Is social media bad? No.

Has social media created a false sense of entitlement and contribution? Absolutely.

While social media can be used for any number of reasons or purposes, many users claim that social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Reddit are their primary sources of news coverage. This is where the issue truly lies.

Sixty-two percent of adult Americans get news from their social media sites, and the number is even higher at 88% of Millennials. While it is the fastest way to obtain breaking news, is it truly accurate?

In a market where news is synonymous with "now," many websites and news sources now prioritize rapidness over accuracy, the culture of news has changed. On the internet, anyone can write, post or "share" anything — regardless of whether it is fact, fiction, opinion or hilariously false. The credibility of news sources on social media is seriously lacking, and with the vast majority of "breaking news", the same exact stories get repeated over and over and over, and shared over and over and over with very little variety in the information. As well as very little information in general, as many articles only touch on the fact that something is happening, rather than details on the event since they can get that out much faster.

Another issue has come about more recently. Think back on the past year: how many different profile picture filters have you seen your friends use over the past year? Or how many have you used?

Don't worry, I am guilty of this as well. But when you first saw the French flag filter after the Charlie Hebdo shooting in Paris, what was your first thought? "Oh my goodness, this is such a horrible tragedy... Seeing the French flag all over my Facebook news feed really makes me want to learn more about the shooting, and see if there is anything I can do to help!" Or was it more along the lines of "Oh wow that's so cool! What happened in Paris was horrible. Let's let everyone know that I am socially conscious by changing my profile picture!"

This kind of bandwagon isn't inherently bad, however it is just that — a bandwagon. It is always amazing to see how many people from all parts of the country and the world come together to do the exact same thing: like when the United States Supreme Court ruled on Obergefell v. Hodges to legalize same-sex marriage in all 50 states, or after the Paris attacks. However, these kinds of social media campaigns often create a false sense of selflessness and can make people believe that they are making a difference.

Sadly, using the hashtag #PrayforTurkey or saying "We are Orlando" is not going to change the world. All it really does is tell your Facebook friends that you know something eventful happened, and you sympathize with those effected and/or are not against a momentous decision. Who knows, changing your profile picture to include the Make-A-Wish logo in it might convince someone to donate to the foundation. Maybe using the End Alz filter will encourage someone to walk a 5K to raise money for Alzheimer's research. Hopefully the GLAAD filter might help someone decide to donate blood since the FDA still prohibits gay people from donating blood.

However, those are all the most optimistic scenarios. Instead OR in addition to some of the more flashy ways to show your "support", expand your public support. This can include doing more research on what is going on by following more reputable news like CNN, ABC, BBC and similar pages. Look and see what you can do to help — this could be anything from donating money to relief campaigns, donating supplies to disaster relief funds, donating blood or even signing a petition to change a law or get the attention of major news providers. Even if you can't personally do anything to volunteer, sharing these types of posts and campaigns will bring a lot more change than just showing that you "care".