Draft Is Social Media Beneficial or Detrimental

Draft: Is Social Media Beneficial or Detrimental

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Draft: Is Social Media Beneficial or Detrimental

Social media has both positive and negative impacts on individuals using it. Many researchers and experts have come up with ways in which social media have impacted people during the covid-19 pandemic. Research done has shown that the impacts are either beneficial or detrimental.

The study focuses on the impacts of social media concerning covid-19. Berry et al. (2018) describe the effects of social media on patients with psychosis. The research shows the detrimental implications of both the users and non-user of social media. It is also concluded that most people with psychosis are not involved with social media. The people who use social media to express themselves are thought to have low self-esteem, mood, and paranoia. Another article contradicts Berry by suggesting that social media is an effective way of coping with anxiety and isolation brought by covid-19 quarantine strategies (Cauberghe, 2021). The author indicates that social media can reduce loneliness but cannot obtain social happiness; hence it is not a befitting option to consider often. Pleasure can be denied or boosted when one uses social media to compare others (Kraussa, 2021). When positive feedback is given, it raises self-esteem, and when mocked, the self-esteem deteriorates.

Social media can be used as a beneficial factor to create networks. It depends on how the user chooses to use the platforms (Clark et al., 2018). Using the media for social benefit, well-being, and creating connections is a beneficial method, but misusing them like cybercrime of social media shaming and impersonation can be a source of harm. Taking advantage of the covid-19 pandemic period to get into online marketing and creativity while in isolation or quarantine become a source of income and a beneficial way of using social media. Gruner (2018) talks about engaging in social media marketing strategies as an effective way. The study findings contradict the statement as organizations involved in social media marketing tend to be more effective and efficient even in terms of competition.

Social media has not only internal effects but external. The use of social media results in forgoing or not attaining targets on a job (Rozzgonjuk et al., 2018). When one gets into the platforms, they forget or postpone the tasks assigned. Social media affects how people relate to each other. People tend to be lonely and with no social connections physically but with a large social group in the cloud (Ryan, 2017). The platforms create images in the mind that are impossible to find in the real world (Tiggerman, 2020). For example, the dating sites show people with physical features and personalities that are beyond impossibility. The results are people detesting what they see in reality and believing the fake images online.

To solve the social media detrimental impact, people should learn to manage the influence of social media in real life. Study shows that addiction to social media is a source of stress and unhappiness (Longstreet, 2017). Depending on social media for solutions results in unsolved issues that may result in depression. Social interactions are okay, but the preference should be physical, social interactions. There should be a way to control what is put on the platforms for access. As seen in the study that not all social media platforms are actual. People should learn to appreciate how and who they are without comparing. Instead, they should focus on the opportunities created online during the covid period to benefit themselves.

References

Berry, N., Emsley, R., Lobban, F., & Bucci, S. (2018). Social media and its relationship with mood, self‐esteem and paranoia in psychosis. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 138(6), 558-570.

Cauberghe, V., Van Wesenbeeck, I., De Jans, S., Hudders, L., & Ponnet, K. (2021). How adolescents use social media to cope with feelings of loneliness and anxiety during COVID-19 lockdown. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 24(4), 250-257.

Clark, J. L., Algoe, S. B., & Green, M. C. (2018). Social network sites and well-being: the role of social connection. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 27(1), 32-37.

Gruner, R. L., & Power, D. (2018). To integrate or not to integrate? Understanding B2B social media communications. Online Information Review.

Yang, C. C., Holden, S. M., Carter, M. D., & Webb, J. J. (2018). Social media social comparison and identity distress at the college transition: A dual-path model. Journal of Adolescence, 69, 92-102.

Tiggemann, M., & Anderberg, I. (2020). Social media is not real: The effect of ‘Instagram vs reality’images on women’s social comparison and body image. New Media & Society, 22(12), 2183-2199.

Ryan, T., Allen, K. A., Gray, D. L., & McInerney, D. M. (2017). How social are social media? A review of online social behaviour and connectedness. Journal of Relationships Research, 8.

Rozgonjuk, D., Kattago, M., & Täht, K. (2018). Social media use in lectures mediates the relationship between procrastination and problematic smartphone use. Computers in Human Behavior, 89, 191-198.

Montag, C. (2019). The neuroscience of smartphone/social media usage and the growing need to include methods from ‘Psychoinformatics’. In Information systems and neuroscience (pp. 275-283). Springer, Cham.

Longstreet, P., & Brooks, S. (2017). Life satisfaction: A key to managing internet & social media addiction. Technology in Society, 50, 73-77.

Leyrer-Jackson, J. M., & Wilson, A. K. (2018). The associations between social-media use and academic performance among undergraduate students in biology. Journal of biological education, 52(2), 221-230.

Krause, H. V., Baum, K., Baumann, A., & Krasnova, H. (2021). Unifying the detrimental and beneficial effects of social network site use on self-esteem: a systematic literature review. Media Psychology, 24(1), 10-47.