If we were to define social media it would be- the popular interactive computer-mediated technologies that facilitate the creation or sharing of information, opinions, ideas and other forms of expression via virtual communities and networks.
It is used to bring people together and it furthermore facilitates the development of online social networks by connecting user’s profile with those of other individuals or groups.
Social media experts broadly agree that social media includes the following types of social media -
1. Blogs
2. Enterprise social network
3. Photo/video sharing
4. Social network
5. Social gaming
6. Forums
7. Business network
8. Product services review
Importance of Social Media
Social media has now become a part of the life of every individual and it truly has become really important, not only on an individual level but it is also very important for business purposes.
It offers companies an incredibly useful way to connect one-on-one with their target audience and then nurture those audience members into customers. Social media plays a vital role in connecting people and developing good relations.
Its importance has risen in the last decade because of increment in the user base and the fact that they have a huge user base, social media has become a very powerful tool for almost everything.
Effects of Social Media on Youth
In today’s world, almost all of us are experiencing that social media is developing day by day and its user base is increasing insanely. Especially, amongst the young generation, social media is very popular, it is continuing to gain popularity every day.
Impact of Social media on youth is quite evident in different frames of our lives, although it impacts everyone but more so the youth. Some statistics done on social media shows that-
1. The average time spent by the people on their social network is 1.72 hours
2. For the teenagers, the numbers are much higher which is up to 27 hours per week.
Social media has become a very important part of life for many young generations, who keep on engaging themselves with social media without caring to think about what would be the impact of using it. The effect can be both positive and negative depending on how you are using it.
The Positive Effect of Social Media
Social networking apps are playing an important role in terms of linking people. Different apps like Whatsapp, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Skype are introduced to us for linking us to one another.
Now people don’t have to spend money and travel to meet people, they are just one video call away from talking or seeing their loved ones. People now find it easier to talk on WhatsApp or text message as they are faster and the cheapest means of communication and also saves a lot of time.
Many companies have launched different internet packages to attract the attention of customers. Social media gives chances to use to improve their skills, for which they earlier needed to go out, now social media itself gives online tutorials and webinars free of cost.
It also is a great source of income for many people. It is useful for those who want to support their family but are physically disabled. Some people earn by creating a channel on YouTube.
Social media is not only a platform but a home for a lot of social media savvies. Be it just the users or business oriented people every user by now has understood the power of social media. Social media has the power to make anyone a star overnight.
A recent example to support this statement is, “Baba da Dhaba”, where the video of an old man from Delhi went viral, where he along with his wife was completely hopeless as due to lockdown, his Dhaba lost all its customers and as a result, he was facing a very hard time financially.
But as soon as the video went viral, his Dhaba was filled with customers all over Delhi. This shows us the power and strength of social media, if used in the right way and for a good cause.
Also read, After ‘Baba Ka Dhaba’, Help Pours in For Elderly Man Who Sells Plants on The Roadside in Bengaluru
Negative Effects of Social Media
Social media use sometimes involves negative interaction amongst users. And as young people or adolescents spend a lot of time on social time, they’re also more susceptible to peer pressure and low self-esteem.
A common social media activity is viewing other people’s profile which frequently portrays the edited versions of their lives like displaying only the images where they look the best or are enjoying themselves. They may develop an impression that other people’s lives are preferable to their own.
Depression and anxiety is an emotional disturbance associated with social media usage. When a teenager is made to feel inferior, they often fall into depression. The need to stand out, fit in or be accepted is very harmful to their minds.
We are more curious about knowing what other person is doing rather than focusing on ourselves. This is what drives the users towards emotional disturbance.
Among the major effects of social media, cyberbullying is an evil where social media is used to communicate false, embarrassing or hostile information to specific users. The victims of prolonged cyberbullying often end up with horrible problems and mental illnesses.
These include psychosocial problems like depression, isolation, stress and some even become suicidal. Social media is one of the leading cause of sleep deprivation amongst the youth. They are constantly thinking about what their friends must be posting and sharing.
Mostly teens start comparing themselves with the celebrities they want to look slim, pretty and be rich like them. This imitation and comparison with others can negatively affect their self-respect and dignity.
When the teenagers see the pictures or videos of a party where they were not invited, it can bring anxiety to them, known as FOMO or “fear of missing out”. Young people do not spend enough time doing physical activities as they spend most of their time using social media.
Thus the decreased physical activities reduced the secretion of endorphins, causing depression.
Do you feel sad if you don’t get enough likes on your pictures? How do you feel when you don’t open your social media for one day? What do you feel when your followers drop? Any negative feeling when someone unfollows you? Keep these questions in mind to check your social media addiction level.
Written by - Harshita Negi
Edited by - Ivanova
0 Comments