AMY SUKSERM

Social media is a unique invention; it is paradoxical in that it is both an invaluable asset and a serious problem. Practically every day the same gripes can be heard about every social media website and app ever created: that they are distractions for students and can have a harmful influence.
No matter how much can be said about the negative side of social media, many don’t seem to take its flaws seriously. Simply put, there aren’t enough people who understand the extent to which social media affects users. One needs to understand the foundations of the aforementioned complaints in order to truly say that he or she comprehends social media’s drawbacks.
Perhaps the biggest problem of social media is that it creates a set of standards that certain users, especially teenagers, feel compelled to meet. Seeing pictures and posts of someone with a “good-looking” appearance, certain possessions or a particular lifestyle might make someone feel unsatisfied with his or her own lifestyle or choices. As a result, he or she might try to replicate this apparent success.
Peer pressure on teenagers happens frequently in the real world and is amplified by social media. Facebook, Twitter and every other social networking site contribute to the widespread focus on image and physical appearance.
If looking like or acting similar to others is one’s idea of fitting in, there is a problem that needs to be fixed. We’ve all heard people emphasize individuality, but when conformity is such a contagious idea, how can anyone be individual?
“[N]o matter what genetics a teen may possess, [he or she is] impressionable and adding social media to the already prevalent peer pressure only ramps that pressure up further,” said Los Angeles psychiatrist Dr. Charles Sophy in an article for the Huffington Post.
The bottom line is that social networking needs to change. We don’t often think much of showing off new clothes or some other personal item, but it truly does affect the self-esteem of certain people.
In the most extreme cases, social media can influence users to adopt immoral or illegal habits. Drinking alcohol, drug use and other activities are glorified through social media outlets and subconsciously influence people into following along. Of course, this isn’t always the case—social media campaigns for community service projects, for example, might inspire one to help others—but negative peer pressure happens quite frequently online.
The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University conducted a survey in 2011 that found that teens who spend time on social networking sites are five times likelier to use tobacco and three times likelier to drink alcohol than those that don’t.
Many have noticed that social networking distances people from others. Although sending messages to someone via Facebook is easy and quick, there’s really nothing that can compare to a face-to-face conversation.
Meeting someone in person instead of communicating through social media allows one to say something more sincere than a few lines of text. Going to Starbucks, the movies or elsewhere with one or two friends allows people to say things in a more believable way.
Human speech allows one to easily express what he or she really means and can be articulated to fit certain attitudes or emotions. An online message, on the other hand, is not as clear; users can’t rely on inflection or emphasis with a voiceless keyboard, so online conversation doesn’t have the same appeal as a real-life talk.
“There’s no doubt that when social media is used in place of real connections, that it can mentally cause a number of things to happen to [people]…Many people are talking about an addiction to social media,” said psychology professor Krystine Batcho in an article for CBS Local.
Social media shouldn’t be demonized by any means. It is a revolutionary achievement and a tool that will only continue to have meaningful, helpful applications. However, we must take into account that it isn’t perfect and won’t be unless we understand the inherent flaws and do our best to fix them.
Social media users must take more caution in what they say and do on their different accounts, in addition to monitoring time spent online.
The biggest benefit of social media isn’t about showing enjoyable Snapchats or memes on Pinterest; it is about keeping people connected and spreading awareness about what’s going on in the world.