Social Media & their Adverse Effects

Texts of General Interest (link)

Dr. James Manos (MD)

January 1, 2018

Have social media adverse effects?

A breakthrough that transformed contemporary life was the advent of the internet. It was a way of immediate access to information and changed how we communicate. Undoubtedly, today, most people communicate through their social media. However, using the web to socialize with other individuals is controversial, as some people claim that it is a positive development, while others argue that it has adverse effects.

On one side of the spectrum, the exponents allege that social media brings together people from different sides of the world. That was not feasible in the past, as the only long-distance communication was through a telephone call or by sending a letter. At the same time, today, access to the internet facilitates communication with people worldwide.

Consequently, our world now is like a ‘small village,’ as people can easily find friends from everywhere, bringing people from diverse cultures closer. It may also be an occasion to find a partner, as the internet has been proven a matchmaker to many. 

On the other side of the coin, opponents of using social media to communicate find this way of communication counterproductive, as they claim that people have no real friends to hang out and talk to face-to-face, but virtual friends that often are not aware of their real identity, as many social media profiles are in fact fake.

Things are made worse when someone seeks a partner via social media, as many profiles are actually ‘catfish,’ meaning they are fake. So, many problems may emerge if they meet, as a different person may appear. Moreover, people who endlessly stay online usually neglect socializing with real individuals, which may make them introverted and isolated.

Communicating through the internet is frittering our time away, as this communication is in front of a screen rather than directly. Moreover, a worrying trend is that the profiles are not personalized (individualized) but often are fake, referring to their real identity, meaning you need to know to whom you are speaking.

Many cases of people, including minors, have been lured on their social media by perverted people, and their meeting ended up even in rape. So, it may not be the safest thing to meet a date on the internet, as you are not aware of this person's real identity. In fact, a pedophile can efficiently use the internet to seek victims.

All things considered, it is widely recognized that the internet has changed things in communication, as it has made it feasible to chat with people from the four corners of the world, and it has even proven the best matchmaker. However, the negative aspect outweighs the positive. Many people aimlessly talk online via social media and lose the chance to hang out with real friends. Moreover, the fact that many profiles lie about their real identity questions the safety of communicating via the internet, which is crucial to minors.

Thanks for reading!