How Social Media Affects Your Life
INTRO: At first, people used the Internet to talk to people they didn’t know. Later, it became a place where people could build on existing relationships. Most early research in this field found that the Internet was bad for social life and well-being. However, more recent research on social networking sites like Facebook and Instagram has found that people who use these sites have more social capital, social support, a sense of community, and better well-being. Even though some of the effects of social media can be good. Social media can also be a cause of addiction. Since we can check it at any time on our phones, it’s easy to get into the bad habit of doing it everywhere, like during a meal, when a teacher is talking, or even when it’s time to sleep. But we don’t always notice how social media changes how we act and think, let alone how it changes our opportunities. Here we will discuss all about that.
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SCRIPT:
Direct impect.
Job opportunities: Millions of people may have been fired or passed over for promotions directly from anything they posted on social media. Employers often look at applicants’ and employees’ old jobs to learn more about them. If they find something offensive or shows you don’t have much character, it could hurt your chances of getting that job or moving up in your career.
Applications for ESTA: You may be asked for your social media information on your ESTA application and other important forms. Officials look at this information to determine what security threats might be. Most people don’t have to worry about this, but if you’ve ever posted anything even a little bit threatening or worrying, it could affect your ability to travel.
Legal things: Similarly, what you post on social media can be used in legal cases. For example, if you are fighting for custody of your child or trying to prove your character in court, your posting history could be used against you.
Make new friends: How often do you pull up or try to find someone’s social media information and start scrolling through it when you meet them for the first time? Most likely, they’re doing the same thing to you. Almost everyone you meet will form their first (and second) impressions of you based on what they see on social media.
Psychological and emotional health
Abuse and bothering: One of the worst things about social media is that it makes it easy for people to abuse and harass others. Many people deal with cyberbullying or harassment from people trying to make them feel bad on purpose. Even if someone isn’t a direct target, slurs and offensive language used by other users in public comment feeds can still hurt them.
The opposite of echo chambers: Social media users tend to self-isolate in some ways, unfriending and unfollowing sources whose views they don’t agree with and looking for people who do. This makes it easier for echo chambers to form, where the same story keeps getting repeated. We become less sensitive to new knowledge, are more likely to blame others, and may even retain a false belief system.
Anxiety and isolation: there is mounting evidence that, contrary to the platform’s intended effect of making us feel closer to others and more assured of ourselves, social media increases feelings of isolation and anxiety. Why does this happen? There are likely to be a lot of things going on here. For example, you might have a “fear of missing out” (FOMO) when you see other people having fun on social media and want to check it all the time when you’re not. Because social media is always open and easy to get to, you may also feel anxious about your lack of privacy. On top of that, social media often makes us feel like we’re socializing, but it doesn’t let us do it the way we do it best, through direct conversations in person.
“SKAM” and Snapchat
Lin Pritz conducts studies in the field of psychology at the University of Oslo (PSI). She is participating in a “Connected and Affected?” project that investigates the psychological effects of technology on today’s youngsters.
We’ve learned that social media can be a central global space where young people can express themselves and connect with others regardless of their location, race, gender, or social background. Fans of “SKAM” talk very powerfully about belonging and identity, hope, and the possibility of social change in the future. In this situation, social media have become a public space where voices from the margins can be heard.”
Pritz says using social media isn’t always “good” or “bad.” Researchers at UiO will attempt to understand better the numerous ways in which it might affect humans. “Right now, we are looking into how teens’ use of Snapchat affects their health. One trend is that young people are moving away from large, public social media sites like Facebook and toward smaller, more private social media sections. The effects on young people’s well-being and happiness will be fascinating.
Narcissism and shallow relationships go together.
Even though Castellacci thought that the research results about how social media affects our social lives were mostly positive, there can also be bad effects. Most articles in this field also talk about the bad things that can come from using social media, such as more narcissism, shallow relationships, and more stress, especially if the platforms are used too often and for too long. When people have more access to information, they can compare themselves to many other users worldwide, posing new risks. Reference groups are now getting bigger to include more people and the world. But the effect on well-being depends a lot on what people say to each other on social media. If the interaction is good, the effect is likely to be good.
“In short, the Internet can be helpful, but it also brings new risks to each user. The effects of the Internet on well-being depend a lot on the person, especially their age, skills, culture, and beliefs. Because of this, Internet use has stronger positive effects on some people and social groups than on others. This is because of the combination of what people do online and how they are as people, “concludes Castellaci.
How online communication, social life, and well-being are linked
People tended to avoid face-to-face interaction in favor of virtual chats in the early days of the web. But now it’s clear that social networking sites like Facebook and Instagram can help us make new friends. It can make it easier to keep track of people we already know and get information important to our social lives. Social media can also help us connect with people who live in different parts of the world, “says Fulvio Castellacci. Castellacci is in charge of the University of Oslo’s Center for Technology, Innovation, and Culture (TIK). He just put out an article that gives an overview of the research that has been done on how the Internet affects our well-being, including how it affects our social lives. Communication patterns are likely the most important and pervasive way the Internet has changed social life. Mobile phones, social media, instant messaging, picture, and video apps are now used for a huge amount of communication. Since relationships with other people are one of the best ways to tell if someone is happy or not, some researchers say that online communication can be used to build relationships and avoid feeling lonely.
Should You Stop Using Social Networks?
There are obvious advantages to using social media. Therefore you should not immediately delete your accounts. For example, you’ll be able to stay in touch with people you might otherwise forget, and you’ll have access to a unique stream of news that’s just for you. You’ll need to take some time to think about yourself and figure out if social media is hurting you or helping you. If you think using a certain platform has more negative effects than positive ones, you might want to uninstall or delete it for a week. How do you feel this weekend? It can be hard to stop using social media altogether, but doing so can have huge benefits and is the right thing for millions of people, even if they don’t know it. If you decide to keep your social media accounts open, you should be aware of the damage and bad things that could happen and find a way to stop them.
OUTRO: So, this is the end of the video for today. I hope this video is fun for everyone. Please tell us in the comment box what topics you’d like to see covered in future videos. If you like the video, don’t forget to click “Like” and share it with your friends and family. We’ll have a new video for you soon. Until then, keep helping and take care of yourself.
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