Social media is commonly used to communicate especially during this time when in person contact is very taboo. Is it really necessary to use social media to have connections? People could say that social media is a requirement to talk to others, but that’s just a load of nonsense.

Social media is bad for the average person. Many issues have come from social media, and the usage of it. These issues can range from fear to harassment.

Fear

Social media is used to spread fear. For an example, on the explore area in twitter, right next to “For you” there is a section called “COVID-19.” In that section is a bunch of stuff, including “experts” telling you stuff about the coronavirus and the vaccines. “Experts” are written in quotes because not even they know what they’re doing, or talking about. Speaking of “experts”, there are many back-seat “scientists” thinking that their conspiracy theories are the absolute truth, and that everything else is incorrect. While they cause less damage than the real “experts,” they are more stubborn. Back-seat “experts” do less damage because they are not the ones in charge of the pandemic, and giving orders.

Mental Health

Social media can affect the mental health of those who use it frequently. It can cause depression and anxiety. It can also cause them to become egotistical and self-absorbed. People can also become self-conscious about themselves through the use of social media. 

Sergey Faldin, an editor for “medium.com” wrote an article on why he stopped using social media. He states “I realized I didn’t want other people to judge my looks, my thoughts, ideas, and life. I wasn’t interested in what “@crazydude228” was thinking about my hair.”

Privacy

It’s difficult to keep certain details of your life off of social media, especially if you frequently post about it. Those who post about their life on social media are more likely to get hacked, or get their information leaked. Many influencers have had their “dirty laundry” being aired publicly because of their constant use of social media. 

Cyber-Bullying/Harassment

Harassment is a very common issue when it comes to social media. If you post about anything, usually there is someone who’ll say something mean, but that’s not true harassment. Harassment is when someone dedicates themselves to harm you, or shame you.

Recently, a young twitter user had to delete her twitter account because she was getting harassed by a twitter hate mob. She posted a picture of her character wearing a certain hairstyle in the video game “Animal Crossing” back in November.  Her character was of a Caucasian girl with  the “space buns” hairstyle. A twitter hate mob, getting riled up by anything, decided to go harass and dox this little girl.

Conclusion

In conclusion, social media causes more harm than good. We have been conditioned to frequently rely on social media for news and entertainment. If the human race collectively decides to ditch every social media app, it would be a benefit for the world.