By Hailey Rogenski
Phones are a huge part of society today, whether it be talking on the phone, texting or communicating with others via social media. Social networks help us to keep in touch with friends and family, meet new people and open up job opportunities.
There is just one problem: It’s like a drug. Social media is highly addictive and can have negative effects on us.
When it comes to scrolling through social media, I always tell myself, “just one more video” or “five more minutes,” even though that never really works. Instead, I’m glued to my bed while scrolling for hours. Some fellow Jambar members admitted they struggle to move away from social networks as well.
These apps are full of comical content and talented people. There is also content with cute animals, beauty tips and travel. These videos make me laugh, make me happy and take away my worries.
I spend a lot of time on platforms including TikTok, Instagram and Twitter. It is easy for me to get lost in the enjoyment. It is nice to scroll on TikTok or Instagram sometimes, but additionally overdoing it can have unfortunate consequences.
Despite the joy I get from viewing this content on social networks, I always feel as if I could be doing something more productive. I make a lot of excuses for myself when really I could be doing more important things like studying. I could even use that time to develop a more useful hobby like cooking.
Social media allows users to post whatever they want and even overpost. This happens when people decide that social media can be used to share their opinions, problems and entire life stories.
I witness overposting very often on Facebook. This can be overwhelming because it causes me to worry about the person oversharing. Revealing too much information can cause others to harass or verbally attack someone.
Social media is also a stomping ground for bullies. Many of my friends have had Facebook accounts made of them — I’ve even had accounts made of myself — and these accounts have all been fraudulent.
Women can be the subject of negative, degrading comments on TikTok. I always see these types of comments on videos where girls display confidence. I’ve posted videos of myself being confident and received the same kind of negative feedback.
On the other hand, social media can boost your confidence if you are the type of person who can handle criticism. When people leave negative comments on my content, I view it as them trying to make me unhappy because they are unhappy with themselves. There are some positive or neutral comments on posts that help me get through these kinds of things as well.
Social media can be dangerous and allow others to find your location just by seeing the background of where you are standing. Stalkers can find out where you live from others. I once had a picture of my house posted to Facebook by online bullies. This scared me because it put my life in danger and put me at risk of being stalked.
I hope this column helps you understand that when it comes to social media addiction or social media security risks you aren’t alone, and that just because something is enjoyable doesn’t always mean it’s a good thing.