10 Reasons Why Social Media Is A Negative Influence
Start writing a post
Student Life

10 Reasons Why Social Media Is A Negative Influence

Is social media truthfully helpful? Or is it doing more harm than good?

107931
10 Reasons Why Social Media Is A Negative Influence
Rival IQ

Do you ever find yourself scrolling through social media for hours, losing track of time and forgetting what you were doing? Many people don’t realize the various negative effects that social media can have. Here are 10 reasons why social media can be bad for us, both mentally and physically.

Social media comes in handy when it comes to gaining information, keeping up with family and friends, and keeping up with the world around you, but with every pro, there is a con. Social media may be the reason why today's kids grow up so disrespectful towards one another, and the reason why the world is going downhill.

1. Beauty

Social media puts out an image of what a "beautiful" person is. Social media puts idea in people's heads that in order to be beautiful, you have to be a certain size, height, hair color, eye color, and race. This is not true, beauty is on the inside and in the eyes of the beholder. Social Media does not define beauty.

2. Made Up Words

Since the increase in use of social media, more and more fake words have been made up and used on a daily basis, such as BAE. These words are being used more and more in daily lives, and the true English language has been pushed aside for these made up words.

3. Lack of Socialization

The more social media is used, the less human interaction actually occurs. People today are interacting less and less with other people unless it is through a cell phone or other technological device. With the decrease in social contact, there is a lack of ability to communicate in the world, and therefore people today are not respecting one another.

4. Cyber-Bullying

Social media makes bullying easier for those who are afraid to actually bully in person. It makes it easy to bully another person with the use of social media, because rather than having to look someone in the face, a bully can now intrude on other's lives by hiding behind their electronic device.

5. Lack of productivity

With social media comes addiction, much like a drug, social media has you spending countless hours sitting in front of a screen scrolling through other people's lives. With this addiction, there is a lack of time spent doing productive things such as exercise, school work, cleaning etc.

6. Expectations

Social media puts forth an expectation of how things in the world should be. Women should be skinny, tall, have a thigh gap, and act proper; wearing dresses, nails painted, and hair done nicely. Men are expected to be tall, muscular and have a 6-pack. When in reality people are all different and beautiful in their own way and the expectations that social media puts on them is beyond awful. When out in public, people who spend the majority of their time on social media will analyze and judge any person they see walking down the sidewalk based on the expectations that social media puts out there.

7. Idolizes Alcohol and Drugs

The upkeep with social media is how many likes you have on your latest photo or status. In order to obtain these likes, people post things that are controversial and viewed as "cool" in the minds of their fellow bloggers. Not only is today's generation is drinking and doing drugs more than any other generation, but they are posting their adventures more. Every drink consumed is photographed and posted for the most "likes" on their social media platform.

8. Loss of Privacy

With everything posted, there is a location shared. Although most social media sites have the opportunity to "private" your account, nothing is really private. With everything you post, you are giving away all of your personal information which makes it easy for predators and other creeps online to find you.

9. Lower Grades

With the addiction to social media, less time is spent studying and doing homework, and more time is spent scrolling through the latest meme or GIF. With the lack of studying and homework being done, grades of social media addicts are dropping.

10. Psychological/Mental Disorders

The increase in social media use has has lead to the increase in children and teens diagnosed with mental disorders such as ADHA, depression, and anxiety. Social media has left teens and children feeling alone and lack in knowing how to deal with social issues such as harassment from people. Social media also causes malfunctions in brain activity due to constantly looking at a screen.

What are some of the most serious risks of using social media?

A lack of productivity and the potential to develop physiological or mental disorders are some of the top risks for those who engage in social media.

How does social media impact the view of one's self?

Social media has issues like cyberbullying, projections of an ideal image that leads to unfair comparisons, and peer pressure. It can be isolating instead of bringing people together, and the lack of privacy can go in a negative direction.

What are some positives of social media?

Gaining information, keeping up with family and friends, and keeping up with the world around you are positives of engaging with social media.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
the beatles
Wikipedia Commons

For as long as I can remember, I have been listening to The Beatles. Every year, my mom would appropriately blast “Birthday” on anyone’s birthday. I knew all of the words to “Back In The U.S.S.R” by the time I was 5 (Even though I had no idea what or where the U.S.S.R was). I grew up with John, Paul, George, and Ringo instead Justin, JC, Joey, Chris and Lance (I had to google N*SYNC to remember their names). The highlight of my short life was Paul McCartney in concert twice. I’m not someone to “fangirl” but those days I fangirled hard. The music of The Beatles has gotten me through everything. Their songs have brought me more joy, peace, and comfort. I can listen to them in any situation and find what I need. Here are the best lyrics from The Beatles for every and any occasion.

Keep Reading...Show less
Being Invisible The Best Super Power

The best superpower ever? Being invisible of course. Imagine just being able to go from seen to unseen on a dime. Who wouldn't want to have the opportunity to be invisible? Superman and Batman have nothing on being invisible with their superhero abilities. Here are some things that you could do while being invisible, because being invisible can benefit your social life too.

Keep Reading...Show less
houses under green sky
Photo by Alev Takil on Unsplash

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Keep Reading...Show less
​a woman sitting at a table having a coffee
nappy.co

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

98491
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments