Social Media: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.

Whether your phone is loaded with apps or you’re one of the rare species of people who live far away from this mystical world and believe in communicating through pigeons. “These apps are not safe as they steal your data” sound familiar?

There is no denying the role that social media plays in our day-to-day life. It has become an essential part of our lives. There has been a drastic increase in the usage of social media apps during the lockdown. Social distancing but not socially distanced.

Just like there are two sides to a coin, social media comes with its own set of pros and cons, and here are a few of them.

The Positives of Social Media

Human beings are social animals, they need to be able to interact with people and form bonds and connections. Being in the company of your loved ones can have a great impact on your mental health as it helps you relieve stress while keeping you distracted from all the tensions that reside in your head.

Moreover, you can find like-minded people from all over the world. Thanks to social media you can discover people who share similar interests, whether that be dancing, singing, watching anime, playing video games, or maybe sharing memes.

Social media also provides you with a platform to talk about the necessary evils that prevail in our society. Need your voice to be heard? Social media is the way to go. You can not only learn more about something but you can also help raise awareness on important issues.

Considering anything can go viral on social media from dalgona coffee to doge memes, this is the best place for you to showcase your talent. So many people in this lockdown got in touch with their old hobbies and passions and found the perfect outlet to broadcast them via social media. “Please like, comment, and share” are words you frequently hear your influencer friends saying

Social media proved to be extremely useful in the covid crisis. It was because of these apps that people were able to find oxygen cylinders, beds, and whatever they needed, essentially saving lives. When the government was silent, it was the people’s efforts that were louder than banging utensils.

Apps like YouTube not only provide you with easy how-to videos but even lectures from notable professors from all over the world. You can learn anything and everything if you set your mind to it with the help of social media.

The Negatives of Social Media

Unfortunately, social media is not all that good and might lead you to have terrible experiences.

There is a vast difference between people’s real lives and virtual ones. Although we know that people are only posting the highlights of their lives and missing out on the low points, that doesn’t help the feeling of envy or dissatisfaction that you feel when you watch your friends going to Dubai or achieving something in their lives. This facade further affects our mental health as we start feeling insecure about the way that we look or the way that our lives are going right now.

Ah, the great FOMO we feel when we see others living their best lives while we’re stuck at home, following social distancing norms. How many times have we come across our friends posting pictures of their outings during this pandemic? And, how many times have we felt a little envious and wanted to go out as well, despite knowing how wrong it was?

Also, social media apps like Whatsapp are known for spreading false information. How many times has your mother come to you telling you that if you drink turmeric milk you wouldn’t get down with covid? Or, how many times has your dad told you that the Indian national anthem is recognized to be the best that too by UNESCO?

I haven’t even considered the worst side of social media yet and even then the list of cons has become too long. The ugliest thing about social media is that with its rise, we’ve also seen the rise in cybercrimes. Talking about some statistics, in July 2020, India recorded its highest number of attacks at 4.5 million. From cyberbullying to catfishing using fake accounts, India has seen it all. *Gets Angel Priya flashbacks*

Twitter has become famous for its cancel culture. One wrong tweet by a popular personality and all these woke Twitteratis don’t take even mere minutes before they’re at his case. Although if there’s someone I’d like to give credit to for never backing down, that’s Kangana. I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone more misinformed. *Politely proceeds to ask for the number of her dealer*

It’s A Wrap

You’re probably thinking “If you have such a huge problem with social media, why don’t you just leave it?” Personally, I’m quite an active member of social media myself and am well aware of the positives and negatives it contains.

Truth be told, I think social media is neither positive nor negative. It all comes down to the individual and how they choose to use it. Too much of anything is bad so as long as you’re doing what you like in moderation. I wouldn’t recommend quitting social media, however, I would like to suggest that you use it in moderation.