Social Media & Me

Social Media and Me: a Digital Double-edged Sword

Article By Aparna C. & Alexandra L.

In the past few decades, the growth of technology has been exponential. These surges of technological advances have slipped into our daily lives. In an age where everyone is connected through media in different forms, it has become easier than ever to express yourself on a global scale. The vastness of our world has been made smaller through the use of social media platforms, so matters rooted in conflict are put forward with both speed and anonymity. Social media is simply the conduit through which people have the 'voice' to express their differing views on everything from religion to politics. The tool is not the issue, rather the voices behind it determine its impact.

This article aims to highlight the global impact of social media since its creation. In 1991, the World Wide Web as we know today became publicly available to all after its precursors were used to share information and research between government agencies and research organizations. Since then, people and companies have been creating websites and apps for a number of different things, but the most popular seem to be regarding social media. Interpersonal relationships have evolved over the years to exist through the internet, through websites like MySpace, Facebook, Instagram, add so on. Social media was initially a way to communicate with peers and express one’s interests but it has evolved to become much more than its original purpose. Users have grown exponentially; to showcase the sheer amount of people using social media, consider that Facebook's user base (1.59 Billion) accounts for more people than the entirety of China's population (1.367 Billion.) News networks, celebrities, and journals have also become involved with social media, and these social media applications are used regularly to update people on current events and to share political stances. With access to news and information so readily available online, the current generations have the potential to be extremely updated and informed about different issues all over the world. “They’ve gone from being novelties used by teenagers and celebrities to decidedly mainstream information pipelines, capable of influencing public policy, sparking social movements, and even shaping the outcome of elections” (Falk, 2018), says journalist Dan Falk on the issue of the gradual diversification of uses for social media.

This worldwide access and the dependence the technological generation has on social media could be seen as a double-edged sword. It is easy to influence and fool users through social media due to the naivety of its user base, and how quickly information can be spread. An example of this naivety is evident in the common tagline "every 'like' contributes to X cause". The most recent iteration of this trend lies in the "Team Trees" effort. Imposter users claiming to be from branches of the organization and state that if users follow, like and support them, they will plant “x” amount of trees. Of course, this isn't true- but many people are fooled into obliging simply because it is easy to replicate someone's identity on social media and make the issue sound legitimate. All it takes is an official-sounding username and a copied profile picture, and few people will double-check the credentials under the guise of verification.

Social media has the power to desensitize people by imposing negative connotations onto issues and presenting them as "trends". This leads to people wanting to join in on the latest popular flow but by extension also spreading negativity the cause promotes. All causes are given a platform on social media, regardless of their intentions- this means that dangerous disinformation can be shared with a click of a button. Since social media includes no real physical interaction, people have begun to equate digital relations with authentic ones, which leads to the bigger problem that they no longer have to risk the real potential rejection of seeking out others in the real world. This leads to unhealthy habits and poor social skills as generations progress. This cyber scenario could impact the future of society, the workforce, and the moral code because nobody will be accustomed to having to face the consequences of their actions. Digital interaction will become the norm, and any in-person interaction (such as job interviews, for example) will be difficult to adjust to. Social media has consistently proven that it blurs the line between fact and fiction, yet no one can deny the conveniences of this useful tool.

These are just a few of the bonuses and drawbacks presented by social media. Many people see it as a tool with benefits that outweigh its negatives, while others may see the opposite. Regardless, social media serves as a controversial tool that will be deeply ingrained in society as time goes on and we become a more technologically advanced species. Whether it be good or bad, social media is here, and it's here to stay.

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Works Cited

Agrawal, AJ. “It's Not All Bad: The Social Good Of Social Media.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 18 Mar. 2016, https://www.forbes.com/sites/ajagrawal/2016/03/18/its-not-all-bad-the-social-good-of-social-media/#20d729af756f.

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

Bryant, Martin. “20 Years Ago Today, the World Wide Web Was Born - TNW Insider.” The Next Web, The Next Web B.V., 3 Mar. 2016, thenextweb.com/insider/2011/08/06/20-years-ago-today-the-world-wide-web-opened-to-the-public/.

Falk, Dan. “Social Media: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.” Ryerson University, Ryerson University, 1 Nov. 2018, www.ryerson.ca/news-events/news/2018/11/social-media-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/.

Kiersz, Andy. “CHART: How Popular Social Networks Stack up against the Biggest Countries in the World.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 3 Feb. 2016, www.businessinsider.com/social-media-users-and-country-populations-2016-2.

Sunstein, Cass. “Is Social Media Good or Bad for Democracy? - Sur - International Journal on Human Rights.” Sur, Conectas Human Rights, 1 Nov. 2018, sur.conectas.org/en/is-social-media-good-or-bad-for-democracy/.

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