These days, everyone seems to bring up how detrimental social media is to society and the adolescents within it. Quite honestly, I can't blame them. There are plenty of reasons as to why social media can be harmful. That being said, the positive effects of social media are always overlooked.

When I registered for Instagram in sixth grade, it was solely because of the bandwagon riding around my school to keep up with my friends' middle school predicaments. This was the time when most of my peers and I lived in our advantageous, middle-class enclosures that steered us clear from any issues happening around the world. It wasn't until my freshman year of high school when I really started to keep up with the news and current events. I would be aware of what is going on, but my standpoints on the events happening were never truly solidified. I myself am quite privileged and haven't really experienced any sort of persecution or oppression in my life, so it was difficult to recognize and understand many of the issues going on. That is, until I found the political side of Instagram.

Growing up, everyone has only one source for learning about what is going on in the news — their parents/guardians. Every kid discovers world through their parents, so naturally, there will be bias and underlying opinions. These parents' perspectives can have a large impacts on what their children think. Kids almost always agree with their parents because, well, no one wants to disappoint them. Children walk through life with information supplied by their parents, and many times, situations are butchered to comply with their taught beliefs.

When I started to check out these accounts dedicated to the social, economic and other issues going on around the world, I was overwhelmed by the amount of opinions there were. What surprised me the most was seeing the perspective of the people who are directly affected by certain topics, such as the immigration regulations and gay rights. It was fascinating for me to be able to receive firsthand exposure and evidence of how the world's occurrences affect real people, and ultimately this has helped me shape my own personal beliefs today.

With social media, I am able to leave my privileged-suburban bubble and see the real reasons why some topics in the world are so controversial and argued about. People have accounts on all sides of the political spectrum, and although I do not agree with every one of them, I am able to see the way that my nation and the rest of the globe thinks. Social media gave me a way to independently form my positions on how I want the world and its politics to run.

Because social media is such a large and influential part of the modern age, why not use it productively? Using social media to educate yourself will not only benefit you but also the future of our society and other generations to come. I believe that everyone has a responsibility as a citizen to be aware of the issues transpiring our world today, and learning through multiple points-of-view is a perfect start.