Social Media Impact

Description:

For this assignment we had to read about the impacts of social media on society and find interesting statistics about social media we could relate to. We were asked to share our own opinions on social media's societal impact. Additionally, we had to take a survey on our addictions to social media, and reflect on the results.

Lessons Learned:

I learned that I am a little more addicted to social media than I thought, but upon reflection, I do agree with the evaluation the test gave me. I also learned about the demographics of some of my favorite social media websites. Overall, this project gave me a lot more insight on, not only my own, but society's utilization of social media.

My Opinion:

I think that social media is an incredibly powerful tool - if used correctly. As a society, I feel like we have quite an oxymoronic relationship with social media. I feel as though we are abusing social media, while simultaneously under-utilizing its potential. The overwhelming majority of people use social media daily, and are addicted to using it for its intended purposes, but there is so much we are leaving on the table. As an anecdote, I cannot eat at home without watching a YouTube video. YouTube is such a powerful, educational video-sharing tool, and I use it to watch Hollow Knight videos while I eat. There is so much that we use social media for, but there is so much more that we don't!

Interesting Statistic:

I tried to pick out one specific statistic, but I couldn't decide on just one. I was so fascinated by the demographic chart that I had to choose it in its entirety. I'll talk about the ones I relate to most. I found it interesting, yet appropriate, that Snapchat was considerably dominated by 18-29-year-olds. 65% of U.S. adults aged 18-29 say they have used it. Although I found Twitter (X) to be low, with only 22% of U.S. adults saying they've used it, I suppose they had their heyday back in the 2010s. Facebook's popularity was striking: 68% of U.S. adults have said they've used it. I assumed it would be similar to Twitter (X) as their heyday was also the 2010s, but I can admit they are still popular among older folk. Another fascinating thing about Facebook was the popularity among adults aged 18-29: 67% said they used Facebook. I did not believe that, but maybe it's my own personal bias. Considering I don't use Facebook, and only see my parents and their friends use it, my view may be tainted.

This is the chart I referenced for finding my statistics. The link is provided here.

Am I Addicted?

Initially I did not agree with the results, perhaps I was in a bit of denial, but upon further reflection I agree with these results, and honestly, I could've seen a result more intense than "fairly addicted." I came around when I thought about all the instances where Twitter (X) was down, or when TikTok was shut down, and I lost the ability to function. Also, as I stated earlier, I need to watch a YouTube video to eat food. But I think my peers are in the same boat, as I've gathered that most of my classmates received a similar score on the quiz as me.

Source(s):

Pew Research Center. (2024, January 31). Americans' social media use in 2024. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2024/01/31/americans-social-media-use/

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