Project Overview: 

For this project we took a look at some social media statistics, and the impact it has had on society as it has progressed through the 2000's to today. It also helped me analyze how social media has impacted my personal life, and whether or not those impacts have been healthy.

I am 'Fairly Reliant' on social media

But, is that really a bad thing? 

Many people seem to believe that social media is to blame for a moral decay in today's society. According to Pew Research from 2021, 64% of Americans say that social media has had a 'mostly negative' impact on our society. Personally, I believe that there is some truth to that, but in moderation social media can also be a very useful resource. I recently took on a job in retail that is virtually unrelated to my professional background and experience. Apps like TikTok, YouTube, and Reddit have been excellent resources for me to learn about some products I previously did not know much about. By keeping up with what is trending online, I've found that I can help clients make better decisions, and sometimes I know exactly what they are looking for even if they only have a general idea. I feel like there is a lot one can learn from social media websites, and keeping up with trending topics and opening your mind to others' points of view can be healthy if you maintain the right mindset. That being said, I think it is important to limit oneself and not get too emotionally invested in what you see online. I believe once social media begins to alter your mood or personality, it's a good idea to take a step back and put real life into perspective. 

Lessons learned: 

Overall, I learned a lot by completing this project. I never thought of how different demographics interact with social media. For example, it was interesting to see that people with higher incomes and educations use apps like Nextdoor, LinkedIn, and Reddit. The statistics make sense, but it is not something I really thought about before completing this module. It was also interesting to see how far ahead Facebook was of other social media sites in terms of users, but I would be interested to see how much TikTok has risen since 2021 and what apps it may have jumped since then. 

References: 

Auxier, B. (2020, October 15). 64% of Americans say social media have a mostly negative effect on the way things are going in the U.S. Today. Pew Research Center. Retrieved April 30, 2023, from https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2020/10/15/64-of-americans-say-social-media-    have-a-mostly-negative-effect-on-the-way-things-are-going-in-the-u-s-today/  

Atske, S. (2022, May 11). Social media use in 2021. Pew Research Center: Internet, Science & Tech. Retrieved April 30, 2023, from https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2021/04/07/social-media-use-in-2021/