How much Social is Too Much?
Getting Connected
For many of us staying in touch with family and friends is just the right amount social media interaction. Liking photos and “LOL”ing at silly memes keeps us entertained during the few seconds of downtime we might have each day. But for others there is a real connection that they are searching for from their interactions on social media. This is a term known as homophily. Individuals enjoy being part of a group and surrounding themselves with others whom have the same interests as them. Finding individuals with similar interests can create emotions of joy and happiness.
Feeling isolated? Maybe it’s an Algorithm or Biases
Social media is used today by so many. It is used to stay in touch with friends and family, share news information, sell products and a slew of other things. You name it and there is probably an app for that! But unfortunately there is so much low credibility information quickly shared that individuals and the algorithms behind social media platforms are vulnerable to manipulation (Caimpaglia & Menczer, 2018). When individuals like certain information social media sites will share more of this same information. This type of filtering may isolate individuals from diverse perspectives, strengthening confirmation bias (Caimpaglia & Menczer, 2018). Another way to feel isolated is to only chat with individuals whom have the same interests as you.
Constructive Steps
Staying involved within your social media groups is an important way not to feel isolated. Comment on friends posts in a positive manner and they are more likely to post positively on your posts as well. For teens and young adults I think it is important to friend only true friends and block individuals you do not feel comfortable communicating with. There are so many potential dangers on social media that all interactions need to be well thought out. Step out of your comfort zone and like some new things and you may get a whole news feed!
References
Caimpaglia, G. & Menczer, F., 2018. The Conversation: Misinformation and biases infect social media, both intentionally and accidentally. Retrieved from https://theconversation.com/misinformation-and-biases-infect-social-media-both-intentionally-and-accidentally-97148