Social Networking

 Do different social networking sites offer different benefits and drawbacks?

    Social media has infiltrated our lives and our lives have infiltrated it. There is a whole generation coming-of-age that didn't know a time before the internet, smart phones and social media. There is an expectation to share, to broadcast your life, to make intimate details of your life known to anyone who clicks on your profile, and the way you choose to do so is up to you. There are countless platforms but only a few that garner the attention of the majority of people, and they each offer a different way to share about yourself. I would have to say that the benefits and drawbacks are pretty similar no matter which platform you use. Lets take a brief look at a few of the biggest: Facebook, Instagram, and Reddit. 

Facebook: This platform has made it easy for people to stay in touch online and find people you know. This is great for family and friends, and allows people to share photos, videos, and details about their lives. However, when likes, friend counts and your online presence become more important than other things in your life, Facebook use can lead to depression and anxiety. This is particularly a problem for teens, of which 95% are online (mentalhelp.net). Mental health concerns, especially for the youth, have increased dramatically with the rise of social media, and Facebook was/is a major driver for this. A primary example of one of several reasons Facebook damages mental health is that cyberbullying is a serious issue, and that when people compare their lives to the representation of others lives they may become envious, which can also lead to depression (mentalhelp.net).

Instagram: Instagram takes this negative a step further, because Instagram doesn't even give you an overall view of who the person is or what they think, instead, users post specific photos, creating a false perception of whatever parts of their life they want to promote, in the most cynical way of looking at it. By making your life seem like a perfect series of vacations and nice moments, others who see your seemingly perfect life are apt to become depressed and bitter when they look at their own situation. Of course this is terrible because no one's life is perfect, and people shouldn't just themselves against others since each of our situations is our own.

Reddit: Reddit does things a bit differently. It is entirely anonymous, and users often say and post things they would never be brave enough to say in real life. This allows people to express themselves freely, but does not mean that they are free from consequences. People who respond to posts are often cruel and seek to garner attention by upsetting others. However, Reddit does also allow people to connect based off of shared interests, and depending on what community you venture into, you may be met with support and understanding. 

Over all, I'd say that the positives and negatives are pretty similar regardless of what social media platform you use, but they way you get there may be a bit different depending on which one you're on.

What is clear is that social media does offer a valuable opportunity to connect socially with people and not be limited to doing so by geography. However, it also promotes ideas about self inadequacy, leads to isolation and ironically loneliness, can cause depression and anxiety, and can lead to self absorption. More often people are seeking validation for their thoughts and opinions in echo chambers that don't promote critical thinking and empathy, but instead often serve to reinforce damaging thinking. The fear of missing out and lack of self reflection may yet lead to more social problems that we haven't really considered yet. This level of communication is new to humanity, the long term implications on society have yet to be fully seen. helpguide