportunities for marketing and communication.
Simplicity With minimal technical requirements—a computer and an Internet connection—social media is user-friendly and does not necessitate specialised skills or expensive equipment, unlike traditional media production.
Global reach Social media allows for rapid dissemination of information across geographical boundaries at no additional cost. Content can quickly reach a vast audience and be tailored for different market segments, making global marketing efforts more feasible and effective.
Contact building The interactive nature of social media facilitates real-time engagement with customers, enabling businesses to build relationships, gather feedback, and manage customer service efficiently.
Flexibility Social media offers unparalleled flexibility in content management. Information can be updated, altered, and shared instantly, allowing businesses to keep their content current and relevant.
Measurability Social media platforms provide immediate access to performance metrics, enabling businesses to track engagement, test marketing strategies, and adjust their approaches based on real-time data.
The other major reasons why people use social media platforms include to pass time, keep themselves abreast with the news updates, explore the trending topics around the world, browse for online shopping, discussing and exchanging information with other users over various online forums, connecting with new people, watch livestreams related to various types of content.
Positive Impacts of Social Media
Social media has profoundly reshaped contemporary society, with over 50 per cent of the global population using these platforms and spending an average of two hours daily on them. It has revolutionised how we connect, communicate, and express ourselves, fostering global relationships and community engagement. Platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok allow for personal expression and the creation of supportive digital communities.
Connectivity Social media could be harnessed in a lot of ways to one’s advantage. One of the key aspects is to grab the attention of the masses through direct connectivity. One could get useful insight from their followers on social media which would allow them to come up with various strategies for their betterment. For instance, many people use social media to promote and expand their businesses.
Social media further allows people to explore communities which favour their interests and find like-minded individuals who share common interests. Such interactions help people feel necessary and welcomed.
Education Additionally, there has been an increase in educational platforms over the Internet, making it possible for people to learn new skills and leverage that for their rapid career growth. Social media has further aided students to pursue distance learning. It has generated opportunities for various online academic services including writing services.
Impact on politics There has been a significant impact on politics with the rise of various news platforms and opinion platforms, such as X (formerly, Twitter). These platforms allow their audience to express their opinion on various political matters which, in turn, enable visibility in front of concerned authorities who could take relevant action. However, such forums are a place for massive political protests, campaigns, and even political unrest, as well.
Job hiring Social media platforms, such as LinkedIn, have drastically impacted job recruitment as many companies base their hiring decisions on a candidate’s social network presence. Further, it allows recruiters to post job opportunities in various fields on these platforms to acquire the right candidates.
E-commerce Many businesses use social media to acquire statistics, boost their demand, and create specialised product offerings. These activities are significant in both brick-and-mortar businesses as well as in e-commerce. Increasing one’s social networks at work helps them to improve information exchange and acquire useful data. Utilising social media enhances communication and aids in the growth of a more highly skilled and knowledgeable workforce.
People could further promote various causes on platforms based on trending topics. For instance, Facebook allows users to create and share pages where they could express their views for a cause and also acquire followers to support the same.
Building relationships Social media has transformed relationship-building by providing tools to connect with others through shared interests and communities, enhancing a sense of belonging. It enables users to maintain long-distance relationships by facilitating communication via messages, updates, and video calls, while also allowing globally for the formation of new connections. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn offer various ways to interact, making it easier to nurture and expand personal and professional relationships.
Social media has profoundly altered how we begin, build, and sustain relationships. It further allows people to express themselves in various ways and engage among their contacts as well as the outside world. However, social media also fosters “slacktivism,” where superficial actions like changing profile pictures may replace meaningful activism, and can lead to more superficial relationships, weakening the quality of personal connections.
Social Media: Negative Impacts
Experience feelings of inadequacy about one’s life or appearance People who use social media fail to identify their ‘real’ friends at times, as their contacts could easily be impersonated by strangers. As there are no hard-and-fast rules for creating online profiles, many people could create fake accounts and misuse them by making people fall a prey for them. If not used carefully, online profiles could further be hacked and misused. Fake or hacked profiles could be used for scams, phishing, stalking, extortion, etc. leading to invasion of privacy and creation of an unsafe environment.
Some users tend to become addicted to social media platforms, such as Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram, which results in making them post content frequently. The reason is that it gives them a sense of self-accomplishment and makes them feel validated. However, it significantly increases their screen time which could decrease their productivity. It is a mood-modifying experience.
Social media platforms provide a medium for people to earn the approval of their peers over various aspects, such as their appearance, and further compare themselves with others. This often leads to self-image issues resulting in people feeling mentally vulnerable. This could again lead to many behavioural problems among individuals.
Cyberbullying Social media platforms could further create a space for cyberbullying and exposure to content which may not be age-appropriate. Platforms, such as Twitter/X, could serve as hubs for the spread of damaging rumours, lies, and abuse that could cause long-lasting emotional scars. Victims in such scenarios suffer from mental health risks such as depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem. In worst case scenarios, this could further result in the risk of suicides.
Fear of missing out (FOMO) has become a recurring theme, where the individuals often find themselves checking social media platforms more frequently. This is because they fear that they might feel left out of the latest online trends, among their peers.
Impact on children The CEO of Tesla, Elon Musk, has expressed concerns on how social media could negatively influence children. Musk emphasised the need for regulation to protect children from potential psychological harm caused by AI algorithms designed to maximise user engagement. He further warned that sophisticated AI systems could pose a threat to children’s mental health by increasing dopamine levels and boosting user engagement. He further stated that parents need to limit their children’s social media usage as they are being ‘programmed’ by AI. Additionally, he expressed broader fears about the impact of AI on employment, predicting that it could eventually render all jobs obsolete.
Privacy concerns Social media users face significant privacy risks, including the potential for stalking, identity theft, personal attacks, and misuse of their information. Often, these issues stem from users inadvertently sharing content that should remain private. Misunderstandings about what constitutes public versus private information can exacerbate these risks. Once sensitive information is exposed, it can be challenging to control or rectify the damage, impacting both personal and professional aspects of life. The destruction of privacy often becomes evident only after serious consequences have occurred, highlighting the need for heightened awareness and caution in managing online content.
| Social Media: Pros and Cons | |
| Pros | Cons |
| Provides space for noble causes and practices | Leads to cyberbullying |
| Offers platform for promotion | Makes hacking easy for hackers |
| Builds connectivity | Reduces face-to-face communication |
| Acts as a good source of updated information | Spreads fake news rapidly |
| Drives website traffic | Harms people’s health |
| Reaches wider audiences | Causes sleeplessness |
| Plays a critical role in the information of communities | Causes depression to those who spend too much time on it |
| Provides a new form of entertainment | Causes distraction |
Way Forward
Some of the ways to minimise bad impact and for responsible use of social media are as follows:
- Disable notifications to minimise distractions. Check updates at scheduled intervals to maintain focus and productivity.
- Restrict social media use to about 30 minutes each day. Utilise tools to monitor and control your screen time for improved health and well-being.
- Follow accounts that bring positivity and value to your life, and unfollow those that contribute to negativity or comparison.
- Visit specific accounts or content directly, rather than scrolling aimlessly. Cleanse your feed of irrelevant accounts to reduce procrastination.
- Be cautious of misleading headlines and clickbait. Always cross-check information through reliable sources to prevent the spread of fake news.
- Pay attention to how social media affects your mood and self-perception. Take breaks as needed to maintain emotional balance.
- Remember that social media likes do not define your worth. Prioritise building genuine self-esteem over seeking digital validation.
- Familiarise yourself with privacy settings on each platform to protect your personal information from unauthorised access.
- Post content that is positive, relevant, and respectful to foster a constructive digital presence.
- Avoid using your phone right before bed to prevent sleep disturbances. Establish a nighttime routine that minimises screen time for better rest.
Conclusion
The Impact of social media on the mental health of its users is a topic of growing concern. Strategies need to be implemented to promote a more positive online presence which could empower individuals to navigate the digital landscape with mindfulness, resilience, and a positive sense of self-worth. With the advancement of technology, authorities including schools, parents, society, and other responsible adults, need to ensure that social media platforms create a congenial and positive environment for individuals. This would aid in nurturing the well-being of the future generation.
© Spectrum Books Pvt. Ltd.
