Social Media Impact

Project Description

In this project, I used current statistics and journal articles to explore the impact of social media on society. I used the information I learned to reflect on my social media habits and its impact on me.

My Reflection

I totally agree! I am someone who prefers to live in the moment. While it’s great to capture moments through pictures and videos, I love just being present and creating memories with my friends and family. I deactivated almost all my social media accounts about 5 years ago. At first, I felt a little out of place like I was missing out on a lot of things but now I am totally used to it. Since then, I have noticed huge improvements in my mood and mental health. When I am bored, I rarely find myself mindlessly scrolling through the feeds of the sites I do have. I like to scroll just enough to keep up with certain things then I am content until the next day or so.

Social Media’s Impact on Society

In my opinion, social media has both positive and negative impacts on society. I think the risks and negative impacts outweigh the positive when it comes to social media usage among kids and teens. Social media is hard to monitor, and young kids simply do not understand the risks associated with using some of these sites. This puts them in danger and at risk for exposure to predators, cyberbullying, and social media addiction. All these things can turn a kid’s life upside down and have long-lasting consequences. On a positive note, recent legislations have provided more protection for kids online and companies have improved efforts to create safer spaces for kids such as YouTube Kids and Junior Mode for Disney+. However, our youth is our future, so we must do more to protect them online.

When it comes to social media and society as whole, I think social media has had an overall positive impact. We are so much more informed because of our connections and access to instant information. We can find support in online groups and communities. We have access to all kinds of products from clothing to books. The possibilities for social media are endless. It has been interesting for me to see over the years the changes in how we use social media. It used to be used just to connect with friends and family but now everyone wants to be an influencer. 

Lessons Learned

I learned that sites such as YouTube and Pinterest are considered social media! I also learned about a new site called BeReal. It rejects filters and aims to capture more realistic moments in people’s lives.

Sources

Monica Anderson, M. F. (2023). Teens, Social Media and Technology 2023. Pew Research Center. Retrieved May 1, 2024, from https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2023/12/11/teens-social-media-and-technology-2023/

O'Keeffe, G. S., & Clarke-Pearso, K. (2011, June 11). The Impact of Social Media on Children, Adolescents, and Families. AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS. Retrieved May 1, 2024, from https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/127/4/800/65133/The-Impact-of-Social-Media-on-Children-Adolescents? autologincheck=redirected