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IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON THE SOCIETY

NAIMA JAVED

ROLL NO: 13

INSTITUTE OF COMMUNICATION STUDIES

UNIVERSITY OF THE PUNJAB

ABSTRACT

Social media provide tools by which people can communicate, share information, and create new

relationships. It plays a vital role in transforming people’s life style. The ties of the online

friendships are not always as strong as in person close friendships. With the popularity of social

networking websites on the rise, our social interaction is effected in multiple ways as we adapt to

our increasingly technological world. Social media also have its both positive and negative

aspects on the society. I have discussed them in detail which are as follows.
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Introduction

Now a day’s social media has been the important part of one’s life from shopping to electronic

mails, education and business tool. It plays a vital role in transforming people’s life style. Social

media includes social networking sites and blogs where people can easily connect with each

other. These sites have become a day to day routine for the people. Social media has been mainly

defined to refer to “the many relatively inexpensive and widely accessible electronic tools that

facilitate anyone to publish and access information, collaborate on a common effort, or to build

relationship”. [ CITATION Sid16 \l 1033 ]

Social Networking Sites

Social networking websites provide tools by which people can communicate, share information,

and create new relationships. With the popularity of social networking websites on the rise, our

social interaction is effected in multiple ways as we adapt to our increasingly technological

world. These social networking websites also affect the way we receive information and news.

Rather than reading the newspaper or hearing the news on TV, we rely on our “friends” on the

sites to give us updates on the world around us. Through Facebook or MySpace statuses, posts,

comments, etc. The way we socially interact with one another is by changing the dynamics of

our social groups and friendships. “They devalue the meaning of “friend.” Our traditional notion

of friendship embraces trust, support, compatible values, etc. Social networking sites create a

new model of social interaction and friendships. As people’s social circles grow, the ties of the

online friendships are not always as strong as in person close friendships. Although these sites

can alter the dynamics of friendships in that way, it also creates lots of new friendships and

increases our social interaction. [ CITATION CKa10 \l 1033 ]

Advantages Of Social Networking Sites

One of the advantages of social networking is that we are able to find our old friends and getting

connected with them in far- away place.SNS has helped the youth population in various aspects.

It has helped the young student aspirants in connecting with instructors, researches and eminent

subject matter experts in respective field to gain and share knowledge among themselves. SNS

usage among youth accelerated the services to network with professionals for internships and

finding employment.

Disadvantages Of Social Networking Sites

Fake profile creation is one main activity in SNS usage and this activity will share à certain

amount personal data. Identity theft is one side effect of sharing personal data and hackers will

be easily able to access your personal data and use it for unlawful activities. Over-usage of SNS

has created severe health risk due to lack of physical activities. . Due to addiction of SNS;

university students are getting effected in their mental and knowledge concentration. Constant

usage of SNS has resulted in lower grades for students in university and competitive exams.

Studies have established that student population is reducing natural learning capabilities due to

over dependence on internet. Also natural communication skill is taking hit because of lack of

real human contact. The excessive use of net also taking toll health as do not involve in any

physical exercise. [ CITATION JPa15 \l 1033 ]

Facebook Depression

Depression is one of the inadvertent consequences of excessive social media usage. For clarity,

Facebook depression is not just limited to Facebook, but also refers to the impact of other social

networking sites causing psychological problems. Because Facebook is currently the largest and

most widely used social medium, the phenomenon of social media caused depression has taken
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its name. Clearly social media is inadvertently leaving youth susceptible to become overly self-

conscious, anxious and ultimately depressed.. [ CITATION Ame15 \l 1033 ]

Social Media and Anxiety

The second way social media causes depression anxiety is from the stress produced from

constantly trying to project an unrealistic and unachievable perception of perfection within your

social network. The social anxiety of stress is associated with trying to project a perfect self at all

times. The constant stress from constantly trying to project an image of perfection, a perfect

career, perfect marriage, etc. leads to the constant release of the stress hormone cortisol, and just

like social media usage, leads to depression anxiety.[ CITATION Ame152 \l 1033 ]

Social Media and Bullying

Cyber bullying has become a major issue among youths in the last couple of decades, as it allows

its victim's to post things in front of their peers and humiliate them. Bullying is defined as an

aggressive act that is carried out by a group or an individual repeatedly and over time against a

victim who cannot easily defend him or herself. With the use of Internet and mobile phones, a

new form of bullying has emerged, often called ‘cyber bullying’. In cyber-bullying, aggression

occurs via electronic method, via the Internet The many deaths, suicides, and emotional

problems among our youths have started several moral debates about the side effect of social

media. Bullying victimization has currently been associated with an increased risk of suicidal

behaviors, as well as an increased risk of mental health problems.. [ CITATION Ame152 \l 1033 ]

Internet
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Parents may feel outsmarted or overwhelmed by their children’s computer and Internet abilities,

or they may not appreciate that the ‘new medium’ is an essential component of the new literacy,

something in which their children need to be fluent. These feelings of inadequacy or confusion

should not prevent them from discovering the Internet’s benefits. The dangers inherent in this

relatively uncontrolled ‘wired’ world are many and varied, but often hidden. These dangers must

be unmasked and a wise parent will learn how to protect their children by immersing themselves

in the medium and taking advice from the many resources aimed at protecting children while

allowing them to reap the rich benefits in a safe environment. There are other concerns as well.

The amount of time spent watching television and sitting in front of computers can affect a

child’s postural development ([ CITATION Wil83 \l 1033 ]). Excessive amounts of time at a

computer can contribute to obesity, undeveloped social skills and a form of addictive behaviour

([ CITATION Can02 \l 1033 ]).

Advertising

Advertising can have both positive and negative effects on children’s behaviour. For example,

some alcohol manufacturers spend 10% of their budget on advertisements warning about the

dangers of drinking and driving. In addition, although some health care professionals disagree

about the health benefits of appropriate milk use, milk consumption has increased as a result of

print and broadcast advertisements. Young children do not understand the concept of a sales

pitch. They tend to believe what they are told and may even assume that they are deprived if they

do not have advertised products. Most preschool children do not understand the difference

between a program designed to entertain and a commercial designed to sell. [ CITATION CAN \l

1033 ]
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