The Controversial Truth of Social Media

The power social media holds onto today’s culture is consistently shown every day and through everyone, as it has become a part of our daily lives. It is difficult to imagine a world without the advanced technology that is so prevalent in our community. Rarely can you find an individual that has no connection with social media and if they don’t, they’re commonly much older and are not as exposed to it. As the media becomes so impactful in our society, society needs to acknowledge the power technology has and the influence it has on the younger generation. Many people have become so dependent on social media that it takes them away from reality and has altered how their perception of truth. This effect should be acknowledged in order to save the younger generation from repeating the same cycle and ultimately change the habits that society has created.
History and Growth of the Media
Over the years, imagining life without the technology the world has today has become harder and harder to envision. Things like learning new hobbies became only one YouTube video or going to talk to friends became only one Instagram direct message away. In different ways, technology has created a routine in our lives that we have become accustomed to over time. Social media has the power to make so many changes in a person’s life with just the click of a button whether it be different opportunities or any obstacles in their lives. But it’s often forgotten that our society wasn’t always this dependent on the media or technology overall, especially younger people. Over the years these various media platforms have advanced compared to the beginning of it all. Social media originally began with the platform Bolt and Six Degrees in 1997(Ortiz-Ospina). This platform was mainly created for young adults ranging from the ages of 15 to 20 and had similar features to many platforms now. There was the option to send voice mails and chats, emails, messaging boards, and instant messages. But after being purchased by another network, it was later shut down in 2000(Ortiz-Ospina). Following right after was the media platform Myspace which became very popular as it was another form of communication between friends and family. Then very well-known platforms like Facebook and YouTube came out and it only got more advanced with several other platforms being available. When these easily accessible forms of communication came out, teens got the opportunity to share anything they wanted to amongst their friends and family.
These were slowly implemented within their daily lives, and it was normal to see young people on these media sites. Media also took its place on television with reality TV. The impact these media have on anyone wasn’t frequently spoken about in the early 2000s but after analyses of the effects being conducted in the past years, there has been an exceptional effect. Young people are very easily influenced by the information they are exposed to, so the more these platforms gain popularity, the more influence these children will receive. For instance, there has been a study researching the impact an MTV show, 16 and Pregnant, has on teen parenthood and its effects on the way teens view the idea of childbearing. The controversy concerning the effects this show has on young girls can either teach the difficulties of childbearing or “glamorize teen pregnancy, with its cast members essentially become media ‘stars’”(Kearney 3598). Many shows like this one with larger audiences can easily impact a person’s way of thinking. Social media platforms have altered the way reality is perceived because children are persuaded by information or standards they view online, separating truth from reality. There’s a sense of dependency on social media that these younger people grow up to constantly refer to it on a daily basis.
The Impact
Social media has been a major part of everyone’s daily life for many different reasons. It can be a source of news, entertainment, and/or communication to all our friends and families. But at some point, the media became so much more and began to take over many of our lives. Social media’s sole purpose was to be able to allow people to connect with one another positively but over time it has become a negative space for many in this generation. Especially within recent years, platforms like Instagram and TikTok have completely taken over the perception of many teens. Certain values that this generation used to share have lost their importance as social media is much more prevalent in society. From a young age, things like catching up on a new YouTube video didn’t hold the same importance as it does now. Becoming a social media influencer where you talk to a big audience and hope to gain a following is very common today. People build a fan base that increases their views and if it works out well, could become a form of employment. This possibility became a reason why social media has grown so much, but what comes with all this power? People commonly feel the pressure of living up to certain standards or expectations in order to do well in the industry. Many have shared that it is not as easy as pressing a record and posting it for the public. But not only has it affected the influencer but those being influenced on the other side of the screen.
Younger people have relied so much on the words of the people they watch that it alters the way they view the world and, more importantly, the way they view themselves. The importance of meeting certain standards within society has become so common in our daily lives that as a collective society, we have realized how hard being on social media is. Different media platforms have “ provided opportunities for users to engage in self-presentation of identity”(Noor 11). But at the same time, this public identity is always authentic. Influencers have easily portrayed themselves as one person for their views and popularity. As harmful as being an influencer sounds, young people can easily be influenced to live up to those expectations and follow their lead. Young people are so easily influenced by what they are shown on the internet, but this will only continue to get worse as time goes on. Not only young adults or teens are being exposed to unrealistic truths that the internet shares. Children view different videos online which unintentionally makes them more informed about certain things that they shouldn’t worry about at such a young age.
An instance that shows how media can easily influence young people is advertisements. At some point, everyone has been guilty of comparing someone they have seen on the internet to themselves. The beauty standards that society has created are very impactful on one’s mental well-being. People can be easily convinced that eating certain foods and changing our appearance can easily make our lives just like those we look up to. Social media has these expectations that we can help but follow which we have to teach ourselves to stop doing. Writer Adam J. Kucharczuk expresses how “food and beverage brands capitalize on this trend by marketing their products on social media to adolescents”(1). This can emphasize the idea that social media has played a role in the relationship young adolescents have with food. Along with many other examples, this shows how social media markets certain foods and certain food habits as a marketing strategy rather than a way of trying to help their audience. This unfortunate truth goes unnoticed by society because many viewers are compelled to believe these big platforms. At this point in time, there is only so much that could be said to change the way people use social media. It is hard to break a habit that has been so common in our daily lives. Due to the fact that so many are aware of the impact social media has on a person, we can use that to our advantage and save the younger generation from repeating the same mistakes we have made over the years.
Solutions for Society
In order to prevent this ongoing cycle of relying so heavily on the information shared in the media changes must occur to save the younger generations. The earlier this problem is acknowledged and spoken about, the better it will be for the upbringing of our future leaders. Social media was once a simpler platform to connect with others and express yourself to the public but now it has become a very difficult space to be a part of. Researchers have also expressed how “people experience negative emotions when browsing others’ life experiences posted on social media” (Fan 1). Further emphasizing how it can only get worse from here if the same habits are continued within society. Certain conversations with young children are highly encouraged to inform them how impactful it can get on their lives. Having these conversations at school and one on one with younger children can build healthier habits at a young age rather than starting to talk about the dangers of the media when they are older. By the time kids are above the age of ten they can already understand how to work certain platforms. Addressing this issue would be more effective to focus on children in elementary schools and have them grow up with the mindset that society once had. The mindset that technology or social media isn’t everything at such a young age. There is more to life than what is shared by these influencers and celebrities. Sharing this mentality can help children have a more clear perception of the world around them and of themselves.
Conclusion
The power that social media has had on our society within the past few decades has shared various effects, both influential and detrimental to the perception of truth. With all of its negative effects, we can easily increase the positive by having serious conversations regarding the way certain things are handled. As time goes on, society needs to introduce young children to healthier forms of viewing the world, instead of the faulty version the media created. This means taking the initiative to inform the younger audience of the genuine harms that can come with relying on the information shared online.

 

Works Cited
Fan, Xiaojun, et al. “Do Others’ Self-Presentation on Social Media Influence Individual’s Subjective Well-Being? A Moderated Mediation Model.” Telematics and Informatics, vol. 41, 2019, pp. 86–102., https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tele.2019.04.001.

Kearney, Melissa S., and Phillip B. Levine. “Media Influences on Social Outcomes: The Impact of MTV’s 16 and Pregnant on Teen Childbearing.” American Economic Review, vol. 105, no. 12, 2015, pp. 3597–3632., https://doi.org/10.1257/aer.20140012.

Kucharczuk, Adam J., et al. “Social Media’s Influence on Adolescents′ Food Choices: A Mixed Studies Systematic Literature Review.” Appetite, vol. 168, 2022, p. 105765., https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2021.105765.

Nikolinakou, Angeliki, and Joe Phua. “‘Do Human Values Matter for Promoting Brands on Social Media? How Social Media Users’ Values Influence Valuable Brand‐Related Activities Such as Sharing, Content Creation, and Reviews.’” Journal of Consumer Behaviour, vol. 19, no. 1, 2019, pp. 13–23., https://doi.org/10.1002/cb.1790.

Ortiz-Ospina, Esteban, and Max Roser. “The Rise of Social Media.” Our World in Data,
20 Mar. 2023,
https://ourworldindata.org/rise-of-social-media#:~:text=The%20first%20recognizable%20social%20media,make%20friends%20with%20other%20users.

S., Noor Al-Deen Hana, and John Allen Hendricks. Social Media: Usage and Impact. Lexington Books, 2013. https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.libdatabase.newpaltz.edu/lib/newpaltz-ebooks/reader.action?docID=795614&ppg=6