disadvantages of social media thesis

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Disadvantages of Social Media Essay

Social media has been a part of everyday life for years now, with millions of people using it every single day. While there are many advantages to social media, like connecting with friends and family, staying informed about current events, and even marketing a business or product, there are also some downfalls that should not be overlooked. Here are some sample essays on disadvantages of social media.

100 Words Essay on Disadvantages of Social Media

200 words essay on disadvantages of social media, 500 words essay on disadvantages of social media.

It's no secret that social media can be addictive. And when you're hooked on social media, it can be tough to break the habit. You might find yourself checking your phone compulsively, or even staying up late at night scrolling through your Facebook feed. We need to be mindful of the amount of time we spend on social media, we need to be careful about the content we consume, and we need to make sure we're staying connected with real-life friends and family. Social media tends to show only the best parts of life—making it hard to remember that what we see isn't always reality.

People use social media to post things that they like, but they also use it to share experiences that they dislike. Modern social media may offer opportunities for face-to-face connections if used well, but it may also amplify feelings of disconnection. Overuse of social media could potentially reduce an individual's real-life relationships due to the way that it may inhibit the development of connection. When looking at the downsides of social media, excessive usage may result in bad health, weakened physicality, depression, stress, anxiety, and more.

There are many disadvantages of social media that should be considered. Here are a few of them:

Addictive | Social media can be addicting. Talk to a friend or family member about your addiction, or consult a therapist. With time and patience, you can overcome your social media addiction.

Time-consuming | Social media can consume a lot of time that could be spent doing more productive things.

Cyberbullying | Cyberbullying is a big problem on social media. It’s when someone is harassed, humiliated, or threatened online.

False sense of self | Social media can give people a false sense of self. People tend to only show the best parts of their lives on social media and this can lead to comparison.

When most people think of social media, the first thing that comes to mind is the positives: staying connected with friends and family, sharing photos and experiences, and so on. But what about the risks?

Risks of Social Media Usage

It's important to take measures to protect yourself online. For starters, you should only share information you’re comfortable with being public knowledge.

Here are some risks of using social media:

Academic Performance | You may have heard that social media can have a negative impact on academic performance. That's because when you're on social media, you're not spending time studying or completing assignments. It's also important to note that not all students are affected in the same way. Some students are better able to balance their use of social media and still get good grades. But for students who struggle with focus and concentration, it's best to limit social media use as much as possible.

Privacy and Security Issues | We all love to experience the thrill of connecting with people around us, but here's the thing you need to pay attention to-- are your private details safe on social media sites? Not necessarily. Social media platforms have been known to leak private data, such as phone numbers and addresses, without notifying users. There’s also a risk of having your account hacked and your personal information stolen. This could include passwords, or other sensitive information.

Setting up two- factor authentication whenever possible is a great way to secure your account and make sure no one else can access it without your permission.

Negative Effects of Comparison | When you’re scrolling through social media, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed by the people in your feed whose lives seem to be perfect. But what you often don’t see is that behind closed doors, even the most successful person may be struggling. Social media comparison can lead to feelings of jealousy and dissatisfaction with yourself, which may result in decreased self-esteem and increase emotional distress.

Real Life Interactions | One of the major downsides of social media usage is the impact it can have on real-life interactions. With people spending more and more time on their phones and devices, there is less time available to forge and maintain relationships in person. People are spending less time engaging with one another directly, whether it's hanging out at a friend’s house or striking up conversations at a party or restaurant, resulting in less meaningful conversations held in person.

So, what does this mean for you and your social media use? It means that, before you post that photo or share that update, you should take a step back and ask yourself: is this something I really want to share with the world? Is this something that could potentially embarrass me or hurt my reputation? Am I sharing this for the right reasons? If the answer to any of these questions is no, then it's probably best to keep that information to yourself. After all, social media is a public forum, and once something is out there, it's very difficult to take it back.

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Essay on Social Media for School Students and Children

500+ words essay on social media.

Social media is a tool that is becoming quite popular these days because of its user-friendly features. Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and more are giving people a chance to connect with each other across distances. In other words, the whole world is at our fingertips all thanks to social media. The youth is especially one of the most dominant users of social media. All this makes you wonder that something so powerful and with such a massive reach cannot be all good. Like how there are always two sides to a coin, the same goes for social media. Subsequently, different people have different opinions on this debatable topic. So, in this essay on Social Media, we will see the advantages and disadvantages of social media.

Advantages of Social Media

When we look at the positive aspect of social media, we find numerous advantages. The most important being a great device for education . All the information one requires is just a click away. Students can educate themselves on various topics using social media.

Moreover, live lectures are now possible because of social media. You can attend a lecture happening in America while sitting in India.

Furthermore, as more and more people are distancing themselves from newspapers, they are depending on social media for news. You are always updated on the latest happenings of the world through it. A person becomes more socially aware of the issues of the world.

In addition, it strengthens bonds with your loved ones. Distance is not a barrier anymore because of social media. For instance, you can easily communicate with your friends and relatives overseas.

Most importantly, it also provides a great platform for young budding artists to showcase their talent for free. You can get great opportunities for employment through social media too.

Another advantage definitely benefits companies who wish to promote their brands. Social media has become a hub for advertising and offers you great opportunities for connecting with the customer.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Disadvantages of Social Media

Despite having such unique advantages, social media is considered to be one of the most harmful elements of society. If the use of social media is not monitored, it can lead to grave consequences.

Thus, the sharing on social media especially by children must be monitored at all times. Next up is the addition of social media which is quite common amongst the youth.

This addiction hampers with the academic performance of a student as they waste their time on social media instead of studying. Social media also creates communal rifts. Fake news is spread with the use of it, which poisons the mind of peace-loving citizens.

In short, surely social media has both advantages and disadvantages. But, it all depends on the user at the end. The youth must particularly create a balance between their academic performances, physical activities, and social media. Excess use of anything is harmful and the same thing applies to social media. Therefore, we must strive to live a satisfying life with the right balance.

FAQs on Social Media

Q.1 Is social media beneficial? If yes, then how?

A.1 Social media is quite beneficial. Social Media offers information, news, educational material, a platform for talented youth and brands.

Q.2 What is a disadvantage of Social Media?

A.2 Social media invades your privacy. It makes you addicted and causes health problems. It also results in cyberbullying and scams as well as communal hatred.

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A Social Media Essay on its Pros and Cons

By Huzaifa Dhapai

Are you looking for advantages and disadvantages of social media essays ? We’ve got you covered! Our social media essay will help shed light on the pros and cons associated with social media and the way it has changed the world. It is a highly debatable topic and thus here’s our view regarding its positive and negative effects on society.

There’s no denying the fact that social media plays a crucial role in shaping a society. If we look around, almost everyone is on FaceBook, Instagram, Snapchat, etc. This wide popularity of social channels comes with a lot of things and this elaborated advantages and disadvantages of social media essay will help you understand the overall perspective more clearly.

Now without any further delay, let’s get started with the advantages and disadvantages of social media essays.

Introduction to Social Media

In this tech-savvy world, it’s almost impossible to think about our day to day life without social media. It has become a part of our regular lives and is a prevalent medium to stay connected, share information and communicate with the help of social media using the internet.

With its super easy to use interface and free of cost service, it is becoming quite popular among the internet users. In short, one can say that social media is a tool that has revolutionized the digital world with its inception.

Social media has grown to be the most influential and important virtual space, where the platform is used not only for social networking but also as a great way to advertise digitally.

You’ll hardly find any business or brands not using social media for marketing. With its growing popularity, social media has not just given businesses a chance to connect with its target audience, but it has also unlocked new employment opportunities for the masses where they can master a platform and help brands to market their business digitally.

What are the popular and widely-used social media platforms?

Let’s take a look at what makes a social media platform popular and widespread. Many analysts believe it has to do with “ active users .” It is a critical factor in determining growth, popularity, and engagement. This graph depicts all the popular social media platforms in the world as of 2024 and their number of users in millions.

Source : Statitsta.com

The Top 5 social networking sites and applications, as assessed by Statista, an industry-leading provider of business statistics, are Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, and Tik Tok. These applications are followed by many others. Facebook , the most popular social network, was the first to cross 1 billion registered accounts and now has over 2.7 billion monthly active members. Facebook (main platform), WhatsApp , Facebook Messenger, and Instagram are the company’s four largest social media platforms, each with over 1 billion monthly active users. With such a growing number of users on social media, let’s now understand what the importance of social media is today.

Importance of Social Media

Social media has become an integral part of everyone’s daily lives. With the internet at your fingertips, social media can be used to communicate with anyone, anywhere, at any time.

Especially since covid-19, when everyone was locked in their homes, and unable to get in touch with their friends and family, social media served as an important tool to stay updated about each other and stay connected with your loved ones.

Another emerging importance of social media owing to the pandemic is how it gave opportunities to people to make fun videos and adhere to social media challenges and activities which helped keep people entertained in such testing times.

The importance of social media in the rising growth and scope of digital marketing has also been phenomenal.

It is also a platform where information on a variety of topics is easily accessible. This allows people to learn a lot and stay up to date on news from around the world.

But with every good that comes with something, there’s always a negative side to it. Thus, check out the major advantages and disadvantages of social media in the progressive world of today.

Top 10 Advantages Of Social Media

1. facilitates education.

In several ways, social media is used as an educational tool. People are able to learn about a lot of topics through the use of social media all from the comfort of their homes.

One classic example would be the Live sessions conducted by Industry experts and speakers on their Instagram and Facebook.

They impart knowledge and educate people on topics outside of their textbooks and curriculum. And these Live sessions can be joined by anyone for free.

Another way to gain knowledge is to join groups on social media that conduct open discussions on various topics and exchange knowledge for free. These are excellent ways to educate yourself .

2. Reduces Communication Barriers

Decades ago, the world relied solely on letters to communicate with people in distant places. Communication was hampered as a result, and relationships suffered greatly.

Now, Social media has enabled us to stay in touch with people both nearby and far away. And, with the rise of social media, distance is no longer an obstacle.

3. Social Impact

NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations), fundraisers, etc use social media for a variety of noble purposes.

Generally, it is intended to raise awareness and assist people in discovering numerous changes that can help them improve their life.

This helps create a social impact on a large number of people right from your fingertips.

4. Brand Promotions

Businesses big or small can easily promote their brand effectively and efficiently through the use of social media and receive a massive amount of engagement.

Social media has become an excellent place for advertisement, which helps brands to know the needs of their audience well. This benefits businesses of all sizes greatly.

This has led to an increase in the need for social media marketers. The next point will help you understand more in detail.

5. Employment Opportunities

The increased use of social media as a marketing tool has increased the demand for social media marketers.

Companies want experts who can handle social media for them and carry out marketing activities that bring great results.

If you aspire to become one, here’s an Online Social Media Marketing Course led by top industry professionals to get you started

6. Content Creation

People who love to create content whether it be video, picture, or audio can use social media to share their content with the world.

This allows people with creative skills to flourish in the online industry and also monetize this skill which brings us to our next point.

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7. Monetization

The rise of social media content creation has resulted in a massive increase in users across multiple platforms.

To entice users to stay and grow, social media firms have used monetization strategies such as adverts, promotions, and more.

Anyone with a love for content creation can use this to promote their brand while also earning money. You can also create content for other brands and charge for the same.

A very popular concept is Influencers today. If you have a large follower base and the ability to truthfully influence them, brands will sponsor you to do so.

8. Community building

These days local communities are using social media heavily to stay connected, support each other, and grow together even after lockdown. Social media has connected people with the same interests and perspectives, which has led to the formation of supportive online communities. For example, people who share the same interest in nature and the environment can form or join a community for the same. This can also lead to crisis management, and it might be useful to provide mutual aid for world problems.

9. Skill development

Due to various social media platforms, online classes have gained lots of popularity during the lockdown itself. What’s interesting is these classes are still being run on social media platforms even after the lockdown is over but also gained. People nowadays are constantly taking classes for various courses to upskill themselves for even better jobs and income opportunities.

10. Mental Health Support

People have recognized the problems that social media causes. Platforms like Reddit and Facebook have a community now, which gives a safe space to people who want to share their experiences or seek advice.

Now, let’s glance at the disadvantages of social media and how it has a negative impact on society.

Top 7 Disadvantages of Social Media

The dangers of social media are massive, and despite the fact that it has numerous benefits, the effects of social media can lead to harmful results sometimes.

1. Lack of Security

As social media has become more accessible to anyone with an internet connection, people have become more vulnerable to hacking.

Many users upload important parts of their lives to social media platforms, communicate with people they don’t know and are uneducated about the do and don’ts of having a social media account.

This leads to hackers taking advantage of such people and ending up costing them valuable information.

2. Leads To Addiction

The ability to interact and contact friends and family at any time and from anywhere, along with a great volume of content, has led to social media addiction . We’ve also covered some points on how to beat social media addiction .

People spend more time on social media, communicating with people all over the world, and consuming content, and as a result, they get disconnected from their surroundings.

3. Unrealistic Expectations

What we see on social media is the ‘ideal’ part of a person’s life, and not their insecurities and problems.

When we forget this, we start to compare the negative parts of our lives with the positive parts of the lives of our peers that we see online. In the long run, this damages our self-esteem.

4. Adverse Influence on Children

Children who are addicted to social media spend hours per day watching videos, photos, and other content posted by the accounts they follow.

Other activities, such as schoolwork, sports, study, and other productive routines, are jeopardized by this addiction. In the end, the influence of social media negatively impacts the well-being of children.

It also affects their socializing skills as they find it more comfortable to talk on the phone rather than face the person.

5. Digital Fatigue

After spending so much time on social media, especially during lockdown, many people are now facing the problem of digital fatigue. The constant screentime and virtual interaction can exhaust a human and make them feel lonely

6. Cyberbullying and online harassment

This issue existed before, but it has increased to a greater level as more and more people are using social media. Whether your work is good or excellent, some people will always be there to criticize your content. But cyberbullying and online harassment cases can get worse.

7. Social comparison and mental health issues

Humans always tend to compare their situations with others, and social media has increased this issue of comparison, which makes people feel inadequate and pressure themselves to meet unrealistic standards. This eventually leads to feelings of anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem .

Role of Social Media in Shaping Society

In the ever-evolving digital world, social media plays a pivotal role in shaping society. Whether we’re scrolling through our feeds or sharing our thoughts, it’s undeniable that social media has a significant impact, both positive and negative, on how we perceive the environment around us.

One of the key advantages of social media is its ability to connect people from all corners of the globe. Through platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and X, we can bridge geographical barriers and interact with individuals we might never have encountered otherwise. This connectivity fosters a sense of global community, where ideas, cultures, and experiences can be shared and celebrated.

Moreover, social media serves as a powerful tool for activism and social change. Movements like #BlackLivesMatter and #MeToo has gained momentum through online platforms, amplifying voices and catalyzing real-world action. Social media empowers individuals to raise awareness about important issues and mobilize others to join their cause, sparking meaningful dialogue and driving societal progress.

Let’s discuss some key points that significantly contributes in the society:

(a) Political Influence: The introduction of social media has changed the way of conducting political campaigns. It has become a primary tool for leaders, politicians, etc to discuss, support or present their thoughts. Social media helps these politicians to disseminate information, engage in politics-related debates, boost their popularity, etc.

(b) Change in Consumer Behavior: Hands down, there’s no denying the fact that social media influences consumer behavior like no other. Image and video sharing platforms like Instagram, Pinterest and Snapchat have helped businesses and marketers immensely in branding, promoting and selling the products. These highly appealing images boost impulsive buying among the users and persuade them to either make a purchase or at least check the product/service once.

© Impact on mental health: With the constant exposure to different forms of content and people, social media highly impacts mental health of individuals. The curated, idealized versions of people and their life lowers the self-esteem of individuals and they start doubting themselves.

Apart from this, cyberbullying, trolling affects mental health in unimaginable ways.

In conclusion, social media offers both benefits and drawbacks, but it all relies on the individual who uses it.

The information provided can be seen as debatable but our article is not a thesis on social media and is just an accumulation of researched information in a simple and precise format.

Bonus Read: The Next Wave Of Social Media

Social media is still in its infancy and will continue to grow rapidly in the future. From the launch of the first social media platform, Myspace, to the most recent and currently popular social media platform, Facebook.

There are currently around 4.3 Billion social media users around the world.

Every platform that has ever been released has features that are unique and engaging. That has always been the primary goal of any social media platform. From Myspace’s “ ranking profile feature ” to Instagram’s ‘ Reels Insights features’ , social media has come a long way.

With the unprecedented growth of digital marketing, social media has grown tremendously too. Almost every digital company now needs a social media team to manage its online presence. Discover how to build a career in social media marketing . Social media has become an important part of a company’s digital marketing strategy. We hope this post has given you a better understanding of the world of social media.

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Founder at WebVerge and Team Lead in Business Technology at IIDE

Huzaifa Dhapai is an experienced founder with a demonstrated history of working in the internet industry. A tech enthusiast. He always writes about Tech and Android and is an expert in Google AdSense and Google Data Studio...... [Read full bio]

28 Comments

Social media essays are super important nowadays. They help us understand how platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram affect our lives. We can explore things like how we communicate, our privacy, and how we behave online

“According to Statista, the top 5 social networking sites and applications are Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook Messenger. It’s interesting to see how these platforms continue to dominate the social media landscape. Which one do you find yourself using the most?”

“Explore the intricate landscape of social media, examining its varied impacts on society, from empowerment to potential challenges.”

Thankyou, for helping and providing such big social media essay .This will help me alot.

The ‘Social Media Essay’ on iide.co provided invaluable insights for my assignment research, illuminating the digital landscape with clarity and depth. 🌐✨

“Love this! Can’t wait for more updates. 😍”

“Interesting perspective, thanks for sharing!”

An insightful overview of social media’s impact. How can individuals best navigate the negatives like unrealistic expectations?

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6 Example Essays on Social Media | Advantages, Effects, and Outlines

Got an essay assignment about the effects of social media we got you covered check out our examples and outlines below.

Social media has become one of our society's most prominent ways of communication and information sharing in a very short time. It has changed how we communicate and has given us a platform to express our views and opinions and connect with others. It keeps us informed about the world around us. Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn have brought individuals from all over the world together, breaking down geographical borders and fostering a genuinely global community.

However, social media comes with its difficulties. With the rise of misinformation, cyberbullying, and privacy problems, it's critical to utilize these platforms properly and be aware of the risks. Students in the academic world are frequently assigned essays about the impact of social media on numerous elements of our lives, such as relationships, politics, and culture. These essays necessitate a thorough comprehension of the subject matter, critical thinking, and the ability to synthesize and convey information clearly and succinctly.

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So, whether you're a student looking to better your essay writing skills or want to remain up to date on the latest social media advancements, Jenni.ai is here to help. Jenni.ai is the ideal tool for helping you write your finest essay ever, thanks to its simple design, an extensive database of example essays, and cutting-edge AI technology. So, why delay? Sign up for a free trial of Jenni.ai today and begin exploring the worlds of social networking and essay writing!

Want to learn how to write an argumentative essay? Check out these inspiring examples!

We will provide various examples of social media essays so you may get a feel for the genre.

6 Examples of Social Media Essays

Here are 6 examples of Social Media Essays:

The Impact of Social Media on Relationships and Communication

Introduction:.

The way we share information and build relationships has evolved as a direct result of the prevalence of social media in our daily lives. The influence of social media on interpersonal connections and conversation is a hot topic. Although social media has many positive effects, such as bringing people together regardless of physical proximity and making communication quicker and more accessible, it also has a dark side that can affect interpersonal connections and dialogue.

Positive Effects:

Connecting People Across Distances

One of social media's most significant benefits is its ability to connect individuals across long distances. People can use social media platforms to interact and stay in touch with friends and family far away. People can now maintain intimate relationships with those they care about, even when physically separated.

Improved Communication Speed and Efficiency

Additionally, the proliferation of social media sites has accelerated and simplified communication. Thanks to instant messaging, users can have short, timely conversations rather than lengthy ones via email. Furthermore, social media facilitates group communication, such as with classmates or employees, by providing a unified forum for such activities.

Negative Effects:

Decreased Face-to-Face Communication

The decline in in-person interaction is one of social media's most pernicious consequences on interpersonal connections and dialogue. People's reliance on digital communication over in-person contact has increased along with the popularity of social media. Face-to-face interaction has suffered as a result, which has adverse effects on interpersonal relationships and the development of social skills.

Decreased Emotional Intimacy

Another adverse effect of social media on relationships and communication is decreased emotional intimacy. Digital communication lacks the nonverbal cues and facial expressions critical in building emotional connections with others. This can make it more difficult for people to develop close and meaningful relationships, leading to increased loneliness and isolation.

Increased Conflict and Miscommunication

Finally, social media can also lead to increased conflict and miscommunication. The anonymity and distance provided by digital communication can lead to misunderstandings and hurtful comments that might not have been made face-to-face. Additionally, social media can provide a platform for cyberbullying , which can have severe consequences for the victim's mental health and well-being.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, the impact of social media on relationships and communication is a complex issue with both positive and negative effects. While social media platforms offer many benefits, such as connecting people across distances and enabling faster and more accessible communication, they also have a dark side that can negatively affect relationships and communication. It is up to individuals to use social media responsibly and to prioritize in-person communication in their relationships and interactions with others.

The Role of Social Media in the Spread of Misinformation and Fake News

Social media has revolutionized the way information is shared and disseminated. However, the ease and speed at which data can be spread on social media also make it a powerful tool for spreading misinformation and fake news. Misinformation and fake news can seriously affect public opinion, influence political decisions, and even cause harm to individuals and communities.

The Pervasiveness of Misinformation and Fake News on Social Media

Misinformation and fake news are prevalent on social media platforms, where they can spread quickly and reach a large audience. This is partly due to the way social media algorithms work, which prioritizes content likely to generate engagement, such as sensational or controversial stories. As a result, false information can spread rapidly and be widely shared before it is fact-checked or debunked.

The Influence of Social Media on Public Opinion

Social media can significantly impact public opinion, as people are likelier to believe the information they see shared by their friends and followers. This can lead to a self-reinforcing cycle, where misinformation and fake news are spread and reinforced, even in the face of evidence to the contrary.

The Challenge of Correcting Misinformation and Fake News

Correcting misinformation and fake news on social media can be a challenging task. This is partly due to the speed at which false information can spread and the difficulty of reaching the same audience exposed to the wrong information in the first place. Additionally, some individuals may be resistant to accepting correction, primarily if the incorrect information supports their beliefs or biases.

In conclusion, the function of social media in disseminating misinformation and fake news is complex and urgent. While social media has revolutionized the sharing of information, it has also made it simpler for false information to propagate and be widely believed. Individuals must be accountable for the information they share and consume, and social media firms must take measures to prevent the spread of disinformation and fake news on their platforms.

The Effects of Social Media on Mental Health and Well-Being

Social media has become an integral part of modern life, with billions of people around the world using platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to stay connected with others and access information. However, while social media has many benefits, it can also negatively affect mental health and well-being.

Comparison and Low Self-Esteem

One of the key ways that social media can affect mental health is by promoting feelings of comparison and low self-esteem. People often present a curated version of their lives on social media, highlighting their successes and hiding their struggles. This can lead others to compare themselves unfavorably, leading to feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem.

Cyberbullying and Online Harassment

Another way that social media can negatively impact mental health is through cyberbullying and online harassment. Social media provides a platform for anonymous individuals to harass and abuse others, leading to feelings of anxiety, fear, and depression.

Social Isolation

Despite its name, social media can also contribute to feelings of isolation. At the same time, people may have many online friends but need more meaningful in-person connections and support. This can lead to feelings of loneliness and depression.

Addiction and Overuse

Finally, social media can be addictive, leading to overuse and negatively impacting mental health and well-being. People may spend hours each day scrolling through their feeds, neglecting other important areas of their lives, such as work, family, and self-care.

In sum, social media has positive and negative consequences on one's psychological and emotional well-being. Realizing this, and taking measures like reducing one's social media use, reaching out to loved ones for help, and prioritizing one's well-being, are crucial. In addition, it's vital that social media giants take ownership of their platforms and actively encourage excellent mental health and well-being.

The Use of Social Media in Political Activism and Social Movements

Social media has recently become increasingly crucial in political action and social movements. Platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram have given people new ways to express themselves, organize protests, and raise awareness about social and political issues.

Raising Awareness and Mobilizing Action

One of the most important uses of social media in political activity and social movements has been to raise awareness about important issues and mobilize action. Hashtags such as #MeToo and #BlackLivesMatter, for example, have brought attention to sexual harassment and racial injustice, respectively. Similarly, social media has been used to organize protests and other political actions, allowing people to band together and express themselves on a bigger scale.

Connecting with like-minded individuals

A second method in that social media has been utilized in political activity and social movements is to unite like-minded individuals. Through social media, individuals can join online groups, share knowledge and resources, and work with others to accomplish shared objectives. This has been especially significant for geographically scattered individuals or those without access to traditional means of political organizing.

Challenges and Limitations

As a vehicle for political action and social movements, social media has faced many obstacles and restrictions despite its many advantages. For instance, the propagation of misinformation and fake news on social media can impede attempts to disseminate accurate and reliable information. In addition, social media corporations have been condemned for censorship and insufficient protection of user rights.

In conclusion, social media has emerged as a potent instrument for political activism and social movements, giving voice to previously unheard communities and galvanizing support for change. Social media presents many opportunities for communication and collaboration. Still, users and institutions must be conscious of the risks and limitations of these tools to promote their responsible and productive usage.

The Potential Privacy Concerns Raised by Social Media Use and Data Collection Practices

With billions of users each day on sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, social media has ingrained itself into every aspect of our lives. While these platforms offer a straightforward method to communicate with others and exchange information, they also raise significant concerns over data collecting and privacy. This article will examine the possible privacy issues posed by social media use and data-gathering techniques.

Data Collection and Sharing

The gathering and sharing of personal data are significant privacy issues brought up by social media use. Social networking sites gather user data, including details about their relationships, hobbies, and routines. This information is made available to third-party businesses for various uses, such as marketing and advertising. This can lead to serious concerns about who has access to and uses our personal information.

Lack of Control Over Personal Information

The absence of user control over personal information is a significant privacy issue brought up by social media usage. Social media makes it challenging to limit who has access to and how data is utilized once it has been posted. Sensitive information may end up being extensively disseminated and may be used maliciously as a result.

Personalized Marketing

Social media companies utilize the information they gather about users to target them with adverts relevant to their interests and usage patterns. Although this could be useful, it might also cause consumers to worry about their privacy since they might feel that their personal information is being used without their permission. Furthermore, there are issues with the integrity of the data being used to target users and the possibility of prejudice based on individual traits.

Government Surveillance

Using social media might spark worries about government surveillance. There are significant concerns regarding privacy and free expression when governments in some nations utilize social media platforms to follow and monitor residents.

In conclusion, social media use raises significant concerns regarding data collecting and privacy. While these platforms make it easy to interact with people and exchange information, they also gather a lot of personal information, which raises questions about who may access it and how it will be used. Users should be aware of these privacy issues and take precautions to safeguard their personal information, such as exercising caution when choosing what details to disclose on social media and keeping their information sharing with other firms to a minimum.

The Ethical and Privacy Concerns Surrounding Social Media Use And Data Collection

Our use of social media to communicate with loved ones, acquire information, and even conduct business has become a crucial part of our everyday lives. The extensive use of social media does, however, raise some ethical and privacy issues that must be resolved. The influence of social media use and data collecting on user rights, the accountability of social media businesses, and the need for improved regulation are all topics that will be covered in this article.

Effect on Individual Privacy:

Social networking sites gather tons of personal data from their users, including delicate information like search history, location data, and even health data. Each user's detailed profile may be created with this data and sold to advertising or used for other reasons. Concerns regarding the privacy of personal information might arise because social media businesses can use this data to target users with customized adverts.

Additionally, individuals might need to know how much their personal information is being gathered and exploited. Data breaches or the unauthorized sharing of personal information with other parties may result in instances where sensitive information is exposed. Users should be aware of the privacy rules of social media firms and take precautions to secure their data.

Responsibility of Social Media Companies:

Social media firms should ensure that they responsibly and ethically gather and use user information. This entails establishing strong security measures to safeguard sensitive information and ensuring users are informed of what information is being collected and how it is used.

Many social media businesses, nevertheless, have come under fire for not upholding these obligations. For instance, the Cambridge Analytica incident highlighted how Facebook users' personal information was exploited for political objectives without their knowledge. This demonstrates the necessity of social media corporations being held responsible for their deeds and ensuring that they are safeguarding the security and privacy of their users.

Better Regulation Is Needed

There is a need for tighter regulation in this field, given the effect, social media has on individual privacy as well as the obligations of social media firms. The creation of laws and regulations that ensure social media companies are gathering and using user information ethically and responsibly, as well as making sure users are aware of their rights and have the ability to control the information that is being collected about them, are all part of this.

Additionally, legislation should ensure that social media businesses are held responsible for their behavior, for example, by levying fines for data breaches or the unauthorized use of personal data. This will provide social media businesses with a significant incentive to prioritize their users' privacy and security and ensure they are upholding their obligations.

In conclusion, social media has fundamentally changed how we engage and communicate with one another, but this increased convenience also raises several ethical and privacy issues. Essential concerns that need to be addressed include the effect of social media on individual privacy, the accountability of social media businesses, and the requirement for greater regulation to safeguard user rights. We can make everyone's online experience safer and more secure by looking more closely at these issues.

In conclusion, social media is a complex and multifaceted topic that has recently captured the world's attention. With its ever-growing influence on our lives, it's no surprise that it has become a popular subject for students to explore in their writing. Whether you are writing an argumentative essay on the impact of social media on privacy, a persuasive essay on the role of social media in politics, or a descriptive essay on the changes social media has brought to the way we communicate, there are countless angles to approach this subject.

However, writing a comprehensive and well-researched essay on social media can be daunting. It requires a thorough understanding of the topic and the ability to articulate your ideas clearly and concisely. This is where Jenni.ai comes in. Our AI-powered tool is designed to help students like you save time and energy and focus on what truly matters - your education. With Jenni.ai , you'll have access to a wealth of examples and receive personalized writing suggestions and feedback.

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So why waste your time and energy struggling to write an essay on your own when you can have Jenni.ai by your side? Sign up for our free trial today and experience the difference for yourself! With Jenni.ai, you'll have the resources you need to write confidently, clearly, and creatively. Get started today and see just how easy and efficient writing can be!

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The Ups and Downs of Social Media

Posted May 16, 2018
By Leah Shafer

Watch teenagers using social media, and you witness an emotional rollercoaster: they are intermittently ecstatic, furious, envious, heartbroken, charmed, anxious, obsessive, and bored.

Research has begun to zero in on nearly every part of this spectrum, with findings that run from alarming (screen time is linked to depression and suicide ) to reassuring (many teens find social media empowering ). B ut for those looking for a clear-cut "good or bad" verdict on social media, the reality is that it's a little of each — but generally a much more positive experience than many parents might think.

A new study finds that teenagers report feeling all kinds of positive and negative emotions when describing the same social media experiences — posting selfies, Snapchatting, browsing videos — but the majority rate their overall experiences as positive.

Understanding these nuances can help families better grasp their teens’ up-and-down experiences in the digital world, the study suggests, offering new insight on how best to support them.

A Study on Adolescent Social Media Use

In the study, adolescent social media expert Emily Weinstein analyzed surveyed responses from 568 high school students at a suburban public high school in the United States. The students, who were evenly split between female and male, were heavier users of social media than the average American teen: 98 percent said that they were online “almost constantly” or “several times a day,” compared to 80 percent of teens nationally. Eighty-seven percent of these students used Instagram, 87 percent used Snapchat, and 76 percent used Facebook.

Teens felt empowered and excited when they shared important aspects of their identities with others. But they also worried about being judged by peers and expressed anxiety over not getting enough likes.

The surveys asked students to check off any of 11 listed emotions that they typically felt while using social media, as well as the emotions they believed their peers felt while using those apps.

Weinstein also analyzed data from 26 in-depth interviews with those surveyed (16 females and 10 males). These students walked the researchers through their experiences on Instagram and Snapchat, describing the content they saw and how they reacted to it.

A Spectrum of Positive and Negative Feelings — with Positive Prevailing

The study found that teens had four main ways of using social media — and although they acknowledged negative emotions from each, most described their experiences as generally positive.

Teenagers use social media:

for self-expression (sharing posts that portray who you are and what you care about);
for relational interactions (messaging and connecting with family, friends, and romantic interests);
for exploration (searching areas of interest); and
for browsing (general scrolling through feeds and apps).

None of these modes of social media use resulted in purely negative emotions, as reported by teens. Each led to both positive and negative emotions.

In self-expression mode, teens felt empowered and excited when they shared important aspects of their identities with others, and they enjoyed looking back at their personal Instagram feeds to reflect on how they’d developed over time. But they also worried about being judged by peers and expressed anxiety over not getting enough likes.
For relational interactions, teens felt happy to stay connected with peers, and many actually strengthened offline relationships with friends and significant others through social media. They enjoyed keeping in touch with faraway family members, too. But they also felt overwhelmed by the number of messages they had to respond to, and many felt left out when they saw friends posting together without them.
When exploring, teens enjoyed learning more about their interests, such as cooking or sports, or exploring new passions, such as activism or gun control. But they also reported viewing distressing and graphic images and stories.
When browsing, teens often felt amused and inspired by the different photos and videos they came across. But they also saw things that made them envious, insecure, or sad: a peer with thousands of followers, a deluge of images of attractive people, or even posts expressing appreciation for a parent or sibling, if they personally didn’t have that type of familial relationship.

Despite this variety of emotions, most teens described their experiences in mainly positive terms , found Weinstein, who is a postdoctoral fellow at the Harvard Graduate School of Education . Seventy-two percent of the teens reported feeling happy on social media, 68.5 percent amused, 59.3 percent closer to friends, and 57.8 percent interested in the experience. Only 6.7 percent reported feeling upset, 7.9 percent irritated, 10.2 percent anxious, 16.9 percent jealous, and 15.3 percent left out. And 70 percent of the teens described their general experiences on social media using only the positive descriptors.

Just cutting teens off from social media entirely may not be the best solution, since that will likely cut them off from positive experiences as well.

For Families, Helping Teens Ride the Rollercoaster

As parents grapple with their own anxiety over teens’ smartphone use, they should keep in mind that many teens are having routinely positive experiences on social media. Yes, teens are aware of negative emotions — fear, distress, jealousy, but from their perspective, feelings of connection, amusement, and inspiration also abound.
Families also need to remember that many of these negative feelings are developmentally normal . “Self-disclosure, validation, and concerns about acceptance and belonging are core components of adolescent development and friendship that predate and are present in youths’ digital interactions,” writes Weinstein. And teens’ online experiences often mirror their offline strengths and struggles , so insecurity or anxiety may not stem solely from social media use.
Parents should take teens’ negative experiences seriously , especially if their mood or behavior has changed, or if these negative feelings are affecting daily activities. But cutting them off from social media entirely may not be the best solution, since that will likely cut them off from positive experiences as well.
At all points, families should talk to their teens about their experiences on social media. Figure out together what exactly they enjoy, and what challenges they are facing. Oftentimes, parents and teens can come up with tailored solutions to unique challenges — unfollowing a certain account that contributes to a negative body image, or refraining from posting on a certain app that leads to anxiety, for example — that still allow teens to hold onto what they enjoy.

The Rise of Smartphones

Listen to a conversation with pyschologist Jean Twenge about smart smartphone use — how smartphones have transformed teens' lives, and how teens who limit their phone use to two hours a day have the highest levels of wellbeing,

Usable Knowledge

Connecting education research to practice — with timely insights for educators, families, and communities

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Teens in a Digital World

Strengthening Teen Digital Well-Being

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Exam Guides
School Life

Thesis Statements about Social Media: 21 Examples and Tips

by Judy Jeni
January 27, 2024

Writing Thesis Statements Based On Social Media

A thesis statement is a sentence in the introduction paragraph of an essay that captures the purpose of the essay. Using thesis statements about social media as an example, I will guide you on how to write them well.

It can appear anywhere in the first paragraph of the essay but it is mostly preferred when it ends the introduction paragraph. learning how to write a thesis statement for your essay will keep you focused.

A thesis statement can be more than one sentence only when the essay is on complex topics and there is a need to break the statement into two. This means, a good thesis statement structures an essay and tells the reader what an essay is all about.

A good social media thesis statement should be about a specific aspect of social media and not just a broad view of the topic.

The statement should be on the last sentence of the first paragraph and should tell the reader about your stand on the social media issue you are presenting or arguing in the essay.

Reading an essay without a thesis statement is like solving a puzzle. Readers will have to read the conclusion to at least grasp what the essay is all about. It is therefore advisable to craft a thesis immediately after researching an essay.

Throughout your entire writing, every point in every paragraph should connect to the thesis. In case it doesn’t then probably you have diverged from the main issue of the essay.

How to Write a Thesis Statement?

Writing a thesis statement is important when writing an essay on any topic, not just about social media. It is the key to holding your ideas and arguments together into just one sentence.

The following are tips on how to write a good thesis statement:

Start With a Question and Develop an Answer

If the question is not provided, come up with your own. Start by deciding the topic and what you would like to find out about it.

Secondly, after doing some initial research on the topic find the answers to the topic that will help and guide the process of researching and writing.

Consequently, if you write a thesis statement that does not provide information about your research topic, you need to construct it again.

Be Specific

The main idea of your essay should be specific. Therefore, the thesis statement of your essay should not be vague. When your thesis statement is too general, the essay will try to incorporate a lot of ideas that can contribute to the loss of focus on the main ideas.

Similarly, specific and narrow thesis statements help concentrate your focus on evidence that supports your essay. In like manner, a specific thesis statement tells the reader directly what to expect in the essay.

Make the Argument Clear

Usually, essays with less than one thousand words require the statement to be clearer. Remember, the length of a thesis statement should be a single sentence, which calls for clarity.

In these short essays, you do not have the freedom to write long paragraphs that provide more information on the topic of the essay.

Likewise, multiple arguments are not accommodated. This is why the thesis statement needs to be clear to inform the reader of what your essay is all about.

If you proofread your essay and notice that the thesis statement is contrary to the points you have focused on, then revise it and make sure that it incorporates the main idea of the essay. Alternatively, when the thesis statement is okay, you will have to rewrite the body of your essay.

Question your Assumptions

Before formulating a thesis statement, ask yourself the basis of the arguments presented in the thesis statement.

Assumptions are what your reader assumes to be true before accepting an argument. Before you start, it is important to be aware of the target audience of your essay.

Thinking about the ways your argument may not hold up to the people who do not subscribe to your viewpoint is crucial.

Alongside, revise the arguments that may not hold up with the people who do not subscribe to your viewpoint.

Take a Strong Stand

A thesis statement should put forward a unique perspective on what your essay is about. Avoid using observations as thesis statements.

In addition, true common facts should be avoided. Make sure that the stance you take can be supported with credible facts and valid reasons.

Equally, don’t provide a summary, make a valid argument. If the first response of the reader is “how” and “why” the thesis statement is too open-ended and not strong enough.

Make Your Thesis Statement Seen

The thesis statement should be what the reader reads at the end of the first paragraph before proceeding to the body of the essay. understanding how to write a thesis statement, leaves your objective summarized.

Positioning may sometimes vary depending on the length of the introduction that the essay requires. However, do not overthink the thesis statement. In addition, do not write it with a lot of clever twists.

Do not exaggerate the stage setting of your argument. Clever and exaggerated thesis statements are weak. Consequently, they are not clear and concise.

Good thesis statements should concentrate on one main idea. Mixing up ideas in a thesis statement makes it vague. Read on how to write an essay thesis as part of the steps to write good essays.

A reader may easily get confused about what the essay is all about if it focuses on a lot of ideas. When your ideas are related, the relation should come out more clearly.

21 Examples of Thesis Statements about Social Media

Recently, social media is growing rapidly. Ironically, its use in remote areas has remained relatively low.
Social media has revolutionized communication but it is evenly killing it by limiting face-to-face communication.
Identically, social media has helped make work easier. However,at the same time it is promoting laziness and irresponsibility in society today.
The widespread use of social media and its influence has increased desperation, anxiety, and pressure among young youths.
Social media has made learning easier but its addiction can lead to bad grades among university students.
As a matter of fact, social media is contributing to the downfall of mainstream media. Many advertisements and news are accessed on social media platforms today.
Social media is a major promoter of immorality in society today with many platforms allowing sharing of inappropriate content.
Significantly, social media promotes copycat syndrome that positively and negatively impacts the behavior adapted by different users.
In this affluent era, social media has made life easy but consequently affects productivity and physical strength.
The growth of social media and its ability to reach more people increases growth in today’s business world.
The freedom on social media platforms is working against society with the recent increase in hate speech and racism.
Lack of proper verification when signing up on social media platforms has increased the number of minors using social media exposing them to cyberbullying and inappropriate content.
The freedom of posting anything on social media has landed many in trouble making the need to be cautious before posting anything important.
The widespread use of social media has contributed to the rise of insecurity in urban centers
Magazines and journals have spearheaded the appreciation of all body types but social media has increased the rate of body shaming in America.
To stop abuse on Facebook and Twitter the owners of these social media platforms must track any abusive post and upload and ban the users from accessing the apps.
Social media benefits marketing by creating brand recognition, increasing sales, and measuring success with analytics by tracking data.
Social media connects people around the globe and fosters new relationships and the sharing of ideas that did not exist before its inception.
The increased use of social media has led to the creation of business opportunities for people through social networking, particularly as social media influencers.
Learning is convenient through social media as students can connect with education systems and learning groups that make learning convenient.
With most people spending most of their free time glued to social media, quality time with family reduces leading to distance relationships and reduced love and closeness.

23 Biggest Advantages and Disadvantages of Social Media

Social media has become an integral component of modern life. We use the various platforms in this industry to connect with friends, chat with family members, and catch up on the current events happening in our world. Over 70% of Americans have at least one profile, and over 3 billion people around the globe are counted as social media users.

The growth of social media over the past decade has been staggering. The participation rate for this industry in 2005 was only 5%. Most people didn’t even know what it was at the time, and for those who did, the option to create a MySpace page usually meant fancy backgrounds and personal playlists more than personal communication.

We can even go further back to the invention of blogging on the Internet for the first real taste of social media. The first accounts began appearing in the 1980s, and then free platforms like Blogger mixed with chat rooms from AOL and others to create new social opportunities. Now we have Facebook, Twitter, and many more.

The advantages and disadvantages of social media are many, so here are the critical points to review in each area.

List of the Advantages of Social Media

1. It is easier to carry out research work using social media. Today’s social media platforms are a fantastic study tool that students can use. These platforms make it possible to ask challenging questions that would be difficult to solve on one’s own. It is also an easier way to create group discussions or study opportunities when people are far away from one another. Students even have the option to post their research work online to help educate others on specific topics.

If you have a question that needs to get answered, a simple status update with your family and friends is usually enough to get what you need.

2. Social media can boost individual self-esteem levels. Modern social media might feel toxic to some individuals, but it can also be a place where everyone can express themselves freely. These platforms provide ways to join groups or fan pages where shared interests become a reflection of each person’s unique personality. It offers a way to embrace empowerment because it communicates that each opinion counts. This advantage can lead to a significant boost in personal self-esteem.

When someone feels confident because of the online interactions that happen on social media platforms, it is a character trait that transfers to physical life. Many people can pursue what they’re passionate about today because of the positive feedback they received with this tool.

3. It creates more equality in today’s world. When people have differing social, economic, or physical traits, then society naturally limits a person’s ability to interact at the same level as others when they have negative traits in those areas. Even if you are in a wheelchair, the presence of a curb to make you stand out in the general public. Social media can work to illuminate these stigmas.

Anyone with any disability can perform all of the activities that their peers can accomplish online because of social media. This advantage makes people feel like they belong to their communities instead of being separated from them.

4. Social media can help people to find meaningful employment opportunities. Social media has become a go-to resource for employers who need help. Each community has several jobs posted and applied for because of the tools that are available in this industry. These jobs can be full-time positions, part-time, volunteer, or internships. Contract jobs are available all of the time with this resource. That means each user has the option to create a unique profile that features their skills and interests.

You can find a job anywhere in the world if you’re willing to embrace self-employment because of the benefits that social media provides.

5. You can stay up-to-date on current trends and technology. We are living in an era where rapid technological advancements occur. The tools that we use today are items that were only a part of the imagination a mere 20 years ago. When we take the time to embrace the advantages of social media, then we get to use these widely available technologies that can benefit the world in numerous ways. Social media helps us to stay informed of the natural evolutionary processes of each industry.

This advantage also applies to current events. We can quickly find out what is happening in our communities, schools, workplaces, states, and countries. It is an essential way to equip ourselves with adequate knowledge of what is happening around us. This benefit helps us to make informed and empowered decisions.

6. Law enforcement can use social media to capture criminals. Law enforcement agencies in the United States say that social media is a tool that helps them to solve crimes faster. 85% of American police departments use this tool as a way to find suspects. These platforms are also instrumental in the prosecution and conviction of several criminals, including professional athletes charged with inappropriate activity with minors.

When we are willing to be truthful with one another, social media gives us a variety of ways to keep our neighborhoods and communities safer.

7. Social media gives us opportunities to start making new friends. According to research published by Pew Internet, 93% of adults say that they use Facebook to connect with family. 91% are using it to stay in touch with their current friends, while 87% say that the platform helps them catch up with the people they know from their past. Over half of the respondents to this project stated that they use the various social media outlets to make new friends, even if they know that they won’t be meeting those people in real life.

One of the reasons why we focus on these connections is because it allows us to feel like we are a part of each person’s life. 70% of teams that use social media say that it helps them to feel more connected to the emotions that we all experience every day.

8. Businesswomen receive empowerment because of social media. When we look at women CEOs in the Fortune 500, they are outnumbered by their male counterparts by a ratio of 10 to 1 in most years. Finding ways to network with each other and feel like an impossible task when it seems like the cards are stacked against you from the very start. Businesswomen have found that social media can empower them to make better decisions because they can stay connected with other entrepreneurs who are like them.

Women dominate the social media spectrum. They are 80% of Pinterest users, 70% of Snapchat users, and 68% of Instagram users. Men are also in the minority on Facebook and Twitter. Women use these tools to have business chats, create global connections, and receive peer-related knowledge.

9. Social media has the power to increase a person’s quality of life. The power of social media can be experienced on the individual level in a variety of ways. It can improve a person’s overall life satisfaction, help with stroke recovery, or create gains in memory retention. When someone has a large online social group, then there is typically a higher level of well-being experienced.

Friends on social media can also help people to stay accountable for their health and wellness goals. This benefit promotes more exercise, improved nutrition, weight loss, and other lifestyle habit changes that may be desirable.

10. Social media can facilitate face-to-face interactions. People often use social media as a way to network at face-to-face events. It’s a chance to get to know others before having personal or business meetings. Messaging opportunities that occur on these platforms can lead to real-life interactions because plans get made online, and then implemented off-line.

The average person will see their close friends in person over 200 days each year while messaging them an average of 39 days annually.

11. The use of social media can increase voter participation rates. Facebook reports that people are more likely to vote if they see others are doing the same thing. 35% of students said that the status updates from their family members and friends led them to vote in the 2016 presidential election in the United States. That means this influence is even higher than what television, radio, and direct mail provide.

12. Social media can help to remove social stigmas. Society contains several stigmas that the average person doesn’t think about until there are direct impacts on their life. Various campaigns are running right now to reduce the bias that exists surrounding learning disabilities, mental health concerns, and health issues that people face. These platforms have been useful in the reduction of homophobia, lowering HIV rates, and promoting educational opportunities.

We can use social media to tell our stories. The lessons that we’ve learned in life can provide mentorship opportunities for other people, even if we’ve never met them before. Although some people will always try to troll others, the benefits often far outweigh whatever disadvantages we might encounter.

List of the Disadvantages of Social Media

1. Social media enables the spreading of false information rapidly. Over 60% of Twitter users say that they have encountered news stories on that platform that eventually turned out to be false. About one in five people say that they had retweeted or posted something that they later discovered was false. Social media provides the advantage of giving information to all of us quickly, but the lies typically spread much faster than the truth. The reason why this happens is that we create echo chambers for ourselves with this tool.

When we surround ourselves with information that supports our personal opinions about the world, then the posts that we see on social media reinforce each bias that we have. Instead of seeking diversity, these platforms end up encouraging more segregation.

2. These platforms expose people to government intrusions. About half of the people that use social media right now say that they have problems trying to manage the privacy settings for the profile. Over 80% say that they don’t feel secure when using the sites to share private information. This disadvantage applies to corporate and government intrusions because of all of the data that we share on these platforms.

The U.S. government submitted over 43,000 requests for data from Facebook and Twitter in 2015. About four out of every five of them were honored by these organizations. The National Security Agency reportedly can monitor private social messages by entering a specific username into their system. That means what we share can go to everyone.

3. Social media causes student grades to drop. Students who use social media heavily tend to have lower grades at every level of education when compared to those who avoid these platforms. Over 30% of teens say that using social media during their homework reduces the quality of their studies, resulting in grades that were 20% lower. Students at the college or university level experience a 0.12 drop in GPA for every 93 minutes above the average amount of time spent on Facebook per day.

Students who identify as being heavy social media users have an average GPA of 3.06 across all grades. Those who don’t use these platforms regularly have an average GPA of 3.82.

4. These platforms can lead to offline relationship problems. About one in every three social media users reports that they have had an argument or fight with a friend or family member because of something that happened online. Over-using social media can potentially decrease a person’s success in real-life relationships as they get older because of how it can hinder communication development. People are less likely to pick up on nonverbal communication signals when messaging has been their primary form of talking to other people.

Active social media use can lead to higher levels of platform-related conflict between friends and romantic partners. Higher risks of conflict, infidelity, and divorce are all associated with above-average active users.

5. Social media can encourage people to waste a lot of time. The average person spends almost two hours every day browsing through their social media feeds. This figure represents over one-quarter of the total time that people spend online every day. When asked about what their biggest waste of time was every day, almost 40% of respondents referred to social media. That placed it above watching TV at 23% or playing fantasy sports at 25%.

When the average person received a notification about a new social media activity, then it takes up to 25 minutes for them to return to their original tasks. And 30% of these instances, it can take up to two hours to fully return their attention to what they were doing.

6. It can harm an individual’s employment prospects or job stability. Social media gives all of us an opportunity to express ourselves freely. That benefit doesn’t always translate into life stability. Job recruiters and hiring managers report feeling negative reactions to profanity, poor spelling and grammar, references to illegal drugs, and sexualized content when reviewing the profiles of their applicants. 55% say that they reconsidered someone based on what they saw of a person’s online activities.

This disadvantage applies to people from all walks of life. Former MLB pitcher Curt Schilling was terminated from ESPN because of comments he left on Facebook about transgender individuals. This action followed a suspension he’d received earlier for comparing radical Muslims to the Nazis.

7. Social media can be used to commit or promote criminal activity. Gangs are known to use social media as a way to recruit younger members. Terrorist organizations create propaganda to accomplish the same goal. These platforms are useful in the coordination of violent crimes or to threaten other people. Sex offenders use websites like this to find victims to exploit.

Almost 80% of burglars admit that they use several different social media platforms to select the properties of their victims. Over half of them say that they track that person’s posting status or current whereabouts to know when they can enter a home or business safely. Some criminals have even started live streaming their activities.

8. It places the lives of activists, journalists, and military personnel in danger. When military personnel use social media as a way to check in with location-based services, the activity can expose their current position. This data can then endanger certain operations. ISIS used these platforms to locate a freelance journalist who reported what life was like under their regime. Several bloggers in Bangladesh posted their thoughts about atheism online only to be killed by zealots who opposed their opinion.

This disadvantage happens all over the world. A blogger in Mexico was found murdered by a cartel with a note stating that the individual was reporting things on social networks.

9. Social media can encourage cyberbullying activities. Over half of students today say that they have encountered cyberbullying online directed at them at least once in the past year. 84% of the incidents occurred on Facebook. What makes this disadvantage such a devastating experience is the fact that the information is available all day, every day on a public forum. There is no way to take a break from it, and you don’t even need to be present for people to start this behavior.

Middle school students who are victims of cyberbullying are almost twice as likely to attempt suicide when compared to those who are not. Adults who experience this disadvantage can experience higher levels of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation.

10. The people who use social media are prone to isolation. Social media might provide opportunities for personal connections when used correctly, but it can also increase feelings of disconnect. This disadvantage is especially powerful for young people with disabilities. It places them in a higher risk category for eating disorders, low self-esteem, and clinical depression. Passively consuming social media content, including the scanning of posts without leaving a comment, is directly related to personal feelings of loneliness.

11. Children can endanger themselves on social media without realizing it. Kids don’t always understand the viral nature of social media posts. Even though young people traditionally are more tech-savvy than their parents and previous generations, social media is a different beast. Children and teens see activities that happen online that seem fun, and so they attempt to duplicate them in real life. Some of these incidents even happen accidentally.

Over 600 police officers once had to disperse a teen’s birthday party in the Netherlands because a private invitation ended up being public and going viral. Over 30,000 people showed up for the event. A similar issue happened in Los Angeles that resulted in the host of the party being hospitalized after an attack.

Social media gives us the opportunity to create an online extension of our physical lives. It creates more connections while facilitating communication. That’s why the use of Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Instagram have risen from about 26% in 2008 on all platforms to over 80% today.

There are always benefits of social networking to find if we’re willing to look for them. These online communities promote increased interaction with our family and friends, educational support from teachers, information about current events, and opportunities to create political or social change. It disseminates useful information to us all quickly.

The advantages and disadvantages of social media can also swing in the other direction. It can prevent face-to-face communication for some people, alter behavioral patterns, and expose our youth to potential predators. Even when individuals use it to spread false information, we still decide what we want to focus on with this platform. If we can stay disciplined in its use, then social media is a tremendous asset to the world.

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Social Media Cons and Prons: Evaluating Its Advantages and Disadvantage

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Benefits and harms of social media use: A latent profile analysis of emerging adults

Brian taehyuk keum.

1 Department of Social Welfare, University of California Los Angeles, 337 Charles E. Young Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90095 USA

Yu-Wei Wang

2 University of Maryland, College Park, MD USA

Julia Callaway

3 University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark

Israel Abebe

Seini o’connor.

4 Refugees As Survivors New Zealand, Auckland, New Zealand

Associated Data

The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are not publicly available due to confidentiality and privacy reasons set forth by the Institutional Review Board.

Not applicable.

The rise in social media use among emerging adults in the United States has been well-documented, but researchers are still working on identifying how the type—not just the frequency—of use impacts psychological well-being. We identified “profiles” of social media use among young adults based on the frequency and purposes of use, and examined their associations with benefits and harms to psychosocial well-being, using data from 2828 incoming undergraduate students ( M age = 18.29 years; age range: 17 to 25 years). Using Latent Profile Analysis, we identified three unique profiles of individuals who used social media with varying levels of intensity across different purposes: Active Users (32.4%), Passive Users (25.3%), and Average Users (42.4%). Each profile was associated with varying levels of beneficial and harmful psychosocial outcomes. Compared to Average Users, (a) Active Users reported significantly better psychosocial well-being, but also more harmful outcomes; and (b) Passive Users experienced significantly lower levels of perceived social media benefits and social connectedness, while also reporting less problematic social media use and social media stress. Implications of these findings for research and practice are discussed.

Emerging adulthood—defined broadly as the period of time from the late teens through the 20s, with a particular focus on ages 18-25 (Arnett, 2000 )—represents an important stage for the continuation of identity and psychological development. With the ubiquitous presence of social media in young adults’ lives (Pew Research Center, 2018 ), a growing body of research has documented the influence of social media on this developmental process (Mazalin & Moore, 2004 ; Subrahmanyam et al., 2008 ). Researchers have identified broad patterns of social media use—such as active, passive, and problematic use (Marino et al., 2018 ; Verduyn et al., 2017 )—and both harms and benefits associated with using social media (e.g., Verduyn et al., 2017 ). Others have uncovered specific patterns of social media use among adolescents (e.g., Bányai et al., 2017 ; Kurek et al., 2017 ) to identify groups of individuals that seem to be at greater mental health risk.

However, questions remain about the patterns of social media use among emerging adults that may lead to benefits or vulnerability to harmful psychological effects. Also, it is unclear whether the mixed research findings related to patterns of social media use and psychosocial outcomes were associated with “what” people use social media for. The majority of research on social media use has focused on frequency and amount of use and negative psychosocial outcomes (e.g., loneliness, distress), with less attention paid to the purpose of use and beneficial outcomes (e.g., social connection, meaning in life). To address this gap and to examine both the quantity and type of social media use in a comprehensive way, we used a novel approach to examine social media use patterns (“profiles”) of emerging adults based on the frequency and purpose of social media use and their differential associations with psychosocial benefits and harms.

Benefits and Patterns of Social Media Use

The Uses and Gratifications Theory on social media use (Katz et al., 1973 ; Ruggiero, 2000 ) suggest people use social media to fulfill their needs and motivation for gratification.

According to this theory, one major motivator for use and gratification is to connect with others online efficiently, selectively, and meaningfully, in order to fulfill their social needs and approval (Urista et al., 2009 ). There are a plethora of social media platforms that help individuals form their social capital, and their social media use is largely dictated by this process. Given the importance of social connection in the survival of human beings (Holt-Lunstad et al., 2010 ), social media has been noted as an important tool for social bonding and network building. For example, studies have found that online-mediated social connections promoted benefits and well-being among cybervictims (McLouglin et al., 2018 ) and buffered anxiety and isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic (Stuart et al., 2021 ).

In fact, research has identified a range of social, developmental, and emotional benefits associated with social media use (Anderson & Jiang, 2018 ; Duggan et al., 2015 ; GLSEN et al., 2013 ). A recent study by the Pew Research Center on teenagers’ habits and experiences of using social media indicated that a majority felt more connected to their friends, interacted with a more diverse group of people, and felt supported when they used social media (Anderson & Jiang, 2018 ). Gender Minority groups (e.g., lesbians, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth) may particularly benefit from the use of social media and other online resources that provide information, support, and feelings of meaningfulness, as well as those social media outlets that may assist in identity development and civic connectedness (GLSEN et al., 2013 ). Additionally, researchers have noted the potential of social media platforms to provide a prompt for reminiscence and increased meaning in life and have demonstrated how deeper engagement with personal social media content can facilitate connections with others, enhance self-knowledge, and increase a sense of connection between present and past selves (Thomas & Briggs, 2016 ). Research with young adults in Australia identified “Facebook connectedness” to be distinct from other forms of social connectedness, and to be significantly associated with lower depression and anxiety and greater life satisfaction (Grieve et al., 2013 ).

On the contrary, some researchers have linked social media use to harmful and deleterious effects on mental health (e.g., Marino et al., 2018 ; Twenge et al., 2018 ). While the Uses and Gratifications Theory (Katz et al., 1973 ; Ruggiero, 2000 ) suggests that social connection may be a major motivator of social media use, those who use social media for connection may also experience social isolation and comparison, which can in turn yield harmful outcomes such as loneliness and self-negativity (Primack et al., 2017 ). Comprehensive reviews of the literature documented the negative associations between social media use and various measures of psychological well-being (Frost & Rickwood, 2017 ; Verduyn et al., 2017 ). Specifically, across dozens of cross-sectional and longitudinal studies, researchers identified a pattern of small to medium positive associations between higher levels of social media use and harmful psychological outcomes (i.e., anxiety, depression, and distorted body image), and negative relationships between levels of social media use and subjective well-being.

These seemingly conflicting findings may be explained by psychosocial variables associated with more passive or active forms of engagement. The association between social media use and well-being appears to vary with the pattern or type of social media use. Some studies suggested that passive patterns of using social media (such as browsing others’ profiles or scrolling through feeds) were associated more consistently with harmful outcomes, whereas active patterns of social media use (such as self-disclosing online, engaging with others, and sharing links) were more consistently related to beneficial outcomes (Frost & Rickwood, 2017 ; Verduyn et al., 2017 ). Other studies suggested that harmful outcomes were associated with more intense patterns of social media use that promote upward social comparison, envy, brooding, and more negative and emotional self-disclosures (which may be more likely when users are only “looking” at others’ lives and not interacting with them), whereas beneficial outcomes were associated with patterns of use that promote perceived social support, social capital, and social connectedness (Frost & Rickwood, 2017 ; for a summary, see Verduyn et al., 2017 ). Marino et al. ( 2018 ) further proposed that “problematic” patterns of use—characterized not only by a high frequency of social media use but also addiction-like symptoms and struggles with self-regulation—led to poor psychological outcomes. These researchers found that psychological distress was significantly higher among young adults across 23 independent samples who exhibited “problematic” patterns of Facebook use.

Groups of Individuals with Distinct Patterns of Social Media Use

Noting the importance of differentiating between types of social media use, a growing number of studies examined psychosocial factors associated with different levels and patterns of use among individuals. For example, Wilson et al. ( 2010 ) examined whether social media use among 201 university students was predicted by their scores on the NEO Five-Factor Personality Inventory. They found that extroverted and less conscientious students reported significantly greater social media use and addictive inclinations. Another study showed that individuals with greater social comparison tendencies reported greater social media use (Tandoc et al., 2015 ). Additionally, one study demonstrated that negative collective self-esteem was associated with online social compensation among first-year college students—those who felt negatively about their social group used social media to connect with other group members and to feel better about themselves (Barker, 2009 ). As for other psychosocial factors, Caplan ( 2007 ) found that both self-reported loneliness and social anxiety among 343 undergraduate students were significantly associated with a preference for online interactions. In this study, they also found that social anxiety explained more variance in predicting preference for online interactions, which in turn significantly predicted greater problems in keeping up with their school, work, and social engagements. Overall, a wide range of personal characteristics and individual tendencies seem to differentiate individuals’ social media use patterns.

Against this backdrop, researchers have employed statistical analyses to identify different clusters of internet and social media use behaviors and examine whether certain patterns are associated with greater benefits or harms. For example, Eynon and Malmberg ( 2011 ) conducted Latent Profile Analysis on 1069 children and teenagers in the United Kingdom (ages 8-19) and found that, based on internet use, individuals clustered into peripheral, normative, and all-rounder/active participator groups. Using a latent segmentation approach, Alarcón-del-Amo et al. ( 2011 ) found four groups (introvert, novel, versatile, and expert-communicator) that differed in the frequency of social media use among 399 internet users (ages 16-74). Both studies found nuanced patterns of social media use that seem to be distinguished by the activities performed on social media and frequency of use. While these patterns are informative in understanding different themes of social media behaviors, they do not account for the purpose or motivation behind these behaviors that could further provide greater nuance in profiling social media use.

Beyond the level of use, other studies have examined contextual patterns of use or patterns in relation to psychological outcomes. For example, Bányai et al. ( 2017 ) used Latent Profile Analysis on data from 5961 adolescents in Europe regarding their social media addiction and found that about 4.5% were at risk for social media addiction, while 17.2% and 78.3% were at low- and no-risk, respectively. Using a similar methodology, Kurek et al. ( 2017 ) found four clusters of information and communication technology use among 933 adolescents: average use, elevated use (of all forms of technology), high video game-low social media use, and high social media and internet use. As expected, they found that adolescents in the elevated and high video game groups reported poorer identity such as false self-perception and lower self-image satisfaction, compared with the average use group. Kurek et al. ( 2017 ) also found significant relationships between the elevated and the high social media/internet use groups and self-reported problem behaviors (e.g., with friends), relative to the average group. Using a similar approach, Ilakkuvan et al. ( 2019 ) conducted a Latent Profile Analysis with 1062 young adults who used social media and found five classes: low users (lower use of social media compared to full sample), high users (higher use of social media compared to full sample), professional users (high use of professional social media such as Linkedin, low use of creative social media such as Vine), creative users (high use of vine and Tumblr, low use of Linkedin), and mainstream users (high use of Facebook and YouTube, and average use of other social media). Compared to high users, creative users had higher odds of using substances and lower odds of depressive symptoms, mainstream users had higher odds of using substances socially (alcohol and hookah), professional users had higher odds of using alcohol, cigarettes, and cigars, and low users had higher odds of using other drugs (e.g., cocaine and heroin). Altogether, findings in these studies suggested that certain patterns of use may be more likely to be associated with harmful outcomes.

The Present Study

Based on our review, we aimed to fill two gaps in the literature. First, whereas most studies have examined social media use patterns based on the frequency of use of different social media platforms (e.g., Fardouly & Vartanian, 2015 ; Manago et al., 2015 ), we developed and employed more comprehensive social media use items differentiating patterns of use by frequency and purpose (e.g., staying connected with friends and family; networking; meeting new people; expressing ideas). Building on the Uses and Gratifications Theory (Katz et al., 1973 ; Ruggiero, 2000 ), this approach allows for a reflection of the driving forces behind certain social media activities and provides context for explaining the profiles that emerge from our study. Secondly, while most studies have focused on the psychological harms in relation to patterns of social media use, we also tested different social media patterns in relation to psychological benefits . As reviewed above and based on the Uses and Gratifications Theory that suggests motivation for social media use to fulfill social needs (Katz et al., 1973 ; Ruggiero, 2000 ), social media use presents a plethora of potential benefits in terms of social connectedness, online support, life satisfaction, and the development of one’s identity and sense of self. Therefore, we believe it is equally important to understand, promote, and capitalize on these beneficial outcomes.

We conducted Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) to uncover different types of social media users among emerging adults based on items regarding purposes of social media use. We then examined whether there may be significant differences among the groups regarding the benefits and harms associated with social media use. Beneficial outcomes include factors such as perceived social media-related benefits, satisfaction with life, social connectedness, and a sense of meaning in life. Harmful outcomes include factors that indicate poorer psychological well-being, such as social media-related stress, problematic social media use, and lack of social comfort on social media. Our hypotheses on these associations were contingent on the different profiles that emerged from our sample. However, based on previous research on adolescents and adults, we hypothesized that there would be higher levels of both harmful and beneficial outcomes associated with more active users, while the reverse may be true for passive users.

Participants and Procedure

The study received Institutional Review Board approval (#316599-15). Data for the current study was drawn from archival data consisting of 2828 undergraduates (mean age = 18.3 years; age range: 17 to 25 years) who were newly entering a large Mid-Atlantic public university. The data were collected as part of an incoming student survey administered in August of 2018. We arrived at the sample size of 2828 from the original 4321 by removing cases who failed both attention-check questions (one appearing halfway and one at the end of the survey), indicated that they do not use social media, reported ages older than 25, and were missing data on the primary study variables. Because the LPA analysis strategy requires large sample sizes (Nylund-Gibson & Choi, 2018 ), we maximized the sample size possible.

Participants identified racially/ethnically as White (55.3%), Asian/Asian American (21.8%), Black/African American (6.9%), Chicano/Hispanic/Latino/a (4.2%), Middle Eastern/North African (1.6%), and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (0.1%). One in 10 (10%) identified as bi- or multi-racial, selecting more than one of these racial backgrounds. Over half identified as female (53.1%), and 46% as male, while 0.9% identified as transgender, gender non-conforming, or having a different gender identity.

Social Media Use

We developed items to capture students’ frequency and type of social media use. First, we asked students to rank-order social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Tumblr, Twitter, and Other—please specify) based on how much they used these social media platforms. Second, we asked students to identify their frequency of use of social media across all of these platforms, on a 1 ( never ) to 5 ( very often ) scale, for each of the 16 different purposes represented by the following categories: social connection (e.g., “staying connected with friends and family”), support and help (e.g., “seeking advice, help, or support from others”), tangible benefits (e.g., “getting income”), entertainment (e.g., following sports/fitness), and casual use (e.g., “passing time without a particular purpose;” see Fig. 1 for all 16 purposes). Third, we asked students on a scale of 1 ( never ) to 10 ( all the time ) how often they: a) “Check your social media account(s)”, b) “Actively use your social media account(s) (e.g., posting status updates, sharing links, reacting and commenting on friends’ walls, or sending messages),” and c) “Passively use your social media account(s) (e.g., scrolling through your newsfeed, looking at friends’ pages, pictures, and status updates).” We then (a) examined the total number of distinct social media platforms they engaged with and the order of the platforms based on the frequency of use, (b) calculated the average frequency for each of the 16 purposes of social media use items, and (c) calculated a mean score for their overall, active, and passive social media use.

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Plot of mean responses to 16 Purpose of Use variables, overall and by class

Benefits of Social Media Use

One-item social media benefits.

We developed a stand-alone item asking students to rate their agreement to the statement “I get the benefit, support, and help I need from social media.” Students indicated their response on a six-point Likert-type scale (1 = “strongly disagree” to 6 = “strongly agree” ).

Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS; Diener et al., 1985 )

This measure has five items presenting statements that respondents are invited to agree or disagree with (on a 7-point Likert-type scale ranging from 1 = “ strongly disagree” to “ strongly agree” ). Example items include “In most ways my life is close to my ideal” and “I am satisfied with my life.” Scores on each item are averaged to produce an overall score, with higher scores indicating higher life satisfaction. It shows convergent validity with other measures of subjective well-being across two samples (Diener et al., 1985 ), such as other measures of life satisfaction ( r = .62 to .66), single-item measures of life satisfaction as a whole ( r = .62 to .68), semantic-differential measurements of present life ( r = .59 to.75), and affect balance including relationships with positive affect ( r = .50 to .51) and negative affect ( r = −.32 to −.37). Additionally, in their review of the literature, Diener et al. ( 2013 ) reported a relationship between satisfaction with life scales, including the SWLS, and non-self-report measures of life satisfaction, such as ratings made by trained raters based on interviews conducted with the participants (Diener et al., 2013 ). Reliability estimates in past studies have been reported to be.80 or higher (Diener et al., 2013 ). For our sample, α = .87.

Social Connectedness Scale – Revised 15 Item Version (SC-15; Lee et al., 2008 )

This scale measures individuals’ sense of belonging to and being in connection with their social world. It was shortened from the 20-item Social Connectedness Scale-Revised (SCS; Lee et al., 2001 ) to remove items cross-loading across social connectedness and extraversion. Respondents are asked to rate their agreement to statements such as “I am able to relate to my peers” and “Even around people I know, I don’t feel that I really belong” (reverse scored) on a scale from 1 (“strongly disagree”) to 6 (“strongly agree”). Both versions of the scale have convergent validity and are significantly correlated with—but conceptually distinct from—extraversion; r = .62 ( p < .01) for the 20-item version and r = .55 ( p < .01) for the 15-item version (Lee et al., 2008 ). Additionally, Lee et al. ( 2008 ) found the SC-15 to be significantly correlated with life satisfaction ( r = .50, p < .01), affect balance ( r = .52, p < .01), positive affect ( r = .40, p < .01), and negative affect ( r = −.41, p < .01). They also reported good reliability in a general college sample (α = .93). For our sample, α = .94.

Meaning in Life Measure (MILM; Hill et al., 2018 )

This 8-item measure has two subscales, assessing agreement on a 1 (“ extremely disagree ”) to 9 (“ extremely agree ”) scale with items related to Experience of meaning in life (e.g., “I have something I want to accomplish in my life”) and Reflectivity about meaning in life (e.g., “There are times in my life when I think about what it all means”). Hill et al. ( 2018 ) found the measure to have good construct and concurrent validity, showing positive relationships with other measures of meaning in life ( r = .69, p < .001), subjective well-being ( r = .56-.67, p < .001), extraversion ( r = .26, p < .001), agreeableness ( r = .42, p < .001), conscientiousness ( r = .35, p < .001), and openness ( r = .36, p < .001). Hill and colleagues also reported high test-retest reliability, and good internal consistency across the total scale (α = .85) and each of the subscales (α = .82 for Experience and α = .86 for Reflectivity). For our sample, α = .87 for the full scale, α = .79 for the Experience subscale, and α = .88 for the Reflectivity subscale.

Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ-Search; Steger et al., 2006 )

This measure contains 10 items assessing perceived meaning in life across two subscales: Presence and Search. For this study, we used the five-item Search subscale, which asks participants to rate a series of statements (e.g., “I am always looking for something that makes my life feel meaningful”) on a scale of 1 (absolutely untrue) to 10 (absolutely true). The “Presence” subscale overlaps with the “Experience” subscale in the MILM, and therefore was not included in the survey. Steger and colleagues reported good convergent validity for the Search subscale, showing significant correlations with fear ( r = .25, p < .005), shame ( r = .19, p < .05), sadness ( r = .26, p < .005), neuroticism ( r = .20, p < .05), and depression ( r = .36, p < .005). They also reported good test-retest reliability and high internal consistency of the Search subscale (α = .87) in their undergraduate student samples. For our sample, α = .94.

Harms of Social Media Use

One-item social media stress.

We developed a stand-alone item asking students to rate their agreement to the statement “social media brings additional stress to my life.” Students indicated their response on a six-point Likert-type scale (1 = “strongly disagree” to 6 = “strongly agree”).

Emotional Thermometers (Mitchell, 2007 ; Mitchell et al., 2010 )

This measure asked participants to indicate their level of depression, distress, anxiety, and anger on visual thermometers with “temperature” levels ranging from 0 to 10, where 0 = “none” and 10 = “extreme.” Participants marked the number that best described how much emotional upset they had been experiencing in the week prior to taking the survey, including the day they completed the survey. The thermometers have been validated against other diagnostic measures in a clinical sample and found to have adequate specificity and sensitivity. Specifically, Mitchell ( 2007 ) reported in a meta-analysis the pooled sensitivity (77%) and specificity (66%) of the Distress thermometer against various validated measures in ten different studies. Additionally, Mitchell and colleageus (Mitchell et al., 2010 ) reported that as compared to the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) total score (Zigmond & Snaith, 1983 ), the Anger thermometer was optimal with 61% sensitivity and 92% specificity. As compared to the HADS anxiety scale, the Anxiety thermometer was optimal with 92% sensitivity and 61% specificity. As compared to the HADS depression scale (60% sensitivity and 78% specificity) and the DSM-IV screening for major depression (80% sensitivity and 79% specificity), the Depression thermometer was optimal.

Three Item Loneliness Scale (Hughes et al., 2004 )

This measure was developed as a shortened form of the Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale (R-UCLA; Russell et al., 1980 ) suitable for inclusion in longer surveys. The three items assess how often respondents lack companionship, feel left out, and feel isolated, measured on a 3-point Likert-type scale (1 = “hardly ever” to 3 = “often”). The average score across the three items is calculated, with higher scores indicating greater loneliness. Hughes et al. ( 2004 ) reported that the scale had acceptable internal reliability (α = .72) in older adult samples and was highly correlated with scores on the original R-UCLA scale (r = .82, p < .001) and with scores on loneliness-related items in the Center for Epidemiologic Studies–Depression Scale (CES-D; Turvey et al., 1999 ), demonstrating convergent validity. For our sample, α = .82.

Problematic Social Media Use

This measure is an adaptation of the short-form of the Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire (PIUQ-9; Koronczai et al., 2011 ), which was developed from the longer 18-item PIUQ (Demetrovics et al., 2008 ). For the purposes of our study, we changed PIUQ items referring to “the Internet” to refer to “social media.” Respondents were asked to indicate on a scale from 1 (“never”) to 5 (“always”) how frequently they engaged in problematic behaviors on three subscales: Obsession (e.g., “How often do you feel tense, irritated, or stressed if you cannot be on social media for as long as you want to?”), Neglect (e.g., “How often do you neglect household chores to spend more time on social media?”) or Lack of Control (e.g., “How often does it happen to you that you wish to decrease the amount of time spent on social media but you do not succeed?”).

In initially developing the scale through testing with an online community sample of young adults, Demetrovics et al. ( 2008 ) reported acceptable/good internal consistency across the three subscales (α ranging from .74 to .87), and high test-retest reliability (r = .903, p < .001). For the briefer version, Koronczai et al. ( 2011 ) reported good whole-scale reliability in both adolescent (α = .87) and adult (α = .84) samples. Neither scale has been clinically validated for the diagnosis of internet addiction, although Demetrovics et al. ( 2008 ) found that higher PIUQ scores were positively associated with other addictive behaviors, such as the use of slots ( F = .131, p = .011) and other gaming machines ( F = 4.501, p = .025). They also provided support for the validity of the PIUQ as a tool for assessing patterns of use by collecting corresponding data on participants’ internet habits and demographic data. For our sample, α = .86.

Online Cognition Scale-Social Comfort Subscale (Davis et al., 2004 )

The Online Cognition Scale is a 36-item questionnaire designed to measure problematic Internet use. The full OCS has four subscales (Loneliness/depression, Lack of Impulse Control, Social Comfort, and Distraction). We used only the 13-item Social Comfort subscale for this study, replacing the reference to “online” with reference to “on social media.” Higher Social Comfort is regarded in this study as a further indicator of problematic social media use. Respondents rate their agreement on a 1 (“Strongly disagree”) to 7 (“Strongly agree”) scale for items such as “I say or do things on social media that I could never do in person” and “I wish my friends and family knew how people regard me on social media,” from which an average Social Comfort score is calculated. Davis et al. ( 2004 ) reported that the Social Comfort subscale showed (a) convergent validity with related measures of rejection sensitivity ( r = .41, p < .001), procrastination ( r = .23, p < .001), loneliness ( r = .37, p < .001), and feelings of competency online ( r = .62, p < .001), and (b) good reliability (α = .87) in their sample of undergraduate students. For our sample, α = .86.

Our overall aims were to understand the distinct class profiles of social media use among college students based on the purpose of use, and to quantify how these profiles were associated with beneficial and harmful outcomes. We used LPA, which serves as a person-centered statistical tool. LPA was conducted with Mplus version 8.2 using estimation of robust standard errors to account for non-normality. Akaike (AIC) and Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC) were assessed to select the best-fitting class solution. Lower values of AIC and BIC by at least 10 units suggest an empirically significant better fit. In conjunction, entropy values and significance tests of the Lo-Mendell-Rubin adjusted Likelihood Ratio Test (aLRT) were examined to support empirical identification of a best fitting class solution. Higher entropy values indicate a greater distinction of classes within a solution and a significant LRT indicates that an n number of classes is significantly better than an n-1 model. Interpretability of the fit was also based on significant class membership probabilities. Solutions with class membership probabilities less than 5% were not considered.

Based on the 16 items indicating the purposes of social media use, one to five-class solutions were considered. Model fit comparisons, parsimony, and class membership probabilities were all considered in selecting the best-fitting class solution. Table 1 presents the sequential class solutions. The three-class solution was identified as the best-fitting class solution, primarily using the aLRT tests. Both the AIC and BIC sequentially decreased from one to four-class solutions, and increased in the five-class model, but the aLRT test was not significant for the four-class model. This indicated that the four-class solution did not significantly fit the data better than the three-class model, and that a fourth cluster did not necessarily represent a meaningful class beyond a three-class solution. The entropy for the three-class solution was 0.79, indicating that there was a meaningful distinction between the classes. All class membership probabilities were greater than 5%, with the smallest class representing 25.3% of the sample.

Sequential class solutions for latent profile analysis

Classes	LL	AIC	BIC	aBIC	Entropy	aLRT
1	−60,872	121,871.715	122,252.343	122,048.993
2	−58,159	116,576.074	117,343.279	116,933.401	0.790	<0.001
3	−56,971	114,330.634	115,484.415	114,868.009	0.789	<0.001
4	−56,341	113,201.566	114,741.923	113,918.990	0.828	0.8061
5	−55,867	112,382.281	114,309.214	113,279.754	0.824	0.7756

LL Log Likelihood, AIC Akaike Information Criteria, BIC Bayesian

Information Criteria, aBIC Adjusted Bayesian Information Criteria, aLRT

Lo-Mendell-Rubin adjusted Likelihood Ratio Test

We examined the following results to develop appropriate labels for each class: (a) summary statistics across each profile for each of the 16 purposes of the social media use variable, (b) the number of platforms the respondents used, and (c) the frequency of social media use. The three profiles varied in the level of engagement in each of the social media activities. Figure 1 displays the overall mean responses as well as the means by class across the 16 social media use purposes. Table 2 includes the frequencies of checking social media in general, as well as active and passive use, among the full sample and three groups.

Means and standard deviations of the types of social media use

	Mean*
Active Users ( )
Checking social media account/s	8.32	1.34
Actively using social media	6.00	2.40
Passively using social media	8.18	1.64
Passive Users ( )
Checking social media account/s	6.53	1.92
Actively using social media	3.50	2.16
Passively using social media	6.29	2.17
Average Users ( )
Checking social media account/s	7.44	1.33
Actively using social media	4.94	2.19
Passively using social media	7.14	1.53
Overall Sample ( )
Checking social media account/s	7.50	1.64
Actively using social media	4.92	2.44
Passively using social media	7.26	1.89

*Items were rated on a scale of 1 ( never ) to 10 ( all the time )

Uses of Social Media

Overall, the participants primarily (i.e., “ sometimes ” to “ very ofte n” on a scale of 1 = “ never ” to 5 = “ very often” ) used social media for nine purposes: entertainment, passing time without a particular purpose, browsing, staying connected with friends and family members, sharing good or interesting things with friends, casually looking at what other people are doing or posting about, seeking information, keeping up with trends, and following sports/fitness (see Fig. Fig.1). 1 ). On average, the participants used three to four social media platforms (μ = 3.73, SD = 1.24). On a scale of 1 (“ never” ) to 10 (“ all the time” ), on average, participants checked their social media accounts between several times a day and once an hour (μ = 7.50, SD = 1.64), actively updated their social media accounts between once a week and several times a week (μ = 4.92, SD = 2.44), and passively used social media between several times a day and once an hour (μ = 7.26, SD = 1.89).

Types of Users

When looking at the characteristics of the three-class profiles, an “Active User” group emerged, which represented 32.4% of the sample. Students in this group primarily (at least “sometimes”) used social media platforms for all but three (i.e., seeking advice, venting, and getting income) of the 16 purposes and used them at a higher frequency for these reasons, compared to Average and Passive Users (see Fig. Fig.1). 1 ). On average, students in this group used more than four different social media platforms—the only group to do so. The “Active Users” checked social media more frequently than the other two groups – between once an hour and several times an hour (μ = 8.32, SD = 1.34) and actively engaged with social media about once a day (μ = 6.00, SD = 2.40), while also passively using social media between once an hour and several times an hour (μ = 8.18, SD = 1.64). In sum, Active Users used more social media outlets for more varying purposes and visited these platforms more frequently than Average and Passive Users (see Table Table1 1 ).

The second group that emerged was the “Passive Users” group. This group represented 25.3% of the study sample, and primarily used social media for five purposes: to be entertained, pass time, browse, stay connected with friends/family, and casually looking at what other people are doing or posting about. It is important to note that Passive Users used social media for these purposes at frequency levels that were much lower than the overall study sample. They used around 3 different social media platforms (μ = 3.08, SD = 1.26). Students in this group checked social media less frequently than the other two groups – between once a day and several times a day (μ = 6.53, SD = 1.92), actively used social media less frequently – between several times a month to once a week (μ = 3.50, SD = 2.16), and passively used social media less frequently – between once a day to several times a day (μ = 6.29, SD = 2.17).

Lastly, an “Average User” group emerged between the Active Users and Passive Users. This group represented 42.4% of the sample, making it the largest group. This group primarily used social media for nine purposes (all purposes, except for networking, meeting new people, expressing ideas, venting, seeking advice, getting income, and help with school). They reported using between three and four social media platforms (μ = 3.79, SD = 1.15). Overall, Average Users’ patterns of use are less frequent than Active Users’ and more frequent than Passive Users’. They checked social media several times a day to once an hour (μ = 7.44, SD = 1.33), actively used social media close to several times a week (μ = 4.94, SD = 2.19), and passively used social media between several times a day to once an hour (μ = 7.14, SD = 1.53).

Social Media Use Profile Membership and Psychosocial Outcomes

Once we identified the most appropriate number of class profiles, we used categorical regressions to build models to investigate the relationship between class (the independent variable) and each of the “benefits” and “harms” outcome variables, using the Average Users as the reference group. This allows examination of whether the Active and Passive Users generally scored significantly higher or lower in the outcome variables in relation to Average Users. The “benefits” outcome variables were: perceived social media benefits, life satisfaction, and social connectedness, as well as experience, reflection, and search for the meaning of life. The “harms” outcome variables were: perceived social media stress, distress, anxiety, anger, depression, loneliness, problematic social media use, and social comfort on social media. We used RStudio version 1.1.463 to conduct the categorical regression analyses. To avoid the risk of Type I error in interpreting the regression results, we adopted a conservative alpha of 0.01 to determine significance.

Compared to the Average Users, on average, Active Users had significantly higher levels of all beneficial outcomes, except for satisfaction with life, and higher levels of all the harmful outcomes listed, except for distress and loneliness. Relative to the Average Users, on average, Passive Users reported significantly lower levels of beneficial outcomes on two measures (perceived social media benefits and social connectedness), and lower levels of harmful outcomes on three measures (lower levels of social media stress, problematic social media use, social comfort on social media). Tables 3 and and4 4 show the complete results of the categorical regression models.

Categorical regression coefficients of “Beneficial” psychosocial outcomes

Variables	Active Users		Passive Users
	β		β
Social Media Benefits	0.27	<0.001	−0.72	<0.001
Satisfaction with Life	0.29	0.30	0.24	0.42
Social Connectedness	1.69	0.004	−2.75	<0.001
Presence of Meaning	0.29	<0.001	−0.11	0.10
Reflection of Meaning	0.34	<0.001	−0.08	0.32
Search for Meaning	0.31	<0.001	−0.16	0.01

Referent group is Average Users

Categorical regression coefficients of “Harmful” psychosocial outcomes

Variables	Active Users		Passive Users
	β		β
Social Media Stress	0.33	<0.001	−0.29	<0.001
Distress	0.27	0.02	−0.27	0.03
Anxiety	0.66	<0.001	−0.18	0.19
Anger	0.46	<0.001	−0.16	0.16
Depression	0.32	0.006	−0.12	0.32
Loneliness	0.14	0.05	0.16	0.04
Problematic Social Media Use	1.75	<0.001	−3.04	<0.001
Social Comfort on Social Media	2.09	<0.001	−5.82	<0.001

The current study examined the social media use patterns among emerging adults (18-25) based on their frequency of social media use for different purposes. As with previous studies that found multiple groups of distinct use (e.g., Bányai et al., 2017 ; Ilakkuvan et al., 2019 ; Kurek et al., 2017 ), we found three unique profiles of individuals who used social media for different purposes: Active, Passive, and Average Users. We also found associations between these profiles and beneficial/harmful psychosocial outcomes. Notably, our study appears to be the first to examine differences in perceived benefits and harms associated with social media use profiles among emerging adults. These associations provide important nuances to understanding how individuals with varying purposes and levels of social media use may reap benefits, while also incurring some psychological costs.

One major trend observed in our findings is that regardless of which profile of social media use individuals fit within, it appeared that students who participated in our study experienced a combination of both beneficial and harmful outcomes associated with social media use. There was no one particular profile that experienced only beneficial or only harmful outcomes. As expected, the Active Users reported significantly higher benefits (except for satisfaction with life) and more harmful psychosocial outcomes (except for distress and loneliness) than the Average Users. The results explain the “double-edged sword” effect of social media, in which the benefits reaped by the Active Users came with psychological costs. In line with previous literature (e.g., Bányai et al., 2017 ), the Active profile resembled an “at-risk” group for experiencing harmful outcomes. However, our findings on the perceived benefits provided additional insight: perhaps the motive for individuals in this group to continue to actively engage in social media may be from the high level of benefits and sense of connectedness they gained from it, although they also suffered and faced stress from social media use.

Whereas most previous studies on social media use patterns found that passive users were usually associated with harmful outcomes (Frost & Rickwood, 2017 ; Verduyn et al., 2017 ), we found nuanced context to understand their experiences by exploring both beneficial and harmful outcomes among emerging adults. As with the Active Users, the Passive Users also reported beneficial and harmful outcomes associated with social media use, but this group appeared to experience significantly lower levels of both sets of outcomes than the Average Users. These individuals reported significantly lower social media stress, problematic social media use, and social comfort on social media. Thus, one might speculate that this group resembles a “low-risk” group. However, our findings also suggest that they experienced fewer benefits associated with social media use—such as lower social connectedness. It appears that Passive Users may experience fewer harmful psychological outcomes, but they may be “missing out” on potential benefits that may be helpful in building relationships and networks.

Of note, meaning in life was a potential outcome of social media use in our study. Despite social media’s potential for facilitating a search for meaning in life (Thomas & Briggs, 2016 ), no studies have directly examined this process. Given the plethora of information available and the different types of social connections that can be made on social media, it is reasonable to anticipate that individuals may develop greater insight into their meaning in life or use social media to search for meaning. In fact, we found that the Active Users scored significantly higher on the presence of, reflection on, and search for meaning when compared to Average Users. No previous research appeared to connect meaning in life with social media use, but we can speculate as to why this pattern of results emerged. In line with the Uses and Gratifications Theory (Ruggiero, 2000 ), it is possible that Active Users were more likely to frequently seek information or to form social connections that helped with the development of their own meaning in life. Indeed, Active Users reported the most social connectedness among the three groups. Active Users may depend heavily on online relationships within which they formed their insights about their meaning in life in relation to others in the world. Collectively, our results provide evidence of nuanced processes of social media use that may contribute to emerging adults’ meaning in life and well-being.

Limitations

We acknowledged that there are several limitations to our study. First, our results were based on a college sample from a university in the Mid-Atlantic region and thus we are not able to generalize our findings to college students in other geographical regions and to non-college populations. Second, although we developed new items that reflect purposes of social media use across multiple domains of use (e.g., social network, information seeking, entertainment), participants may have used social media for other purposes that were not captured in the current set of items. Furthermore, future research would need to examine the psychometric validity of these measures and test to see if our findings may be replicated. Third, given the self-report nature of these items (as well as our outcome measures), we may have captured more subjective, rather than objective, experiences of social media use and its relation to harms and benefits. Therefore, responses may have been subject to self-perception and recall bias. Lastly, causal relations between the variables of interest may not be inferred from our cross-sectional research design.

Implications for Practice

Despite these limitations, we believe our approach and results have important implications for future practice and research. First, the social media use items we developed and the profile types we identified showed potential as a tool for clinicians and other mental health professionals. Because the current study drew data from a single cross-sectional university student sample, future studies can further validate the social media use items with diverse populations so that it can be used as a tool to assess different dimensions of maladaptive social media use. The three profiles may be used to conceptualize people’s patterns of social media use and identify related psychological risks and protective factors. Second, to date, most studies on social media use patterns have examined primarily harmful outcomes. The most salient contribution of our study is that we examined the benefits as well as the costs associated with social media use. This enabled us to identify a “double-edged sword” effect of experiencing both harms and benefits, which has important implications. Our results suggest that while Active Users experienced “costs” from their social media use, they also perceived that they were benefiting from their social media use, which may have motivated them to actively use social media more. It is important for clinicians, educators, and other professionals to understand these perceived benefits, while being wary of the harmful effects of problematic or frequent social media use.

Implications for Future Research

For future research, we believe it is important to examine the mechanisms for social media harms and benefits, and to test potential interventions to minimize the harms, while maintaining or enhancing the benefits. Additionally, it would be important to conduct research on approaches that can promote the benefits more effectively, especially among Passive Users that seem to be “missing out” on the benefits of social media use, while also helping Active Users to understand the concurring costs of social media. Moreover, future studies should consider predictors of the different patterns of social media use. Although we have identified three descriptive clusters of social media use, we are limited in what we can say about the factors that lead to such patterns. Many factors may differentiate adults’ social media use, including individual differences (e.g., personality differences), group factors (e.g., collective self-esteem, group social identity), and offline social contextual variables such as relationship satisfaction and sense of belongingness. For example, it would be important for future researchers to assess how the benefits and harms fof social media use may be contextualized among underrepresented and marginalized youth and emerging adults (e.g., racial minority individuals, LGBTQ individuals). As Dari et al. ( 2021 ) suggested, community-based participatory research could be used to explore ecologically valid and relevant lived experiences of social media use that can inform how the harms may involve experiences such as online racism (Keum & Miller, 2017 , 2018 ) and benefits can include culturally-relevant social support networks (Keum, 2017 ). Another opportunity for future research would be to examine differences in psychosocial outcomes based on social media platforms. There is evidence from social media marketing research that social media users may engage with social media platforms differently, which could lead to different psychosocial outcomes (Goodrich & de Mooij, 2013 ). In addition to quantitative methods, researchers can consider innovative qualitative approaches such as the Online Photovoice method which gives participants opportunities to express their own lived experiences online with as little bias and influence from the researchers (Tanhan & Strack, 2020 ). Finally, our data were collected prior to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is unclear how the reliance on internet connections during the pandemic may have influenced young adults’ social media use and its relationship with psychosocial well-being. The interaction between COVID-19-related psychosocial implications and social media use would need to be studied.

In conclusion, with the ever-growing presence and influence of social media on the day-to-day lives of emerging adults, who are going through a critical developmental stage, it is crucial that the full extent of the effects on users’ psychological and overall well-being are thoroughly investigated and understood. The knowledge base that our study has added can inform educational and other interventions aiming to optimize the benefits and minimize the harms associated with social media, and help emerging adults navigate the right balance in this digital world.

Acknowledgements

Portions of the research findings were presented at the 2020 American Psychological Association Annual Meeting.

Authors’ Contribution

Brian TaeHyuk Keum: Conceptualization, Methodology, Software, Formal analysis, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing, Visualization, Supervision, Project Administration.

Yu-Wei Wang: Conceptualization, Methodology, Investigation, Resources, Writing – review & editing, Supervision, Project administration, Funding acquisition.

Julia Callaway: Software, Validation, Formal analyses, Writing – review & editing, Visualization.

Israel Abebe: Validation, Formal analyses, Writing – review & editing.

Tiana Cruz: Investigation, Data Curation, Writing – review & editing.

Seini O’Connor: Writing – review & editing, Visualization.

Data Availability

Code availability, declarations.

The study received Institutional Review Board approval (#316599-15).

All participants were provided informed consent and consented to participated in the study.

All participants were provided informed consent that data will be used for publication.

On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest.

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

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Social Media

The dark side of social media, a new study finds spending less time on social media leads to greater well-being..

Posted June 21, 2024 | Reviewed by Ray Parker

A new study finds social media use is linked to increased anxiety and depression in teens.
Social media can make teens feel worse about themselves.
Researchers find teens who cut their social media use in half experienced less anxiety, depression, and FOMO.

In a previous post , my team and I explored how social media use can negatively impact body image in youth. As young people are on their phones more and more, constant exposure to unrealistic beauty standards can leave them particularly vulnerable to low self-esteem and unfavorable social comparisons. However, evidence suggests that poor body image is not the only impact of social media on youth.

As rates of anxiety and depression in teens have been growing alongside an increase in social media usage, we have to wonder how closely the two are connected. In 2021, Statistics Canada reported that 36% of youth experience clinically concerning symptoms of depression, and 23% experience elevated levels of anxiety. At the same time, 81.3% of Canadian youth reported spending more than two hours on social media daily, and 96% reported regular use of at least one social media platform, rates that are similar or higher among teens in the US. Multiple studies have found a correlation between social media use and poor mental health, and it makes sense why.

We all know that people tend to share just the highlights of their lives on social media, rarely sharing the challenges or low points they may be experiencing. Scrolling through social media, it seems like everyone is going on a beach holiday, showing off their perfectly airbrushed bodies, or sharing the great news of their newest accomplishments. We can't help but compare ourselves to these seemingly “perfect” lives, even when we know they are fabricated. This constant comparison can make a young person feel inadequate or worthless, leading to feelings of depression and anxiety. On top of this, the more we scroll, the more we see all the things we are missing out on. Imagine going on Instagram and noticing pictures of all your friends at a party you weren’t invited to. It hurts, right? And yet, we keep wanting to check for updates. Who is at the party? Are they having fun without me? This unhealthy cycle of fear of missing out (FoMO) can impact your self-esteem, trigger your anxiety, and make you feel incredibly alone.

In addition to negative social comparisons, displacement theory provides another answer as to why screen time and social media have a negative impact on health and mental health. The theory posits that spending large amounts of time on social media allows an individual less time to spend on other mental-health-promoting activities like sleep, physical activity, recreational and social activities with friends, and pursuing pleasurable hobbies.

Although a correlational relationship has already been established, our study is the first to examine a causal relationship between social media use and mental health in youth experiencing emotional distress. Among 220 youth experiencing symptoms of anxiety or depression, we found that reducing social media by half, to a maximum of one hour per day, led to greater reductions in anxiety, depression, the experience of FoMO, and increases in sleep compared to a placebo group that had unrestricted access. Our findings support the “displacement theory” of screen time, suggesting that spending less time on things that make people truly happy makes people more likely to experience poor mental health. Although our findings did not demonstrate that reduced social media improved mental health due to reduced negative social comparisons, it is too early to throw “the baby out with the bathwater,” as correlational studies have found this link.

While it makes sense to think that reducing social media usage would make people feel even more isolated or left out, our study indicated that the opposite was true. Although initial reduction time in social media may increase FoMO, this typically only lasts a few days, and our findings support that FoMO will go down with continued reduced use. In fact, reduced social media use may lead to increased social connection and positive mental health behaviors as people are forced to adapt and meet their social needs in healthier ways.

The study also indicated that reduced social media use led to earlier bedtimes and longer sleep. As the displacement theory suggests, less time on social media means more time to get some well-needed rest. On top of this, reduced feelings of anxiety and depression likely helped people fall asleep easier, or perhaps the increased sleep resulting from less social media use reduced anxiety and depression symptoms. Further research is needed to make the direction of these findings more clear.

The results of the study beg the question: why do we torture ourselves? Sure, social media has many benefits. It helps us connect with long-lost friends, plan our social lives, and share our successes with people we care about. But when our life becomes a constant competition , and we feel like we just don't measure up, and when we know social media takes time away from sleep and in-person social and recreational activities that make us feel good, why do we continue to use it so much?

Important takeaways from our study suggest reducing your usage of social media will help you get more sleep and boost your mood. Instead of scrolling on Instagram, try taking your dog for a walk, reading a book, or catching up with a friend. As parents, we suggest implementing rules to reduce screen time during meals or social activities to promote better attachment and connection with friends and family. We also recommend implementing a “no-phone” rule 30 minutes before bedtime and no-phones in children's and youth’s bedrooms overnight. Lastly, parents are the most important role models for their children, and there is a relationship between parent screen and social media use and their children’s mental health. This means parents should also try to reduce their own social media use and engage in non-screen health-promoting alternative activities, as well as support their children in doing the same. This will help your child promote better sleep, lead to more efficient learning at school, and improve their mental health.

Davis, C. G., & Goldfield, G. S. (2024). Limiting social media use decreases depression, anxiety, and fear of missing out in youth with emotional distress: A randomized controlled trial. Psychology of Popular Media . https://doi.org/10.1037/ppm0000536

Gary Goldfield, PhD., C. Psych., is a Senior Scientist with the Healthy Active Living & Obesity (HALO) Research Group at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute in Ottawa, Canada.

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Thesis Statement on Social Media

Social media problem thesis.

Who does not know social networks on the internet? At present, it is very difficult find someone who is not aware of the existence of these, even if people who do not use them, most of them are in context of what they are and for what they serve these networks. Sometimes the concept we have may be wrong or a little away from the true one, so it would be appropriate to take into account the following question:

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Page Contents

What are social networks in the Internet? Thesis statement about social media

At first, it seemed like a whole new strange world that some people decided to explore.

Today, for many, it is part of everyday life to inform about places that you visit, thoughts or acts through a simple click on the computer, but:

Do we know where social networks originate?

Social networks are experiencing a boom moment. This modern invention of the web has laid roots among netizens and in recent years has experienced an incredible amazing increase in the whole world. There are several causes that have caused this increase of users among social networks, so we will raise the following question mark:

Although these networks have many benefits since intervening in a social network begins by finding there others with whom to share our interests, concerns or necessities and although it did not happen more than that, that same thing is already a lot because it breaks the isolation that usually afflicts the vast majority of people. These networks give you the possibility of feeling integrated into a group and the best part of all is that you do not have to get too involved. They also have their disadvantages; many of the young people add

Excessive and very valuable information in their spaces, they place information without any restriction and that is precisely the problem, this information is used by some delinquents, who are also already involved in these new technologies.

Thesis statement for social media: advantages and disadvantages of social networks on the internet?

At present, it is absolutely necessary to adapt to new technologies and to use of these, but as everything is important to know how to find the benefits and give a good use to give us something positive. However, those people or companies that know how to make good use of these networks have a powerful tool for communication with which to share ideas, make themselves known, expand a brand etc …

Online advertising continues to grow noticeably in recent years, advertising ceases to be conventional and the media creates new strategies that impact users, which are applied mostly in networks social. From this advertising reality we can pose the following question:

How do the media influence the use of social networks?

Social networks on the internet

In order to define what a social network is within the internet, it would be convenient break down the terms that compose it and thus be able to reach a clearer concept of what does it mean. Next we will analyze these terms one by one and link them in such a way that we can arrive at an appropriate definition.

According to the Dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy (DRAE), we understand as a network a: Set of elements organized for a specific purpose. With the concept above we can give the idea that a network does not only involve a set of people or of certain objects, but can be composed of several different elements that united they fulfill an end that is entrusted to them, for which they must organize themselves convenient way.

There are several types of networks depending on the context within which we find, but for now we will only focus on its definition in general, since it does not we want to get away from the subject and this will be enough to be able to elaborate our own definition later.

It is that belonging to or relating to society. Remember that it is understood by society to the set of individuals who share the same culture and who interact among themselves to form a community.

In this sense, the social can grant a sense of belonging and at the same time relationship with others, since it implies something that is shared at the community level. By example, we have the notion that “social coexistence” refers to the way of living together they have the members of a society. We must bear in mind that man is a being society, is immersed in society from birth until it dies, and must govern a social structure, which is no more than the order or organization by which members of a society occupy in it a special and proper place in which they act with a view to an end common.

Social media thesis

The Internet is a network of networks of millions of computers around the world. But contrary to what is commonly thought in some cases, the Internet is not only World Wide Web (WWW). The Web is just a part of the Internet; it is just one of the many services offered by the Internet.

The Internet, the network of networks, provides a communication forum in which they participate millions of people from all countries of the world, to a greater or lesser extent. Internet contributes and incorporates a series of instruments for people to disseminate and access documents and information: WWW, FTP, etc …

Actually, the Internet is not a means of communication, but many means, a network which comprises different types and different communication systems. People use Internet for very different purposes. Many of them are related to different and varied categories of communication, information and interaction. Some are new and others very old. Users can participate on the Internet through a combination of these categories at the same time, while the different media are intermingled in the same channel.

Developing a concept

Starting from the above definitions we can develop our own concept of what are social networks on the internet, it is important to do it in a simple and understandable so that anyone outside the subject has a clear idea of what they are and so that they are used, obviously without complicating themselves so much and becoming more entangled in the subject.

A social network is the virtual place that allows individuals to interact social, the constant exchange of information, interests, ideas and opinions. Is a community in constant construction and remodeling in order to be increasingly competent facing the needs of Internet users (Internet users), who are looking for a site appropriate to coexist with other people who, as already said, share their same tastes and hobbies, but at the same time interact with people.

Thesis on social media: how social networks work

Social Networks are composed of a series of individuals or members and the relationships they have between them. Currently on the Internet there are multiple sites that implement a structure of social networks for its members, in this way we We can find websites where users are related to each other through some common element. These elements can cover several modalities, either articles, images, videos, common interests, friendship relations …

The procedure in all of them is usually the same; member invites or adds to your preferences to other members or publishes and shares some element of interest. This form although between two members of a social network there is no direct relationship between them, if they can become indirectly connected through other members.

For example, imagine that we have some link in common with others ten members, and these in turn with ten different members each and so on successively. Theoretically following this procedure we are all connected from somehow or other even though we do not know how and we never get to have a contact I meet directly with these other members. We all have something in common: a book favorite, a movie, music, etc …

What social networks do on the Internet is precisely materialize those links direct between members, finally creating a large network in which each of their members is in some way linked to the totality of the other participants.

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The study aimed to know the advantages and disadvantages of using social media and on how and why does it affect the students' and academic performance and well-being. Explanatory case study ...
Benefits and harms of social media use: A latent profile analysis of
Benefits and Patterns of Social Media Use. The Uses and Gratifications Theory on social media use (Katz et al., 1973; Ruggiero, 2000) suggest people use social media to fulfill their needs and motivation for gratification. According to this theory, one major motivator for use and gratification is to connect with others online efficiently, selectively, and meaningfully, in order to fulfill ...
The Dark Side of Social Media
At the same time, 81.3% of Canadian youth reported spending more than two hours on social media daily, and 96% reported regular use of at least one social media platform, rates that are similar or ...
Thesis Statement on Social Media
Social media thesis. The Internet is a network of networks of millions of computers around the world. But contrary to what is commonly thought in some cases, the Internet is not only World Wide Web (WWW). The Web is just a part of the Internet; it is just one of the many services offered by the Internet. The Internet, the network of networks ...