A 16 year-old boy’s first time logging into Twitter. He is nervous but also excited. Little does he know the impact not only twitter, but other social media platforms will have on his life. He, just like many others, are about to feel the pressure that comes with social media.
Social media provides the user with a way to connect with other users around the world through common interests, or through uncommon interests. With a public profile, a tweet or uploading a picture to Instagram may attract unwanted interactions. This may then lead to hateful comments and abuse online. This happens everyday with celebrities and with just the common man. Someone with a different view or idea than another person and that leads to a thread of hate comments on said post.
Every user on any form of social media feels a responsibility when it comes to their profiles. Worrying about the amount of likes or retweets a post gets can lead to anxiety and unhealthy thoughts entering the user. When it comes to consuming news and information on an app like Twitter, the user has a responsibility to decide what information they choose to believe. This can be very dangerous. With everything going on in the world today and all of the “fake news”, it can be very easy to consume false information. Social media also provides the user with a way to only follow accounts that give them the information or opinion they want to see. This allows the user to not see any information they don't want to, creating a one tack mind type of mindset.
Social media can also play a huge role in breaking news and emergency situations. Over the past weekend there was a shooting in Odessa, Texas. Many people first found out about this through apps such as Twitter and Facebook. This in one way that the powers of social media can be used for good. In the “Trending” section of twitter there were tweets telling people to avoid the area and stay indoors as the situation was active. Even if this information got to one person that was going to be in harms way and prevented them from leaving the house, that shows the power of social media. With an event like this, it is also an opportunity for people to push their political or religious views. This again, ties into the entire “fake news” area of social media and can once again led to poor opinions and false accusations.
When it comes to the direction social media is headed, it is a mystery as to were it is going. Is it too late to salvage some of the positives that are left on the internet? The responsibilities of the younger generations will feel immense pressure with this weight on their shoulders. With the pros and the cons, social media will continue to play a major impact on society for generations to come. Like it or not, it is here to stay.
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