Negative Social Media

    People do not realize the immense impact social media has on their lives.  Social media first impacted people’s lives with the invention of the telephone in 1890.  Following this, the radio entered many homes in 1891; this was the beginning of social media.  During the twentieth century, computers and the Internet began the modern rise of today’s social media. UseNet, in 1979 was a virtual newsletter, which began what people think today of as modern social media.  When home computers became popular during the 1980s, such sites as relay chats took off.  Then, in 1997, the first true social media site , Six Degrees, came about: “It enabled users to upload a profile and make friends with other users. In 1999, the first blogging sites became popular, creating a social media sensation that’s still popular today” ( “Complete History of Social Media: Than and Now”). Although social media has some positive effects,  social media has changed the world for the worse because it negatively affects politics, privacy, and bullying.

Social Media began affecting our communication and relationships as early as 1969 when the first internet service provider become available to U.S. universities. In 2002, Friendster, the first social media website available to the U.S. was created and gained over 3 million members in just over 3 months. One year later, MySpace launched. In 2004, Mark Zuckerberg, a 24-year-old Harvard student, created Facebook, an online social networking service. This service was originally a way for students to interact. Today it is the world’s largest social networking service and allows over a billion users to connect though posting photos, sharing links, and comments which all appear on a “News

Social media sites have been around for about eighteen years now. The first recognizable social media site was in 1997, and it was called, “Six Degrees”. It allowed users to upload their own profile and make friends with other users as well; and starting in 1999, the first blogging sites became popular, which created a social media sensation that’s still popular today. After blogging was when social media really began to take off in popularity. In the year 2000, sites like MySpace and LinkedIn became prominent, and there were even sites such as Photobucket and Flickr that allowed people to share photos. By the year of 2006, Twitter and Facebook became relevant and available to users

In this day and age, social media has become an integral part of our lives. It has created a platform for people to share information instantly and communicate with people all around the world. Facebook is the most outstanding example of successful social media network. According to the first quarter 2015 earnings announcement by Facebook, the site has achieved 1.44 billion active users per month, and 65% of which are daily active users. Other social networking sites such as Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn are also a powerful means of communication. With such a large audience, social networking sites provide ample opportunities to acquire information, network, and connect with friends.

The term “social media” is one that has been coined only since the beginning of the 20th century. In centuries prior, the earliest forms of communication were conducted through hand written letters dating back to 550 B.C. (Hendricks, 2013). Following this method of communication, the telegraph was invented, followed by the radio and telephone towards the end of the 19th century (Hendricks, 2013). It was not until the 20th century when the first versions of the “computer” were introduced. By the 1980’s, almost 100 years after the invention of the telephone and the radio, home computers and the use of email and online “chats” were beginning to be used (Hendricks, 2013). During the early 2000’s the popularity in social media sites such as

Social media is defined as “websites and applications that enable users to create and share content or to participate in social networking.” However a more accurate definition of social media is as follows: “the relationships that exist between network of people” (Wiang, 3). Although social media traces back to before the 1800s, it is something that has become especially popular over the last two decades. What is interesting about this is that technology began going through a sense of both change and advancement of after

“Technology, it seems has unleashed an ugliness in us.” (Pitts, 2010, p. 8A.) With all the technology around us, one would assume that it should be used for good. However, people today are using social networks such Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, Skype, Youtube and many more, not only as a way to keep in contact with people but as a way to attack people.

In the last decade the new way of communication have emerged. ‘The internet is the latest in serious of technology breakthrough in interpersonal communication, following the telegraph, telephone, radio and television’. (J. A. Bargh & K.Y.A McKenna, 2003, p.573). Using social media websites such as Facebook, Instagram, Tumbler, My space through internet give us a quicker way of keep in touch with family and friends even when they are on the other side of the world. New romances and relationships are formed and such as advertising, news, announcements can reach us within the minute. Sadly this new technology have also brought us a new way of using it against each other. This is called cyber-bullying and it is a form of harassment that happens electronically through emails or various social media websites.

Social media is any website that allows social interaction. Social media is growing rapidly throughout the world. More adults and teenagers are joining sites such as Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter to interact with friends, family, and strangers. The introduction of social media has changed the world in many ways. It affects each individual in different ways. Today it can be used as a very helpful tool in changing a person’s life, but at the same time cause such conflicts which can negatively impact a person. While there are some negatives associated with social media, the positives in communication all around, has made the world stronger and a better place to live in.

Within a span of 20 years, social media has erupted and has taken over. In 1997, Six Degrees was created and that was a website to find other friends. From there Myspace was next and that was created in 2003. In 2005, Facebook and Twitter followed and those sites are widely used by millions of people today. In the short time span, the social

Social media, a COMPLEX of computer-mediated tools, provides people with the opportunity to produce, store, exchange, and process different types of information within numerous virtual communities. (Appositive Phrase) Its present form has existed a relatively short period of time and even though most people probably cannot imagine living in a world without it, everyone did prior to the past few decades. The birth of social media began in 1997 with the production of the website Sixth Degree, a site that allowed users to create a profile and friend request others. Sixth Degree led to the formation of blogging and instant messaging. By the year 2000, people more regularly had access to the internet and an increased number of users joined MySpace and/or LinkedIn, popular social media sites of their time. In 2005, everything changed. Social media REVOLUTIONIZED like never before. Mark Zuckerberg invented Facebook and social media took off! Soon after, text messaging and Twitter developed, and before long, an explosion of sites hit the internet. (personification) Today, it consists of numerous social media platforms that span worldwide, catering to various types of people. But what does the future of social media hold? Does it improve or damage the way we connect with each other? Although, social media may create few positive outcomes, such as easy access to managing relationships and the ability to integrate social networking in business, its repercussions outweigh the benefits.

Social media is one of the most common ways for people to communicate anywhere and at any time in modern society. Some people think that it is beneficial to have in society. Although, many people are starting to see negative effects arise from the use of social media as well. These negative effects are increasing and becoming more problematic every day. The disadvantages of social media far outweigh the advantages. Social media effects everyone in society, especially teenagers by negatively impacting their lives, face-to-face interactions, and mental health.

Since the launch of Myspace in 2003, the internet landscape has never been the same. Mirriam-Webster defines social media as “forms of electronic communication (such as websites for social networking and microblogging) through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content (such as videos)” (Social Media, n.d.). Myspace was arguably the first significant social media platform, and it allowed users to share text, photos, videos, and web links. It did not take long for companies to join the new platform. Before long, companies were engaging with their market and communicating directly with their users.

Social media affects many people’s lives. The world has changed so much in the last twenty years, and contributing factors like the invention of the phone and computer are a large part of the journey. Teenagers can now talk to anyone, anywhere, at any time. Although it is true that there are dangers within social media, its benefits outweigh the drawbacks. Social media platforms are positive outlets for teens and young adults to express themselves.

Social media can be defined as websites and applications that enable users to create and share content or participate in social networking. As a phenomenon of only the past couple of decades, it has certainly changed the way we live our everyday lives. Whether socially or professionally, it opens the door to incredible amounts of information; most of which is freely shared.