Although it may seem like technology is taking over as we struggle to look up from our smartphones and as social sites control our lives but there are pros and cons of excessive social media use…
Breaking News
With all the major news channels on social media now, it means breaking news can spread fast. Notifications can be applied to Twitter accounts so you can get the current news as it breaks. For many young people, they may not pay attention to the news, but as a result of social media, many are likely to become more aware of what’s going on around them. So, notifications and constant checking aren’t always bad…
However, fake news can also spread like wildfire on social media and Facebook have had to fight back with plans to combat this problem… Did fake news have a direct impact on the US Presidential Election for example? Furthermore, issues with ‘click-bait’ mean audiences are drawn in to read a load of rubbish, therefore spending even more unnecessary time online.
Express Yourself
With a range of different social sites out there, all with slightly different uses, it gives users the chance to express themselves. From posting ‘selfies’ on Instagram, to updating their status on Facebook, or venting their anger on Twitter, each site allows users to express themselves to the world in whatever way they’d like.
However, are users really expressing themselves or presenting the world with an online persona? Many users glued to social media follow certain celebs or social stars and soon find themselves molding themselves on someone else. Are social media users losing their sense of identity and stuck in a constant rut of comparing themselves to others?
Creative Ideas
Sites like Pinterest are full of creative ideas and design concepts to explore. Whatever inspiration you’re looking for, you’ll find it on a site like Pinterest. By creating boards and pinning posts you can collect your ideas in archives of aesthetics.
But, do these sites lead to lack of sleep as you scroll late into the dead of night? ‘Just one more pin’. Do they make people aspire to having something that is unachievable leaving you feeling down as you once again find yourself comparing yourself to someone else?
Keep Connected
High use of social media can mean you stay connected with your friends and others online. It can act as an easy way to keep in touch with people who you don’t live near to, such as relatives and old friends, and allows you to connect with people from your past.
However, can staying connected become dangerous? As I’ve mentioned in previous blogs, social media is highly addictive and notifications to tell us when something has happened only keeps us more attached. So, struggling to stay away from messaging apps such as Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and SnapChat isn’t surprising, but, is the extra screen time meaning we’re lacking in real life communication skills?
Stuck in a Cycle
Social sites are designed to keep you on them, we’re the ‘distracted generation’ and our minds easily flicker from one thing to another. It means when we’re bored, there’s lots to see on social sites and many ways to get distracted if we’re meant to be doing other things. Social media provides a break from what we’re doing and in some cases a way to relax…
But are sites like YouTube trapping its users in an endless cycle. Video playlists, suggestions at the end of clips and on sidebars, links from one place to another and before you know it you’ve been watching for 4 hours straight. You may have started watching a make-up tutorial, but a few hours later and you’re watching a dog on a skateboard. Social media is the perfect distraction for the ‘distracted generation’.
So, it’s clear social media has positives and negatives and even frequent use can sometimes have its advantages. All in all, social media usage is fine in moderation, but the sites are addictive and as the ‘distracted generation’, we just don’t seem to have the control to keep away.
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