The Positive Impacts Of Digital Media

My main problem that I possess when it comes to my phone dependency is how to fill my free time with efficient activities like reading, homework, or other things. When I went through school without using social media, I was much more attentive in class and I did not really miss the connection I had with my phone. I also discovered that I do not deal with the “fear of missing out” because in actuality I did not miss out on a single thing. Identifying this fact enabled me to understand that thinking I need my phone because something important could potentially arise is a complete lie that I feed to myself to give a “valid” excuse that I need to be connected to my phone at all times of the day. This challenge revealed to me how detrimental social media could become if I keep using it extensively. I have read several articles about how media are physically altering our brain in a bad way and leading to a lack of essential skills in people, mainly in the millennial generation. This made me question if new media has contributed to the rise of social anxiety in individuals or aided the downfall of literacy in America today. This project has truly opened my eyes with my personal media use and the potential risks that can spawn from abusing

We live in an era ruled by social media, primarily when it comes to teenagers, social media is used for everything. From communicating with family and friends to being used as a news outlet, and even advertisement for business and companies. This article is titled “Social Media: What's Not to Like,” written by Alison Pearce Stevens. The topic of this essay is the effect social media can have on teenagers. Social media, on one hand, can be used as a great way to share with the world and boost teens’ self-esteem. On the other hand, social media can be used as a place for bullying, body shaming and can cause depression or even suicide in teens.

Older generations don’t realize how much technology has affected this generation of teenagers, along with the social media that comes along with the technology. As stated in “How Social Media Changed Teens’ Lives Forever”; “Negative posts or comments also can do great damage to a teen’s self-esteem.” (Ashley Black, Thomas Atseff and Colleen Kaveney) While many parents think social media is just a way to connect with others, many teenagers take it for granted. For example, “quitting social media because it made her miserable and obsessed with appearing perfect online”, is what a teenager felt about social media and what it has done to her. Though many think that social media is a great way to connect, teenagers take it to another level.

However it is quite obvious that the overuse of it can negatively impact a persons and even more so, a young child’s wellbeing. I highly believe that social media is stealing away the adventurous and educational childhood of past generations. It is being replaced with advanced technology and over-exposed websites which is speeding up the emotional as well as the physical growth of today’s generation. The excessive amount of time that children spend on social media and technology on average have very negative impacts on their well being such

Social Media is affecting our society in a negative way. From being the number one cause of divorce, ruining people’s careers, and being a haven for teen suicides, many misfortunes arise due to social media. People may not notice its damaging side effects yet it is slowly but surely proving detrimental to all involved in the game. By taking a step back and maintaining self-control, any human being immersed in the frenzy of social media can enjoy its perks without getting caught up in the whirlwind of unfortunate events.

Some of the issues that result from dependency on modern media are the increase of becoming withdrawn from society, the loss of social skills and personal relationships with friends, family and other loved ones. Another issue that can arise as a result of dependency is the chance of becoming what is known as a “media junkie” where the modern media takes preference over anything else (losing touch with reality). The cell phone has taken away our ability to properly communicate with each other by using slang and abbreviations in place of proper English. People are becoming less active, less visible, and trusting with each other. Studies have shown that “gamers” or people who play games (game tournaments) over the internet for hours and hours without stopping are likely to lose social skills. People with addictions or dependency on modern media are similar to those of a drug addict. It has been shown to produce distress and isolation in many people who are deprived from these devices. I think that this a major concern for parents of students and this younger generation.

Are you a victim of cyberbullying on the internet, or a victim of all the positive impact that social media can offer ? In the articles, “Student examines negative effects of social media on teens” by Aurelie Krakowsky, and the article, ¨the upside of selfies: social media isn't all bad for kids” by Kelly Wallace (CNN), the authors argue about how social media can be bad for kids but can also be very useful at some times. Over all social media can harmful in many ways; however there are more benefits that truly exceed them.

The use of these applications provides a more effective outcome of everyday lives. However, the overuse of the technology and social media has negatively impacted those who abuse their time on technology and the use of social media platforms. The first source explains why the overuse of technology negatively effects adolescents and gives data to support their idea. The point of this article is to promote awareness for the younger generation and their abuse of technology. The author gives statistics and multiple studies to back up their argument. The article explains that the overuse of technology can eventually lead to mental health issues and irregular behavior and can lead to depression and mental anxiety.

The internet is one of the world’s most influential platforms. Since the creation of the internet, social media and media itself have made their way into being more and more prominent in the lives of humans, especially in the lives of our youth. According to an article in The Washington Post, “Teens spend nearly nine hours a day consuming media” (Teens Spend Nearly 9 Hours a Day Consuming Media). , which means it is where most of their time is being spent, whether that is in school, at work, or, at home. Although there are many great things that are learned and shared on the internet through all types of media, there are many negative factors shared as well that are just as impactful.

Social Media has a huge impact on a teens life since they are bombarded with the pressures of buying new devices and apps, thus affecting the way teens represent themselves on social media. In the article, It states how teens are driven to compete against each other by, trying to have best social media feed. “Parents wonder if their children’s constant use of Instagram, Facebook or Snapchat is healthy. Teenagers talk about the pressure to post the perfect photo or compete with the perfect lives their peers present on the Internet.” (Baltimore Sun, para. 2). The pressures of wanting to post the perfect pictures of their lives on social media, takes a toll on the teens when they are using it. Instead of posting what is true to that person, they are competing to have the best pictures and the most followers, which causes them to lose their true selves/identity.

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 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.

In today’s society almost every individual has some type of social media, whether it is Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, or Twitter, People have accustomed to utilizing these types of social media and it has become part of their life and daily use. According to the essay “Students Addicted to Social Media” by the International Center for Media and Public Agenda, the study from the University of Maryland claims “American college students today are addicted to media” (Signs of Life in the USA 403). The university discovered that when these students are restricted from using media it is similar in terms of drug and alcohol addictions. During the study that the university conducted, students discuss how boring it is without media and how it gives them anxiety about not receiving information through social media. Other students claimed that texting and IM'ing gives them comfort and if they do not have these items then they feel alone and isolated from the world ( Signs of Life in the USA 404). Students are not the only ones who have an addiction of media but also parents and non-students. However, the International Center is accurate in some aspects and the responses students gave are very relatable which some people can agree with.

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.

Can you imagine living in a world with no social media or smartphone? No instagram, twitter, facebook or snapchat? Believe it or not, that world existed before us millennials did. According to an article found on the Pew Research Center.com, entitled “The Demographics of Social Media Users”, the amount of Facebook users is “72% of adult internet users [and] 62% of entire adult population.” Facebook along with other media outlets have easily become the norm for young adults and older adults in today’s society. The rapid growth of accessibility to social media networking was made possible from the creation and use of smart phones. The combination of social media sites and smart phone users has single handedly eliminated the need for human interactions, but also has provided a repertoire of information at our fingertips. I will discuss the following: the history of Facebook and its impact, the creation of the iPhone and its development of social media apps like Instagram, and the effects of cyberbullying. The purpose of this essay is to explore the productive qualities and destructive qualities that various social media outlets have presented to our generation.