The Role of Social Media in Modern Society

From the rise of Myspace that millennials connected over in the late 2000s to the creation of Instagram and Tiktok which have defined many of the online experiences of those known as the iGen or GenZ, social media has taken root as an important part of socializing in the 21st century. For many, particularly the younger generation, social media has not only provided people with a new outlet to relate to and vent to others, but also with a slew of new opportunities that range from modeling deals to sponsorships, and even features on nationally recognized television shows, potentially dramatically changing livelihoods. However, the use or overuse of these digital platforms has faced backlash, from both older and younger generations, with claims of detrimental effects on both the society as a whole and for the individual. Ever since the beginning of the rise of social media, people have debated on the effects of social media, and whether the positive effects outweigh the negative ones, or if it even has any positive bearings.

Although it is clear that the issue of social media is more that just black or white, there are two main sides. One argues that the usage of social media has more positive than negative effects, while the other argues that social media’s detrimental effects far outweigh its positive ones. Overall, it appears that most have a very mixed view on social media, and believe the evidence for either side is not conclusive enough to turn to one side or the other.   

Some Things to Keep in Mind

Both of these sides are mainly based in the view that communicating via social media or using social media is unnatural as opposed to the “natural” face to face interactions. However, this may not necessarily be true, as social media has been built on fundamental human interactions. Networking, sharing and showing off one’s lifestyle, and communicating with important people in one’s life has not been recently invented with the rise of social media, rather, it has been around for centuries. Indeed, the way that these interactions are done have changed. Sending photographs via mail may have been replaced by texting “pics”, and composing letters may have been replaced with starting a conversation in DMs, but it would be unreasonable to deny that although social media has furthered these interactions on a large scale, it is based in the same desire of humans to connect to each other that has been around since the beginnings of civilization. This is valuable to keep in mind as treating social media as some incomprehensible “newfangled” invention can greatly impact one’s analyses. Further, none of these articles make any particular differentiations between the various social media platforms, which is important, as not all social medias are alike or even used for the same reasons, and can greatly differ, especially in whether their positive aspects outweigh their negative ones or not.

The “Hits”

What many seem to agree upon is that social media has made it easier for people to become a “connected” member of society thanks to the technological aspects of social media. Whether this “connection” is good or bad is another debate, but most see that it as a good representation of the technological advancements of the 21st century.

Agrawal, a journalist for Forbes, argues that one of the biggest functions of social media is to spread information and to connect people in a beneficial manner. He argues, “While some may be addicted to their social media networks, it is one of the best ways to stay informed.” and therefore, “…social media does more good than harm in retrospect.” It is indeed true that social media, most commonly used on mobile devices, helps bring information and news to the audience in mere minutes, taking only a few more for it to reach a sizable audience, and can therefore be considered one of the quickest and most accessible methods of receiving information. Agrawal gives the examples of news alert distribution, traffic message delivery, increased teen awareness, increased marketing exposure, helping to understand technological needs, and global natural disaster relief support as areas that can benefit from the proliferation of social media use.

News Alert Distribution

His first point, he points out news alert distribution is important because “News outlets can share breaking stories, alerts and other important bits of news instantly with their followers.” This is very valid, as the proliferation of news reaches more people, faster.

Traffic Message Delivery

His second point, traffic message delivery, is arguably weaker. He states that “[Social media] is a valuable tool for sending safety message and showing photos from severe crashes resulting from distractions”, and although this is true, this is a weaker point as news about safety while driving is not something that many people consider when using social media.

Increased Teen Awareness

His third point, increased teen awareness, is based on the idea that “Using social media allows teens to follow organizations and causes that they believe in”, and this is a much stronger point, as it connects to his other points about how social media allows various connections to be made that would not have been made otherwise due to distance or other factors.

Increased Marketing Exposure

For Agrawal’s fourth point, increased marketing exposure, he states, “In terms of marketing, it is the most cost effective way to reach mass amounts of consumers”. This can be seen as a both positive and negative aspect, as it is beneficial to companies who are marketing, but it can also be detrimental to consumers who enjoy impulse buying, which will be discussed later in The “Misses” section. But for those who look to sell their products or services, it is certainly a boon.

Helping to Understand Technological Needs

For his fifth point, helping to understand technological needs, he suggests that “Noting what areas of the world lack access helps developers understand the basic needs of a specific demographic group faster”, and although that would certainly be true, and definitely beneficial to those in need of access, he does not elaborate on how companies would do so, and if it this technology is currently being employed to help. He does discuss how the access brought about would help, based on how wifi can be installed to help people keep in contact especially during natural disasters.

Global Natural Disaster Relief Support

His last point about global natural disaster relief support is arguably the strongest, as it is one of the most visible on social media. After natural disasters or even tragic events such as school shootings, there are an extremely large number of people asking for donations and donating in order to help support people overcome the difficult times, and is therefore one of the most helpful.

The “Misses”

Nevertheless, social media certainly has its downfalls, and it appears as though it has the biggest negative impacts on people’s mental and emotional health. In BBC’s article, the author, Brown, discusses several mental states and emotions that could potentially be negatively affected by others on social media, even if it is indirectly.

Stress

Although many people open up a social media app to relax and de-stress, research shows that it may in fact help foster greater stress. Although it can be a place to go and rant, a coping mechanism that may decrease stress, overall others’ venting and stressing can negatively impact someone. Further, it appears that many believe that social media is a waste of time, become stressed after use, due to their perceived waste of time spent scrolling through feeds, that could have been put to use on something productive, according to one survey of 1,800 people that Brown references. Therefore, an interesting cycle appears to occur. A user might try and de-stress by opening up

Twitter and ranting, only to read others’ rants, get off the app feeling more stressed and guilty about the time spent, and then after a period of time open up the app again, to rant about how stressed they are. As for anxiety relating to stress, it appears that although rates may be higher in social-media using teens, it is yet unclear how it does.

Depression

Many people tend to associate this strongly with social media, and if one were to do so, it would not be entirely unfounded. Social media does tend to cause depression due to many factors. Brown discusses how a study “..involving 1,700 people found a threefold risk of depression and anxiety among people who used the most social media platforms.” Therefore, the concern of

Envy of others and their seemingly enjoyable lives, and low-self esteem and feelings of oneself being unattractive may also surface strongly, as image after image of perfectly Facetuned and Photoshopped faces and bodies float by. Social isolation from lack of human interaction due to time spent on social media may also contribute to depression. However, as with stress, a depressed user can also be positively impacted by social media. This is because social media is able to diagnose depression as well. Although not by a professional opinion, it can certainly help people recognize their depression, get confirmation from a licensed professional, and get the necessary treatments.

Finances

It is no secret that social medias try to sell users various products, tailored to fit one’s interests based on their activity. Therefore, many people tend to spend more money solely by utilizing social media. They see things that advertisers know they’re interested in. Gone are the times of throwing advertisements into a newspaper and hoping it reaches its target audience, now, they KNOW you are the target audience.

One journalist for the New York Times, a former Facebook user, described his life after parting with Facebook, and how he cut his online spending around 43 percent. People with restraint should scroll right past, but unfortunately many social media users are teens and younger adults who are used to online shopping, and drop hefty sums of money each month on purchases made online. Further, apps such as Instagram have now added a feature that allows users to tap on a photo to get information on where to buy, as well as prices on items featured, further encouraging online spending.

So Why do Good Girls like (the) Bad (social media) Guys?

I’ve had this question for a really long time.

Social media is extremely enticing for many, with its endless barrage of information thrown at users, thanks to the conveniences of modern technology.

Social media is still relatively new, and much of the research has been inconclusive thus far. Thus, it is difficult to determine if it is more “good” or “bad”. However, this does not mean that any of the findings should be ignored, but rather understood and taken with a grain of salt. Social media has yet to show its full potential, and is expanding, improving, and changing every day. Kids, younger and younger, join these social medias, influencing their views on the world and of themselves, and add to the growing number of users that are connected all across the world. Whether it is a boon or destructive, social media has planted itself in the middle of mainstream cultures and shows to signs of leaving.

Works Cited

Chen, Brian X. “I Deleted Facebook Last Year. Here’s What Changed (and What Didn’t).” The New York Times, The New York Times, 21 Mar. 2019, http://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/21/technology/personaltech/facebook-deleted.html?rref=collection/timestopic/Social Media&action=click&contentCollection=timestopics®ion=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=8&pgtype=collection.

Brown, Jessica. “Future – Is Social Media Bad for You? The Evidence and the Unknowns.” BBC, BBC, 5 Jan. 2018, http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20180104-is-social-media-bad-for-you-the-evidence-and-the-unknowns.

Agrawal, AJ. “It’s Not All Bad: The Social Good Of Social Media.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 18 Mar. 2016, http://www.forbes.com/sites/ajagrawal/2016/03/18/its-not-all-bad-the-social-good-of-social-media/#45e786ce756f.