Why I'm afraid of Social Media.
I know what you’re thinking. How can you be afraid of Social Media and also choose a career in Marketing, aren’t they the same thing? So here’s my answer.
I'm not afraid of Social Media like a child is afraid of a monster under the bed. Monsters aren't real. I'm afraid of Social Media like someone who is afraid of bees… because they are allergic to bees. They know exactly the repercussions of being stung by one no matter how much they wish that wasn’t the case. Maybe not the best analogy but hear me out.
After years of watching the evolution of social media from the beginning of Facebook to Instagram and now TikTok I truly understand the power of social media and have seen the massively negative effects, it has had on its users and society at large. I also realize how easy it is to spread false or misguided information to a mass population.
Social Networking came out of seemingly nowhere and it’s like we blinked and suddenly can’t remember a time without it. It started harmlessly but over time people became obsessed. This is no surprise as it was intentionally designed to be addicting. We were consumed by the idea of getting more likes and gaining followers which eventually pushed for creating a “perfect” image online. We know now how harmful this can be on a user's mental health, constantly seeing everyone else look better or happier or more successful than you. When did we forget the saying “Not everything you read online is true”?
The Privacy Problem
In recent years we have seen an increase in the conversation surrounding the not-so-great parts of social media- which started around the time news came out about Facebook's privacy issues. In Kara Swisher's article “When it Comes to Facebook, the Need for Action Has Been Obvious for a Long Time”, she discusses in depth the problem of how much power and information the Social Media conglomerate Facebook (owner of Instagram and Whatsapp) has on people and how they have misused that in the past.
Swisher goes into depth on the larger problem at hand in her article and how government regulation is the only solution at this point. Facebooks content channels have so much of an influence on society's thought process and understanding of current events that it's a responsibility that can’t be taken lightly. Facebook as a platform has also lost trust, something they have desperately been trying to regain through pushing their Privacy campaigns.
Your Time is Someone else’s Money
Netflix came out with a documentary called “The Social Dilemma” in 2020 that basically explained something called the Attention Economy. They showed us the nature of social media and how we become the product in their business model. They succeed when they captivate us and we have seen that rage-inducing content performs the best and is rewarded with high rates of engagement and interaction which is what media channels seek. This promotes posting content that is polarizing and causes division in society.
In Scott Galloways Podcast, The Prof G Show, he sits down with Sinan Aral, the author of The Hype Machine: How Social Media Disrupts Our Elections, Our Economy, and Our Health — and How We Must Adapt. They discuss possible solutions to the harmful business model that is social media and the rage culture it has induced. As a result of the rage media that has become the norm in our lives, society is manipulated based on fear, and there has been a lot to be afraid of in the past year. It's a fact that Fake news travels fastest because it gets people angry and scared. Sinan goes on to explain that in the future he anticipated that brands and content creators will have to adapt and realize that although fear-driven content gives short term spikes in engagements, the better way to take on social media is to align societal values in a positive way with long term shareholder values in order to produce a more effective long term loyal following.
What we can do now?
Raise awareness: Gen Z, a generation that doesn't remember a time without social media- a tool that was intended to bring people together, is also the generation that feels the loneliest. The tool that was meant to foster relationships has led to people not knowing how to socialize in person. The more we talk about this issue the less we will rely on social media for human connection. We did not know how to handle the power of the online community when it came out and it has evolved negatively and only through education and reevaluation can we move forward in a more positive stride.
Think before you post: Fake news spreads far and fast. Its often also the most polarizing opinions that break our society up in unproductive ways. Before you post or repost be sure to fact-check yourself and realize that posting information that pulls people apart hinders any chance of resolution and compromise within our society. It sounds like a big deal — because it is. This is crucial for people with 10 followers or 10 thousand followers and it's on everyone to be responsible.
Connect with people offline: Facebook and other social media platforms benefit from our inability to live without them. It is a liberating feeling to not rely on other people's posts and online content for entertainment and happiness. Make a conscious effort to step away and connect with people and in personal moments. Instead of reading scary online articles, focus on making yourself a better person and being afraid of missing out on your own life, and remember that your time is valuable.
With the combination of some sort of government regulation and our own societal personal awareness, I believe that social media can become a safer and better place. I cant take away from the good that it has brought, expediting social change and conversation that was long overdue but I also am afraid of society being manipulated when it's most vulnerable.
