Social media and its impacts |01 July 2021
Every year June 30 is celebrated as World Social Media Day to highlight how it has emerged as a key tool for communication. From connecting people from all corners of the world to helping influencers grow their brand and assisting journalists to cover important news events, social media has become a game changer.
However social media has also had its negative impact on the world, the influence of social media is being used in the 21st century to shape politics, business, world culture, education, careers, innovation, and more.
These factors have caused social networks to evolve from being a handy means for keeping in touch with friends and family to being used in ways that have a real impact on society.
Fake news
With the rise of fake news, social media has become a hub of misinformation and disinformation. Covid-19 has proven that people will believe whatever you post on social media if you do it with conviction. If the pandemic spreaded like wildfire across the world and so did misinformation; even to this day there are still people who believe that the virus was manufactured and that mask cannot protect against it.
In 2021 when the vaccine was launched, more misinformation came out about the effectiveness of the vaccine as well as hoaxes about the government using the vaccine to put tracking chips inside people and Seychelles was not spared from misinformation.
Keyboard activists
While social media activism brings an increased awareness about societal issues, questions remain as to whether this awareness is translating into real change. Some argue that social sharing has encouraged people to use computers and mobile phones to express their concerns on social issues without actually having to engage actively with campaigns in real life. Their support is limited to pressing the ‘Like’ button or sharing content.
The rise of social media means it’s unusual to find an organisation that does not reach its customers and prospects through one social media platform or another. Companies see the importance of using social media to connect with customers and build revenue.
Even businesses in Seychelles have realised they can use social media to generate insights, stimulate demand, and create targeted product offerings. The pandemic can be used again as an example as businesses started using social media and online platforms to sell their products when they had to close their businesses.
This practice wasn't only used for businesses as regular people started using social media to buy and sell
The impact of social media on society
Almost a quarter of the world’s population is now on Facebook. Because social networks feed off interactions among people, they become more powerful as they grow.
Thanks to the internet, each person with marginal views can see that he’s not alone. And when these people find one another via social media, they can do things – create memes, publications, and entire online worlds that bolster their worldview, and then break into the mainstream.
Without social media, social, ethical, environmental, and political ills would have minimal visibility. Increased visibility of issues has shifted the balance of power from the hands of a few to the masses.
Depression and anxiety
Spending too long on social networking sites could be adversely affecting your mood. In fact, chronic users are more likely to report poor mental health, including symptoms of anxiety and depression.
It doesn't take much thinking to figure out why. Social media lets you see the carefully selected best parts of everyone else's lives, which you compare to the negatives in your own life. Comparing yourself to other people is a sure path to anxiety, and social media has only made this easier to do.
So how do you use social media without causing yourself psychological distress? If you turn to the same research (and common sense), the recommended amount of time you should spend on social networks is around half an hour per day. As with many other potential ills in life, it's all about moderation.
The Kardashian Effect
Speaking of Instagram celebrities, if you look at popular Instagram accounts, you'll find unbelievably beautiful people wearing expensive clothes on their perfectly shaped bodies.
Today, body image is an issue for everyone. Of course, seeing so many people who are supposedly perfect (according to society's standards) on a daily basis makes you conscious about how different you look from those pictures. And not everyone comes to healthy conclusions in this situation.
It's really important to remember that everybody is human. No one wakes up every day looking like a supermodel, and while many people have gone to great lengths to train their bodies, that's not the case for everyone who looks fit. Many people, in search of social media fame, have definitely taken unhealthy routes to appear more attractive.
Surround yourself with people who love you for who you are, and you won't have to stress about Instagram beauty.
Addiction
Social media can be more addictive than cigarettes and alcohol. It has a powerful draw for many people that leads to them checking it all the time without even thinking about it.
If you're not sure whether you're addicted to social networks, try to remember the last time you went a full day without checking any social media accounts. Do you feel rejected if someone unfollows you? And if your favourite social networks completely disappeared tomorrow, would it make you feel empty and depressed?
At the end of the day, social media sites want to keep you scrolling for as long as possible so they can show you lots of ads and make more money. Because of the attention economy, these sites need your eyes on them for as long as possible.
Just because you've been going overboard on social media use doesn't mean you necessarily need to wipe out all social networking platforms. However, if you think quitting is the best solution for you, it isn't a bad idea. In fact, you can find out what it's like to quit social media through a firsthand story.
How to handle social media
As with everything else, there are good and bad aspects of social media. We've discussed some of the negative impacts social media has for many, but you're the one who must decide whether there's more help or harm in it for you personally.
If you find that social media is having a negative impact on your life, quit. However, if you decide to stay, use our tips to waste less time on social media to maintain your hobby in a healthy manner, and be sure to avoid these dangerous social media trends.