Social Media Evolution!

Social media, A huge topic being discussed all over the world, it made us connected more than any other time, it didn’t only stop here but also made people addicted to it. The first thing people do when they wake up in the morning is checking their social media platforms, even when they meet they are constantly checking their phones, its affecting peoples’ habits and behaviors.

So, Is Social media affecting our behavior and habits in a positive or a negative way?

As per ‘Majd Ali, Social media manager at OSN/E-marketer study done in 2015’ , an average person spends around 6.1 hours per day on social media, 3.5 hours per day are spent on smart phones where 61% of the world’s population use smartphones.

80 % of millennials use their mobile devices to complete at least one task when looking to purchase a car, where 62% of female shoppers turn to message boards or blogs to inspire fashion-related purchase decision.

Many people now feel overwhelmed, they are burdened by information from friends, publishers and companies, 41% of social media users plan to stop or take a break due to irrelevant updates on social media. Now everyone is filtering more and seeing less, we only look at what we want when we want it.

Pros of using Social media :

A)Socialization and Communication :

“Staying connected with friends and family, making new friends, sharing pictures, and exchanging ideas. Social media participation also can offer adolescents deeper benefits that extend into their view of self, community, and the world” (O’Keeffe).

B)Enhanced Learning Opportunities :

“Middle and high school students are using social media to connect with one another on homework and group projects, Facebook and similar social media programs allow students to gather outside of class to collaborate and exchange ideas about assignments. Some schools successfully use blogs as teaching tools, which has the benefit of reinforcing skills in English, written expression, and creativity” (O’Keeffe).

Cons of Using Social media :

A) Cyberbullying and Online Harassment :

“Cyberbullying is deliberately using digital media to communicate false, embarrassing, or hostile information about another person. It is the most common online risk for all teens and is a peer-to-peer risk” (O’Keeffe).

B) Sexting :

“Sexting can be defined as sending, receiving, or forwarding sexually explicit messages, photographs, or images via cell phone, computer, or other digital devices”(O’Keeffe).

C) Depression :

“Depression that develops when spending a great deal of time on social media sites”(O’Keeffe).

What awaits us in the future?

Engaging in various forms of social media is a an activity that benefits by enhancing communication, social connection, and even technical skills, at the other hand negative behavior and habits were recognized, making us wonder how social media evolution will end up enhancing our lives or creating a huge mess amongst millions?

O’Keeffe, Gwenn Schurgin, et al. “The Impact of Social Media on Children, Adolescents, and Families.” Pediatrics, American Academy of Pediatrics, 1 Apr. 2011, pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/127/4/800.