Is Facebook bad for society?
I think it is harmful in many ways, affecting all aspects of our lives in an invisible way, but perhaps many people do not notice.
Interpersonal relationship
First of all, I think it has a huge impact on the social interaction between people. Originally, when the Internet was not so developed, people were more willing to meet and chat, and the connection between people was closer. Nowadays, many people are playing with their mobile phones all the time when they go out to meet each other. Although they seem to eat and talk at the same table, the connection between people has weakened.
Studies show that users spend 58 minutes per day on Facebook average. 300 million photos are uploaded on the platform every day. Social networking online may be more convenient, but it reduces the intensity and depth of communication between people. Let me give you an exaggerated example. Someone may have hundreds or thousands of friends on Facebook, but they may not have any friends in real life.
Influence on thinking and mood
The second point is that social media has an invisible influence on our thinking. It will constantly through big data to detect the content you are interested in and push it to you, which is a bit like brainwashing.
Foreign operatives, political activists, and other groups had been using Facebook ads, posts, and groups to influence US voter activity. This may affect your ability to make your own judgment and decisions on your own.
People use social media to complain and vent. If the weather is bad, negative posts will increase by 1%. The researchers found that in a city where it rained, one negative post influenced friends living in a city where it didn’t rain, resulting in 1.3 negative posts. People who use social media a lot are more prone to anxiety, irritability and worry, and even sleep disturbances and decreased concentration. ( Source: Here is the link. )
Cyberbullying
The third point I want to discuss is cyberbullying. In real society, the cost of crime is very high, and people will pay a very high price for it. But on the Internet, if someone bullies you, he doesn’t get punished for it. And many suffer from cyberbullying， suffer depression and even commit suicide. Some people on social media threatening and intimidating others online with malicious intent. The low cost of crime online leads some people not to feel that their bullying can destroy a person, and even some people get pleasure and satisfaction from bullying others online.
self-abasement
Slender figures, photoshopped, filtered, illuminated, and cleverly angled models on social media have also been linked to low self-esteem among young women. Social media sites make more than half of users feel inadequate, with half of 18 — to 34-year-olds saying social media makes them feel unattractive.
Studies have shown that looking at other people’s selfies can hurt people’s self-esteem because users compare them to others and have a negative view of themselves. Women who spent more time on Facebook were more likely to feel unhappy and less confident. Facebook users may feel less successful when they compare their lives to those of others who seem to have successful careers and happy families. ( Source: Here is the link. )
People who spend a lot of time on social media are more likely to be socially isolated, less socially connected, and less to interact with others and have fulfilling relationships. Sometimes, please put down your cell phone and spend more time with your family and friends.
Excessive use of social media must do more harm than good, but it cannot be said that social media is a bad thing on the whole. It also brings great convenience and possibility to our life.
