The Negative Effect of Social Media on Individuals Essay

It comes as no surprise that as social media has grown and expanded into such a major aspect of our society that company’s and businesses have begun to use people’s social media accounts as a determining factor as to whether a person gets hired for a job or is allowed to keep their job. Running background checks on employee and job applicants’ social media accounts have become a part of the business world. This practice allows companies and business to determine whether their job applicant or current employee is living up to the standards that the company expects them to. It is no secret that this practice is common and happens constantly, but yet people are still not concerned. The current generation of teens and young adults

Just this last decade, technology has improved a great deal. Tasks that required intensive training and immense amounts of time twenty years ago can be completed today within seconds at your fingertips. Nowadays, technology is constantly being used everywhere you go and at any time. Before there was google or even the internet, it would take hours of research to find answers that are a simple click away. While technology advances have had a huge positive impact on the efficiency and productivity of today’s society and the generation of people that have come from it, it has also slowed us down and made us forget our priorities. As technology has evolved, so has the creation of social media. Although social media has made us capable of

Aaron Hanson Mrs Sharifian American Government 20 October 2017 The Impacts of Social Media Social media is a vast network of connections that provide instant communication of information’s from across the globe.

Imagine this; you are walking down the street and see a homeless man sitting on the corner. He's holding a typical sign asking for help. Would you take time out of your day and stop to read the sign and help this homeless man? Or would you keep walking and go about your day?

Social media is playing a huge part in our lives. Almost everyone has some sort of social media if it is Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, YouTube, etc. We hear, see, and talk about it everyday, even if we think we do not. When I think of social media I believe it is a positive because it helps with news, entertainment, and for making money. If there is anything we need, we go to the internet or social media. If we see something that is funny or useful, we take a picture of it and either save it and/or post it to social media.

With the rise of technology and opportunity, social media has become the epicenter for teenagers and college students to express and connect with others through pictures, videos, and personal content. According to a new study from Pew Research Center (2015), 92% of teens report going online daily – including 24% who say they go “online constantly.” As more teens “go online,” teenagers’ self-esteem and social comparison are impacted with the rising use of social media platforms, like Facebook, in both negative and positive ways. In the same study, Pew Research Center (2015) found that Facebook remains the most used social media site among American teens with 71% of all teens using the site. However, a study done by Amy L. Gonzales and Jeffrey T. Hancock found that in many cases Facebook can actually have a positive effect on self-esteem and social comparison.

the time of terrorist attacks. They inform people of the location of the attack, and of any safe locations people can evacuate to if needed. In areas high in earthquake activity such as Indonesia, social media is used to warn people of potential upcoming earthquakes. If an earthquake ends up striking an area, news of it is quickly posted on social media, and groups are quickly assembled to carry natural disaster cleanup. On a much lighter note, Vancouver uses social media to inform people when garbage pick-ups will take place (Guo). The world is slowly learning to use social media more and more as a public service information delivery system, whether it be for a surprising disastrous situation, or news for everyday life.

Peter Drucker, who is best known for being the Father of Modern Management as well as the writer of numerous books and articles about innovation, entrepreneurship and strategies for dealing with the world once said, “The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn’t said” (Drucker). Social Media has an enormous effect on the world today. Everyday people are posting their thoughts about other people without thinking it may affect other people. Despite having most of the popular social media sites used today, These sites have a negative impact on society. People all over the world are using Facebook, Twitter, Instagram. Social Media sites to connect with friends. Although these sites provide us with easier ways of connecting with the world, they also have a negative impact on how people view themselves. Social media is used all over the world today, but while it may seem like a fun way to connect with our friends and the world around us, it is harming society as negativity is posted all over the internet.

Have you ever looked at a picture of someone and thought to yourself, wow I wish I looked like that? From Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, it’s easy for companies to get their advertisements out there. Many women around the world today are experiencing or have experienced body dissatisfaction. Women are constantly viewing social media websites that heavily have the appearance of beautiful, skinny models. Social media is causing many harmful effects among women and young girls. Stated in an article titled “Does Social Media Impact on Body Image?” by Philippa Roxby, “Social media has a huge effect on young people's body confidence, she explains, because it cannot be ignored.” Even women who some would see as perfect can find themselves wishing they had toned abs, thick long hair, big breasts, tanned skin, and everything else that goes along with the “perfect body” ideal that society wants women to be.

The privilege of technology that we are accustomed to today is beyond amazing. Whether one is using a computer, or an iphone, the amount of options and creativity is endless. These ideas were designed for good intentions, but unfortunately that is not what it has come to be. The power spread from social media into the hands of young adults and teens is something to be concerned about. Students and teens may not think what they say on social media matters, but it truly does. College denial, lack of finding work, and social depression and anxiety are the three most important negative effects of social media use.

Social media is defined as “forms of electronic communication (as Web sites for social networking and micro blogging) through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content.” (Merriam-Webster, 2004). Social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube have the attention of millions of users. With just a click of a button, users are able to create their own profile that relates to themselves and are able to share their personal information by adding friends on these social media sites. Today’s generations of teenagers have become technologically dependant. A study done by Pew Research Center found that, 92% of teens reported going online daily, 56% of teens reported going online several times a day, and only 12% reported once a day. (Lenhart, Amandra, 2015). With the vast amount of social media that is so easily accessible and greatly depended on, it has made bullying so much easier on teenagers today. This bullying is referred to as “cyber bullying”. Cyber bullying is when a person uses technology to target another person by harassing or intimidating them in an aggressive nature. The bullies often use social media site to spread their message about or to their victims. Although these social sites can have positive interaction for teenagers, the negative effects of

“Social media- websites and applications that enable users to create and share content or to participate in social networking” (Dictionary). Being able to share content and engage with others from anywhere sounds amazing and helpful right? Wrong; social media can be very destructive and turn into an addiction. Social media is a negative force in society because it becomes a priority, it can turn into an addiction, and social media turns hurts relationships.

In today’s world, social media is what connects people to each other. Whether talking to an old friend, discussing work with fellow employees, or meeting total strangers social media is the default platform. Many older people say that social media is unhealthy for society because it apparently creates less empathetic people, provides an avenue for bullying, and provides kids with less contact with people face to face. While those arguments are valid, there are flaws in how they are interpreted and when compared to the positives, can’t stand too well. A few of the positives of social media include people being able to communicate to people from all over the planet, free entertainment that can showcase new and upcoming talented people, and a way for someone to express himself to more people than he ever could without social media. Now, let us look at the arguments for why social media is bad in a little more detail.

Social media has become the norm and often the most utilized means of communicating with others. People of all ages have become exposed to the world of social networking. . For many people assessing social media has become a part of their daily routine. Social media negatively impacts society due to its addictiveness, exposing users to cyberbullying, negative impact on productivity, and the mental health effects on users.

Social media can be used for good, if people treat it in that respect. However, there are many who abuse and tear social networking apart until it becomes destructive. Many can argue that social media has been the cause of mental disorders, access to illegal sources and substances, and cyberbullying. In many ways social media can be a negative source that bullies and belittles. There are many who can argue that social media has made the next generations dimmer and less receptive to the reality of the world around them. However, there are still good consequences that come from the use of social networking.