Did you know that roughly 45 percent of the world’s population uses social media, with an average of 2 hours and 23 minutes spent per day on social media? Many people do not realize the harmful effects of social media. With all the factors that can happen including cyberbullying, bad reputations, lower self-esteem, less confidence, and eye strain, these factors happen because of social media. Also, people should be doing other important things in life rather than spending 2 hours a day on their phones. I am absolutely convinced that social media is more harmful than beneficial, and in this essay, I want to explain why I think so.
One in three people in 30 countries said they have been a victim of online bullying, with one in five reporting have skipped school due to cyberbullying and violence in a new poll, released by UNICEF. This fact just goes to show that cyberbullying has become such a big problem in today's society because of social media. Also, this fact shows the number of people that have gone through this rough event. 64 percent of people who have been cyberbullied say it affects their ability to learn and feel safe in school. In a learning environment, people should feel appreciated and safe. For many people cyberbullying, only happens to kids, that is not true, adults have been getting bullied over the Internet too. Some kids and even adults develop drug or alcohol abuse, eating disorders, suicidal thoughts, and even social anxiety due to cyberbullying.
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Did you ever think that your online reputation could be ruined? Have you ever heard of the name Lindsey Stone? She was involved in a social media scandal that blew up. Stone was visiting Arlington National Cemetery with her work when a colleague took a picture of her raising the middle finger and acting like she was screaming in front of a sign that said 'Silence and Respect'. Stone thought it would be funny to post that pic on Facebook. Soon after online users were sending her death threats and horrible messages. Her reputation had been ruined because of one pic that she thought was funny and ended up offending many others. With these incidents happing a lot of times over the Internet it just goes to show that you need to be careful of what you post. Another story that happened to someone else where their identity was used to make a fake profile on Facebook. Kerry Harvey, her identity was stolen on social media where thieves used her name to identify her as a prostitute. She then started getting inappropriate messages and pictures. Soon enough she had been unable to go into public or even interact with others because of this horrible incident. This had gone too far damaging her reputation and her confidence.
Have you ever felt like you were not as good as someone else? Maybe was it because of social media? Many people have started to form lower self-esteem and don’t tend to be as confident. When you go on social media, so see many photos of famous actors and models, and some people may start to feel sad or upset because maybe they don’t look as good as them or maybe they don’t get as many likes. There was a study done by the University of Copenhagen where they found out that many people suffer from 'Facebook envy' with those who abstained from using the popular site felt happier with their own lives. If others just cut down on the amount of time spent on social media, it can increase your confidence. Another thing is that getting enough sleep is a needed thing in life, but many people have a hard time getting the recommended 8 hours. Looking at Twitter and Facebook before bed could get you feel sad or get anxiety, which prevents you from falling asleep.
As many people do, spending all day on social media is not a good idea for your body’s health. Spending too much time on social media engages hormones in the brain to engage that can lead to lots of different health problems, including but not limited to cancer. Another thing is that spending too much time on social media can result in early death. There have been many studies done and evidence that too much screen time leads to a lot of sitting around, which can lead to lower cardiovascular health. So, maybe instead of spending all that time sitting at home on social media, you should go out and do other important things or even go to the gym. Next, a 2011 study stated that adults who spent at least 4 hours a day looking at a screen were 50 percent more likely to die. Also, they are more likely to experience heart attacks and strokes. Next time you are standing or walking while on social media, take a second look at your posture. Many of us put pressure on our bodies while being in weird positions while being on our phones, doing so can result in bad posture and can end up with lower back problems and shoulder problems. What you can do so this does not happen to you is try doing stretches every so often if you decide to be on your phone while walking or standing. Another thing is that looking at social media too much can put a strain on your eyes and can experience vision problems. There is a condition known as 'computer vision syndrome' that describes the vision effect of life in the computerized modern world. The many symptoms of CVS include dry, itchy eyes, blurred vision, eye strain, and headaches. There are many ways to decrease these symptoms of CVS. Try and reduce the glare or contrast of your screen.
Ever since social media came out, everyone thought it would be a great way to talk with new people and socialize. Well, it turns out that social media has stopped people from having face-to-face conversations, and now it's over the phone. A study by Pritta Chasombat found that people are more likely to disclose more personal information on social media than they would because the level of control is higher. With all the impacts of social media on interpersonal relations, the main one is alienation. Social alienation is a high degree of isolation and distance among people. Since nowadays everyone is spending most of their time in virtual life, they often invest less energy. There is a weaker social tie and less ability to interact and engage oneself.
The counterargument to social media is that it can be useful in many ways, but the harmful things out way the benefits. If you have family members that live in different states that you don’t see that much, it is a great way to share photos and videos. Also, social media allows people to talk to new people and share their thoughts. Also, social media builds communities and helps businesses grow and spread the news. Another thing is companies can spy on their competition through social media and find out their popularity. These were some reasons why social media can be beneficial.
In conclusion, these were many facts that supported my opinion of why social media is more harmful than beneficial. From cyberbullying to reputations being destroyed, decreased self-esteem, confidence, and physically how social media can harm you.
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