The dangers of social media

It is no secret that social media platforms were deliberately designed to hold users' attention as long as possible, tapping into pyschological basis and vulnerabilities relating to our desire for validation and fear of rejection. Too much passive use of social media – just browsing posts – can be unhealthy and has been linked to feelings of envy, inadequacy and less enjoyment in life. Studies have even suggested that it can lead to ADHD, depression, anxiety and sleep deprivation. 

More evidence is necessary before we can consider these findings conclusive. However, with depression on the rise worldwide and 50% of mental illnesses starting at age 14 though, the potential issues warrant further exploration.

Many governments, sociologists and psychologists have also expressed concerns that children today are spending too much time interacting with their phones and missing out on other important social experiences.

Exacerbating loneliness

The feelings triggered by a ‘like’ can temporarily relieve feelings of loneliness, but they cannot replace socializing altogether. When adolescents who feel lonely offline use social media to compensate for less developed social skills, they may end up feeling even lonlier in the long run.

Relationships and connections are made through social media and people connect through the use of emojis and abbreviations instead of face to face. This is one of the main causes for social anxiety today as people are so used to speaking to one another through a screen when it comes to real life scenarios they don’t know how to effectively communicate !

Cyber bullying Is another extremely important topic that needs to be addressed today.

It is very easy for someone to be a key board warrior and bring someone down but when it comes to face to face they would not dare say the things they did through text or comment, that is the main reason why cyber bullying Is such a thing as people feel a lot more powerful behind a screen than they would face to face ! these issues need to be addressed and social media platforms and attempting to keep a close eye and regulation on these activities which is good !

As both the drivers and benefactors of the social media revolution, tech companies and designers should offer a range of user friendly tools that help parents create age-appropriate environments. They could also change the design to create an environment that is conducive to more meaningful conversations and less browsing and liking. While it may go against their financial incentives, a more ethical design would go a long way toward helping teens build healthier social media habits.