Social Media Impact

Project Description

For this assignment, I looked into how social media has an impact on myself and society as a whole.

Social Media Addiction Survey

The result I got from taking the survey was that I am fairly reliant on social media and should take a break from social media. My results had said,

You're fairly reliant on social media, but there are far worse culprits! Still, it's good to be reminded that UK adults spend an average of 8 hrs 41 mins on screens every day, and 4 hours of that on smartphone apps alone (mainly social media). That's about a third of each day checking apps. Do you need to rethink your social media habits and the amount of time you spend scrolling? 

And after seeing these results, I do need to think about my social media usage. Because most of my friends are out of state, it is easier to connect with them on social media platforms. But we all have jobs and other lives, so I do not need to check social media that often for every minute of life updates. I'd also like to say that I do not spend that much on my phone like they do in the UK. I would say maybe about four to five hours total on my phone. Still not good, but better than those in the UK.

Interesting Social Media Statistic

The interesting statistic I found from the Pew Research Center was which social media platform was most popular. This surprises me because the platforms I thought would be the most popular are not! On top of that, there are some that I have not heard of or would even consider social media platforms.

Social Media's Impact on Society

I think social media has a positive and negative impact. For me personally, I can connect with my friends and old classmates who are not in the same state, and I can share big accomplishments for them to see as well. However, we unfortunately live in a time where your "image" can mean a lot in this world. I know this might sound confusing, but I have friends who, unfortunately, rely on social media just to get validation from strangers, so they know that what they are posing, appropriate or not, is good for their social feed and attracts the attention of everyone. This has a negative effect because we are relying on the opinion of strangers on how we look or are seen when it should not matter, and the only one it should matter to is ourselves. 

Lessons Learned

I need to lay off social media. Not only is it too much for my mental health, but it is a lot of time to be on my phone when I could be doing something else, like going to the gym or just enjoying the great outdoors. 

Sources

“Social Media Fact Sheet.” Pew Research Center, Pew Research Center, 13 Nov. 2024, www.pewresearch.org/internet/fact-sheet/social-media/.