The Dark Power Of Social Media

Did you know social media can change you? Social media can cause problems with your health? In the article, “Student examines negative effects of social media on teens” by Aurelie Krakowsky and “The Upside of Selfies: Social media isn’t all that bad for kids” by Kelly Wallace talks about social media, but clearly it’s harmful to people. Social media is for people to enjoy on a daily basis and be updated on what is happening in the world; however it can be harmful to your health and even your education. It can lower kids self esteem and make them feel uncomfortable about themselves. It can also cause health issues and distant yourself from the people around you.

When college admissions officers and potential employers look at people’s social media, it could help make their decision easier. Someone that is using a lot of cuss words or posting inappropriate things isn’t going to get the job over someone who doesn’t. Colleges and work places want people that aren’t going to do those things because it will start to look bad on them. “Employers can also use their social medias as an extended résumé if they use it correctly” (Source G).

Social media has been known to help students develop important knowledge and social skills. “At first glance this may seem like a waste of time; however it also helps students to develop important knowledge and social skills, and be active citizens who create and share content.” (Chen 3). The more time teens spend on social media the more they become aware of their own social side and how to interact with others, especially their peers. “Some types of social media has beneficial effects, like helping adolescents establish some sense of identity and build networking skills” (Riley Davis). Too much time being spent on social media can also exploit teens to some harsh realities that they’ve probably never experienced in their lives before.

The use of social networking sites is rising at great rates. According to a report conducted by the Pew Internet & American Life Project in 2012, ninety-five percent of individuals aged 12-17 use the internet; and eighty-one percent of those use social network sites (Pew Interest). Although it is known that social media can have a useful impact on lives, often times people forget that with a positive comes a negative. The continual use of social network sites will impact teen lives more negatively than positively because they can cause huge distractions from valuable and critical pursuits like education; they can also cause mental health issues and a reduction in communication skills.

In our society today, social media is a monster because it has created unrealistic social expectations and unhealthy relationships with ourselves and others. Social media has become a central platform to everyone in our society today and can cause many problems for a large portion of the users. Many of the problems that associate with social media can cause mental and physical harm to users such as, depression, which can lead to suicidal thoughts or actions, eating disorders, and even lowered self-esteem due to the unreasonable comparisons that people make when compared to popular and successful people. One major issue that social media has brought up is the exploitation of the anonymous identification which bullies use to hide from their victims. This can single handedly cause the issues that was recently stated. The social media crowd is now influencing young teens and kids to do drugs. It causes a sort of pressure for some adolescents to engage in illegal activities such as, smoking and drinking. This can be a real danger because they are too young to realize what they are doing to their bodies and could truly put their lives in danger. Social media also causes a learning deficiency in a large portion of students. These students are constantly on their phones and it takes their full attention away from the task at hand. This causes procrastination of assignments and can lead to lower grades. They are not disciplined enough to control themselves and stay away from their

Since hunter gatherers coalesced into urban areas and people realized that it was necessary to specialize in different activities there have been those who led, those who followed, and those who influenced both sides. In Ancient Greece, for example, male citizens often met at the local town square to debate issues forming the word for politics which is running governmental or state affairs, but also applies to organizations. Politics are social relations between people for Aristotle, politics is not only governing, but the science behind it, the motivations, and the manner in which two or more individuals not only converse, but interact (Miller). If we think logically, then we can understand how a political effort rulers and followers, would engender others to try to influence outcomes that would be most beneficial: the military has a view, certain citizens might be builders and want projects, others might want trade agreements, still others might vie to their products.

Are we becoming less human with the passing of each day? Have we become too dependent on technology, specifically social media? In this day and age, people have different views on social media. They question its true purpose and its effect on society as a whole. With that said, although there are many thoughts concerning the topic/trend of social media something that is undoubtedly true is that social media plays an active role in the lives of the majority of people. Whether in a positive or negative way, social media influences the lives of all people. However this paper focuses on the effect of social media on college students. It addresses both the positive and negative effects of social media on those in college; focusing on a student’s academic efficiency, social interactive skills, and overall productivity.

Did you know according to the Department of Health and Human Services that 94 percent of teens use social media? Which has showed us social media is a major problem. Social media is applications and websites that people create and share information, ideas, and messages. Social media has caused many problems, including it has contributed to people being isolated. Isolation is to be set apart or separate and to be alone, which is harmful because you can lose basic social skills. Social media harmfully isolate people and users because it causes people to not fully engage with others, they do not make friends, and they lose practice on basic social skills.

Social media has become prominent parts of life for many young people today. Most people engage with social media without stopping to think what the effects are on our lives, whether positive or negative. Are we as a society becoming more concerned with Facebook "friends" than we are with the people we interact with face-to-face in our daily lives? What will the longterm effects of today 's social media use be? There are many positive aspects, but there are equally as many dangers that come with the use of sites such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Google +, Tumblr, Instagram, gaming sites, and blogs. Social media has both negative and positive effects on society, it is up to the user to decide what impact they want to make. In order to make the right choices, we must dig in and research this topic thoroughly.

Social media is extremely addictive as it provides immediate and satisfying rewards (through the release of hormones) with very little effort. Your brain automatically begins to crave it more and more as you desire these chemical stimulations. Sounds like a drug right? Some studies even show that around 5%-10% of users find it difficult to control the amount of time they spent online and literally cannot log off. So although social media stimulates our brain and sends chemicals that make us feel great - it’s harmful to our real life relationships and distances us from the connections we have around us, often times becoming a distraction to young people which can deter them from their schoolwork and affect their ability to interact with people face to face.

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.

Studies have shown that the average person now spends more time each day on their phone and computer than they do sleeping according to Nick McGillivray (“What are the Effects of Social Media on Youth?). Social has become part of our social society, especially for the many youths. There are positives to being on social media and also equal amounts of danger that come with using social networking sites, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. These social networking sites also have effects on today’s youth by altering the way they behave, the way they learn, in not only a classroom setting but also in the real world setting, and the way that they socialize with their peers and others.

Our lives seem to be more and more consumed by technology as great advances in this area have continue to be made, especially when it comes to social media. Many researchers have begun to notice that depending on how much time individuals spend on these social media sites, they can negatively affect their daily lifestyle in very significant ways.  For example, social networking has become a huge distraction for students and it can affect their grades depending on how often they check their various accounts while doing class work.  Researchers have also come to find out that social media can contribute to the development of psychological symptoms

Groundswell is a book that focuses on the power of social media and how businesses have to learn to harness this power to remain competitive. The book is full of practical ideas of how the groundswell works, why it is so important in today’s business world and how to use it to maximize your marketing potential. The book gives examples of how some well known companies use social networks, blogs and other online platforms to learn how customers feel about their products and also provides explicit tactics to guide companies in using the groundswell in their own businesses. I think this is a great book if you are just beginning to think about how to use digital media for your business or if you are trying to learn how to connect people with social technology. It is not a difficult read as it explains concepts and ideas in a simple and direct way. The groundswell gave me a good perspective and firm knowledge base on the untapped potential of social networks.

Life as a young 19 year old college student may consist of many hours knowingly or unknowing on social networks. Social networks are a network of social interactions and personal relationships. They are a way for many individuals to stay connect to their friends and a way for people to entertain their self. Just recently I began to notice how much social media actually runs my life... It’s crazy how in the morning when I wake up and roll over and the first thing I reach for is my cell phone. After swiping to unlock my iPhone 5 and checking to see if I have any messages I click the light blue birdy app called twitter and then tell the twitter world good morning before I even put my feet on the ground. That’s not really a big deal but that goes and shows how a much of a habit social media can become. Throughout the entire day I do notice I am on and off social networks even scrolling threw my favorite app instagram during my class lectures. That was a problem for me…I decided I needed a change. Social media has become a distraction in my life and to me while trying focus. I became aware of the distractions social networks caused when I was trying to focus on my schoolwork. I decided to dedicate myself towards not using any social media apps for 1 month and I learned that life without social media has many beneficial consequences leading you towards a more focused and nature fulfilled life. I also learned how to manage my time while on social networks.