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Social Media: Its Problem and Solution for the Modern Society

Table of contents, cybercrime and bullying: hazards and resolutions, health issues stemming from social media and their remedies, the issue of falling victim to fake identities and its solution.

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Social Media

Social media is broken. A new report offers 25 ways to fix it

Jun 30, 2021

Researchers, policymakers, and users have identified several key issues with the social media ecosystem. These include vast power held by a few corporations, which hurts innovation and competition; the spread of false news and debates about the limits of free speech; how social media threatens privacy, election integrity, and democracy; and platform oversight and transparency.

The Social Media Summit @ MIT brought together experts to discuss these issues and focus on solutions, which range from new oversight panels to breaking up big companies.

“Social media is rewiring the central nervous system of humanity in real time,” said MIT Sloan professor Sinan Aral, who led the event. “We’re now at a crossroads between its promise and its peril.”

A new report from the summit, now available online, takes a deep look at the range of problems posed by existing social media models, and offers 25 potential solutions to address them.

Download the report

Here’s a look at seven areas of concern addressed at the summit, and just a few of the potential solutions. 

1. The spread of false news and misinformation

False news spreads quickly online, aided by social media algorithms that amplify popular, and often incendiary, content. And social media companies and their advertisers often benefit from it, Aral noted.

One solution is to crack down on the most prolific offenders, said Clint Watts, a research fellow with the Foreign Policy Institute. “We know about them, and [enforcement] needs to focus there for maximum impact,” Watts said. 

2. The difficult balance between user privacy and platform transparency

Social media poses what Aral calls a “transparency paradox.” Researchers and the public have the right to know how social media platforms are accessing and using consumer data. But there’s also a need to protect user privacy and security.

Algorithmic transparency that lets researchers examine peer-to-peer information sharing without sharing personal information would lead to greater understanding about malicious use and how to prevent it, said Kate Starbird, an associate professor at the University of Washington. Some platforms are already more transparent than others. “We’re able to review data patterns on Twitter because their data is public,” she said. “Facebook and YouTube do not readily share data and we can’t study them very well.”

3. Lack of regulation for social media companies

Nick Clegg, vice president of global affairs at Facebook, said he agreed that independent oversight is a necessity.“We’re way beyond the stale debate of whether we need new rules of the road,” Clegg said during a discussion with Aral. Clegg also noted that if different areas of the world regulate social media differently, it could balkanize the internet.  The U.S. and European Union need to work together, he said, and bring India into the fold.

4. Lack of competition

Competition is a big incentive for companies to change behavior, Aral noted, but there is market concentration in the social economy with Facebook, Twitter, and Google.

“We’re dealing with an array of issues, including concentration that is choking off innovation, harming advertisers and small businesses, and leading to less competition for quality and privacy,” said Zephyr Teachout, an assistant professor of law at Fordham Law School.

The European Union is considering the Digital Markets Act, which would address anti-competitive practices and dictate corporate responsibility for non-compliance. This might be a model for other areas.

5. Algorithms contribute to bias, racism, and polarization

Social media and search engines have become the main way people organize and access information, said Safiya Noble, co-founder of the Center for Critical Internet Inquiry at UCLA. But companies that run them are guided by profit, and not things like democracy or human rights, she noted, and sometimes the most popular, profitable speech promotes racism, misinformation, and polarization.

Part of the problem is frictionless systems that allow users to easily retweet and share this kind of information, said Renée Richardson Gosline, a principal research scientist at MIT Sloan. Introducing friction by slowing online interactions and giving users the chance to think before sharing information is one solution, she said.

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6. social media business models don’t always serve users.

Social media business models are built on the attention economy, in which platforms sell users’ attention for advertising. But what gets attention isn’t always good for users, or society. Revising business models away from the attention economy could help.

Subscription-based models, which aren’t tied to adverting, are an alternative, said Scott Galloway, an adjunct professor of marketing at New York University, though he noted that there is a danger if the best, fact-checked information is available only behind a paywall.

7. The line between free speech and harmful speech is sometimes unclear

Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act provides websites with immunity from third-party content. It needs to be reformed to make platforms more liable for the content they publish, said Richard Stengel, a former undersecretary of state for Public Affairs and Public Diplomacy and former managing editor of Time magazine. “Regulations have to incentivize platforms to take responsibility for illegal content just as Time magazine was,” he said, noting that platforms are currently in a gray area when it comes to regulating content.

Renée Diresta, research manager at the Stanford Internet Observatory, said policy should also differentiate between free speech and free reach . The right to free speech doesn’t extend to a right to have that speech amplified by algorithms.

“There’s always been this division between your right to speak and your right to have a megaphone that reaches hundreds of millions of people,” she said.

Read next: MIT Sloan research about social media, misinformation, and elections 

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Why social media has changed the world — and how to fix it

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Are you on social media a lot? When is the last time you checked Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram? Last night? Before breakfast? Five minutes ago?

If so, you are not alone — which is the point, of course. Humans are highly social creatures. Our brains have become wired to process social information, and we usually feel better when we are connected. Social media taps into this tendency.

“Human brains have essentially evolved because of sociality more than any other thing,” says Sinan Aral, an MIT professor and expert in information technology and marketing. “When you develop a population-scale technology that delivers social signals to the tune of trillions per day in real-time, the rise of social media isn’t unexpected. It’s like tossing a lit match into a pool of gasoline.”

The numbers make this clear. In 2005, about 7 percent of American adults used social media. But by 2017, 80 percent of American adults used Facebook alone. About 3.5 billion people on the planet, out of 7.7 billion, are active social media participants. Globally, during a typical day, people post 500 million tweets, share over 10 billion pieces of Facebook content, and watch over a billion hours of YouTube video.

As social media platforms have grown, though, the once-prevalent, gauzy utopian vision of online community has disappeared. Along with the benefits of easy connectivity and increased information, social media has also become a vehicle for disinformation and political attacks from beyond sovereign borders.

“Social media disrupts our elections, our economy, and our health,” says Aral, who is the David Austin Professor of Management at the MIT Sloan School of Management.

Now Aral has written a book about it. In “The Hype Machine,” published this month by Currency, a Random House imprint, Aral details why social media platforms have become so successful yet so problematic, and suggests ways to improve them.

As Aral notes, the book covers some of the same territory as “The Social Dilemma,” a documentary that is one of the most popular films on Netflix at the moment. But Aral’s book, as he puts it, "starts where ‘The Social Dilemma’ leaves off and goes one step further to ask: What can we do about it?”

“This machine exists in every facet of our lives,” Aral says. “And the question in the book is, what do we do? How do we achieve the promise of this machine and avoid the peril? We’re at a crossroads. What we do next is essential, so I want to equip people, policymakers, and platforms to help us achieve the good outcomes and avoid the bad outcomes.”

When “engagement” equals anger

“The Hype Machine” draws on Aral’s own research about social networks, as well as other findings, from the cognitive sciences, computer science, business, politics, and more. Researchers at the University of California at Los Angeles, for instance, have found that people obtain bigger hits of dopamine — the chemical in our brains highly bound up with motivation and reward — when their social media posts receive more likes.

At the same time, consider a 2018 MIT study by Soroush Vosoughi, an MIT PhD student and now an assistant professor of computer science at Dartmouth College; Deb Roy, MIT professor of media arts and sciences and executive director of the MIT Media Lab; and Aral, who has been studying social networking for 20 years. The three researchers found that on Twitter, from 2006 to 2017, false news stories were 70 percent more likely to be retweeted than true ones. Why? Most likely because false news has greater novelty value compared to the truth, and provokes stronger reactions — especially disgust and surprise.

In this light, the essential tension surrounding social media companies is that their platforms gain audiences and revenue when posts provoke strong emotional responses, often based on dubious content.

“This is a well-designed, well-thought-out machine that has objectives it maximizes,” Aral says. “The business models that run the social-media industrial complex have a lot to do with the outcomes we’re seeing — it’s an attention economy, and businesses want you engaged. How do they get engagement? Well, they give you little dopamine hits, and … get you riled up. That’s why I call it the hype machine. We know strong emotions get us engaged, so [that favors] anger and salacious content.”

From Russia to marketing

“The Hype Machine” explores both the political implications and business dimensions of social media in depth. Certainly social media is fertile terrain for misinformation campaigns. During the 2016 U.S. presidential election, Russia spread  false information to at least 126 million people on Facebook and another 20 million people on Insta­gram (which Facebook owns), and was responsible for 10 million tweets. About 44 percent of adult Americans visited a false news source in the final weeks of the campaign.

“I think we need to be a lot more vigilant than we are,” says Aral.

We do not know if Russia’s efforts altered the outcome of the 2016 election, Aral says, though they may have been fairly effective. Curiously, it is not clear if the same is true of most U.S. corporate engagement efforts.

As Aral examines, digital advertising on most big U.S. online platforms is often wildly ineffective, with academic studies showing that the “lift” generated by ad campaigns — the extent to which they affect consumer action — has been overstated by a factor of hundreds, in some cases. Simply counting clicks on ads is not enough. Instead, online engagement tends to be more effective among new consumers, and when it is targeted well; in that sense, there is a parallel between good marketing and guerilla social media campaigns.

“The two questions I get asked the most these days,” Aral says, “are, one, did Russia succeed in intervening in our democracy? And two, how do I measure the ROI [return on investment] from marketing investments? As I was writing this book, I realized the answer to those two questions is the same.”

Ideas for improvement

“The Hype Machine” has received praise from many commentators. Foster Provost, a professor at New York University’s Stern School of Business, says it is a “masterful integration of science, business, law, and policy.” Duncan Watts, a university professor at the University of Pennsylvania, says the book is “essential reading for anyone who wants to understand how we got here and how we can get somewhere better.”

In that vein, “The Hype Machine” has several detailed suggestions for improving social media. Aral favors automated and user-generated labeling of false news, and limiting revenue-collection that is based on false content. He also calls for firms to help scholars better research the issue of election interference.

Aral believes federal privacy measures could be useful, if we learn from the benefits and missteps of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe and a new California law that lets consumers stop some data-sharing and allows people to find out what information companies have stored about them. He does not endorse breaking up Facebook, and suggests instead that the social media economy needs structural reform. He calls for data portability and interoperability, so “consumers would own their identities and could freely switch from one network to another.” Aral believes that without such fundamental changes, new platforms will simply replace the old ones, propelled by the network effects that drive the social-media economy.

“I do not advocate any one silver bullet,” says Aral, who emphasizes that changes in four areas together — money, code, norms, and laws — can alter the trajectory of the social media industry.

But if things continue without change, Aral adds, Facebook and the other social media giants risk substantial civic backlash and user burnout.

“If you get me angry and riled up, I might click more in the short term, but I might also grow really tired and annoyed by how this is making my life miserable, and I might turn you off entirely,” Aral observes. “I mean, that’s why we have a Delete Facebook movement, that’s why we have a Stop Hate for Profit movement. People are pushing back against the short-term vision, and I think we need to embrace this longer-term vision of a healthier communications ecosystem.”

Changing the social media giants can seem like a tall order. Still, Aral says, these firms are not necessarily destined for domination.

“I don’t think this technology or any other technology has some deterministic endpoint,” Aral says. “I want to bring us back to a more practical reality, which is that technology is what we make it, and we are abdicating our responsibility to steer technology toward good and away from bad. That is the path I try to illuminate in this book.”

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Press mentions.

Prof. Sinan Aral’s new book, “The Hype Machine,” has been selected as one of the best books of the year about AI by Wired . Gilad Edelman notes that Aral’s book is “an engagingly written shortcut to expertise on what the likes of Facebook and Twitter are doing to our brains and our society.”

Prof. Sinan Aral speaks with Danny Crichton of TechCrunch about his new book, “The Hype Machine,” which explores the future of social media. Aral notes that he believes a starting point “for solving the social media crisis is creating competition in the social media economy.” 

New York Times

Prof. Sinan Aral speaks with New York Times editorial board member Greg Bensinger about how social media platforms can reduce the spread of misinformation. “Human-in-the-loop moderation is the right solution,” says Aral. “It’s not a simple silver bullet, but it would give accountability where these companies have in the past blamed software.”

Prof. Sinan Aral speaks with Kara Miller of GBH’s Innovation Hub about his research examining the impact of social media on everything from business re-openings during the Covid-19 pandemic to politics.

Prof. Sinan Aral speaks with NPR’s Michael Martin about his new book, “The Hype Machine,” which explores the benefits and downfalls posed by social media. “I've been researching social media for 20 years. I've seen its evolution and also the techno utopianism and dystopianism,” says Aral. “I thought it was appropriate to have a book that asks, 'what can we do to really fix the social media morass we find ourselves in?'”

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Feb 15, 2023

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.

But where do you begin? It can be challenging to know where to start with so much information available. Jenni.ai comes in handy here. Jenni.ai is an AI application built exclusively for students to help them write essays more quickly and easily. Jenni.ai provides students with inspiration and assistance on how to approach their essays with its enormous database of sample essays on a variety of themes, including social media. Jenni.ai is the solution you've been looking for if you're experiencing writer's block or need assistance getting started.

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.

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Social Media Problems And Solutions

It’s no secret that social media has taken over our lives. We’ve all become addicted to checking our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages multiple times a day. But what happens when this addiction starts to take over our lives? When we begin to neglect our work, school, and family in favor of scrolling through our newsfeeds?

This is becoming an increasingly big problem in society today. More and more people are finding themselves unable to tear themselves away from their devices, even for just a few minutes. And while social media can be a great way to stay connected with friends and family, it can also be a major source of stress and anxiety.

If you find yourself spending too much time on social media, it’s important to take a step back and evaluate your usage. Are you using social media in a way that’s productive and positive, or are you just wasting time? If it’s the latter, then it’s time to cut back.

Here are a few tips for reducing your social media usage:

– Set limits for yourself. Decide how much time you want to spend on social media each day, and stick to it. Once you reach your limit, log off and do something else.

– Delete apps from your phone. This will help reduce the temptation to check your social media accounts every few minutes.

– Stay busy. The more time you have on your hands, the more likely you are to turn to social media to kill time. Find ways to stay busy, whether it’s taking up a new hobby or spending time with friends and family.

– Be aware of the way social media makes you feel. If scrolling through your newsfeed leaves you feeling angry, stressed, or jealous, it’s time to take a break. Social media should be enjoyable, not stressful.

If you find that you can’t cut back on your social media usage on your own, there are plenty of resources available to help you. There are many apps and websites that can track your social media usage and help you cut back. And if you feel like you’re really struggling, there’s no shame in seeking professional help. Remember, your mental health is more important than anything else.

In today’s society, social media has had a considerable impact. It has changed everything from how we interact with each other to where we get our news. It moved so swiftly that few people recognized how their lives had altered. Personal and professional communities are now interwoven, and they’re at your fingertips, much like in the old days when you could only imagine extending your reach by placing your hand out the window of a moving vehicle.

The way we interact with each other has been completely revolutionized by social media. It has made it possible for us to connect with people all over the world in a matter of seconds. We can communicate with them, share our thoughts and experiences with them, and even build relationships with them. Social media has also made it possible for us to connect with people we would never have had the opportunity to meet otherwise.

However, social media has not only had a positive impact on our lives; it has also had some negative consequences. One of the biggest problems that social media has created is that it has given rise to a lot of cyberbullying. With the anonymity that social media provides, people feel emboldened to say things that they would never say to someone’s face. This has led to a lot of harassment, bullying, and even cyberstalking.

Another problem that social media has created is the spread of fake news. With the ease of sharing information on social media, it has become very easy for false information to be spread around. This can lead to people believing things that are not true and can cause a lot of confusion and misunderstanding.

However, despite the problems that social media has caused, it is still an incredibly powerful tool that can be used for good. It can be used to connect with friends and family, to meet new people, and to stay up-to-date on what is happening in the world. It can also be used to share important and useful information. If used correctly, social media can be a force for good in the world.

Like any other revolution or period of growth, the world of social media has both positive and negative elements. The realm of social media is complicated, and it still has a long way to go. It’s fascinating to consider where we’ll be in the years ahead as a result of this innovation.

For the moment, let’s focus on the problems social media has brought to light in society today and some potential solutions.

The way we communicate has drastically changed since the introduction of social media. In some ways this is great, we are now able to connect with people all over the world with ease. The problem lies in the fact that we often take this connection for granted. We assume that because we are connected to someone online, that they are just an extension of our offline life and that there are no consequences to our actions.

This lack of consequence is one of the main problems with social media. Because there are no real world repercussions for our actions, we often say and do things online that we would never dream of doing in person. This can lead to a lot of hurt feelings and even cyber bullying.

A solution to this problem is to be more conscious of the way we communicate online. Just because there are no real world consequences, doesn’t mean there are no consequences at all. The words we use and the actions we take online can have a real and lasting impact on the people we interact with.

Another problem with social media is that it can be very addictive. We often find ourselves scrolling through our feeds for hours without really taking anything in. This can lead to us feeling like we are missing out on what’s happening in the world and can cause us to feel anxious and stressed.

To put it another way, since the advent of social media, our communication has accelerated significantly. It’s made keeping in touch with people all over the country or all over the world much easier. Social media has even made looking for love a little less difficult in certain respects by broadening our social networks. People with shared interests may connect and chat on social media.

However, social media has also had its fair share of problems. One such problem is cyberbullying. Cyberbullying can be defined as the use of electronic communication to bully a person, typically by sending messages of an intimidating or threatening nature. It is a serious problem that can have lasting effects on the victim.

Another problem with social media is that it can lead to addiction. A study conducted by the University of Chicago found that people who use Facebook are more likely than non-users to develop certain addictions. The study found that Facebook users were twice as likely to become addicted to the internet and three times as likely to become addicted to their cell phones.

Finally, another problem associated with social media is that it can be a distraction. A study conducted by the University of California found that students who use Facebook while studying scored 20% lower on their exams than students who did not use Facebook while studying.

So what can be done to solve these problems?

When it comes to cyberbullying, one solution is to report the bully to the social media platform. Most social media platforms have policies against cyberbullying and they will take action if you report the bully. Another solution is to block the bully. This will prevent them from being able to contact you or see your profile.

If you are addicted to social media, one solution is to delete your account. Another solution is to limit your time on social media. You can do this by setting a timer and only allowing yourself to be on social media for a certain amount of time each day.

If you find that social media is a distraction, one solution is to only use it when you have free time. For example, you can allow yourself to use social media for 30 minutes after you finish your homework. Another solution is to study with friends who don’t use social media so that you can stay focused.

Social media has its pros and cons but, overall, it’s a great way to stay connected with friends and family. Just be sure to use it in moderation and be aware of the potential problems that can come with it.

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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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• How to Combat the Negative…

How to Combat the Negative Effects of Social Media

This blog post was written by guest contributor Dr. Vania Manipod, DO.

Many of us find ourselves mindlessly scrolling through social media, and before we know it, hours have passed by, and we are often left feeling worse than we did when we started. Social media use in excess has been linked to several negative emotions such as increased loneliness, anxiety , and depression. Though most of the studies done thus far have been on the impact of social media on adolescents, adults are prone as well.

Even as a psychiatrist who is aware of the negative impact of social media on our mental health, I’ve struggled several times with comparing myself to others, and I’ve had several patients report similar issues. So, how do we put limits on our social media use in order to prevent these negative effects? The following are some helpful ways you can be proactive to combat the negative effects of social media. The study of negative effects of social media is a popular topic in psychology today.

1. Be mindful of your social media habits.

Being mindful means being more conscious and aware of our patterns. Since much of our social media use involves mindless scrolling, the best way to take control of our use is to first be conscious of how we’re using social networking sites in the first place. To start, ask yourself the following questions:

• What is your pattern of social media use? For example, do you wake up and immediately start scrolling, do you scroll during breaks, before bed, etc.?
• How much time do you spend daily on social media?
• How do you use social media? Do you use it to see what other people are doing? Or do you use it to communicate and stay connected with others?
• Do you tend to feel better or worse when utilizing social media? Does it lower your self-esteem, cause you to feel depressed, or do you feel better after being on social media?

Once we know our patterns and the emotions involved in our social media use, we can then be more proactive on ways to counteract the negative effects of social media.

2. Set limits on the amount of time you spend on social media.

Studies have shown that the amount of time spent daily on social media is associated with negative emotions. A study by Kiera E. Riehms and colleagues published in JAMA Psychiatry found that adolescents who used social media for more than three hours a day may be at higher risk of mental health problems.

There are several ways to track, monitor, and block the amount of time spent on social media, including several apps. Last year, Instagram also added the “Your Activity” setting which shows the average time you spent on Instagram in the last week. Other ways to start setting limits on social media is to implement a few simple rules you can apply to your daily life. For example, two rules that I enforce daily is 1) no scrolling social media within an hour after waking up and 2) put my smartphone away at least an hour before bed. Other examples include putting your smartphone away when out with others or when eating meals with family. The general idea with this tip is to establish healthy boundaries with our use of social media.

3. Know when it’s time to stop scrolling.

A lot of our social media use is compulsive. After all, these networks are designed to keep us engaged as long as possible. Therefore, it’s important to be aware of the addictive potential of social media sites. We may constantly check social media sites because of the psychology of FOMO and the power of likes . No matter the reason, the moment being on social media starts to trigger negative feelings is the time you need to stop scrolling. For some, that may mean stopping if they’re upset that their post isn’t getting as many likes as anticipated or noticing that they’re constantly comparing themselves to others. For others, it’s when they start feeling down because it appears others are doing fun things while they’re bored at home. We have the power to exit social media, and the moment we start feeling negative in any way, that’s the time to disconnect.

4. Use social media to connect with people who inspire you, share similar interests, and provide a sense of belonging.

A way to combat the negative effects of social media is to instead use it in a positive way that strengthens and maintains connections with others. As mentioned in King University Online’s Psychology of Social Media guide, the mental health advocacy organization Painted Brain has outlined ways that social media can positively impact mental health. Some ideas include providing support groups, strengthening relationships, and socially integrating with similar interest groups. If we prioritize using social media as a positive space for staying connected, then we will be more likely to filter out accounts, people, groups, and conversations that have the potential to infiltrate the positive networks we’ve created.

5. If an account stirs up negative emotions, then it’s time to unfollow.

Because our use of social media becomes habitual, we often forget that we can control what shows up on our feed. If certain people’s posts make you feel negative about yourself in any way, then it’s totally okay to hit the “unfollow” button. Social media can influence our mood, anxiety levels and self-esteem, so taking a few moments to eliminate toxic accounts can be a very simple yet empowering thing we can do for ourselves. Social media and body image are often interlinked and can have an adverse affect on mental health.

Today, social media is a part of our culture and daily lives, so taking steps to be proactive and mindful of how we use it and the way it makes us feel is crucial to avoid the negative effects it can have. Setting limits with the amount of time we spend and taking control of what we see on our feed can ultimately improve our mental health and wellbeing.

Specialize in the Psychology of Social Media

Counselors, therapists, mental health professionals, and psychiatrists are increasingly focusing on social media’s impact on our mental health. One of the best ways to get ahead of this trend is by earning an online B.S. in Psychology , which can effectively prepare you to confront the psychological needs of a rapidly changing technological landscape. In only 16 months, King University Online can help you earn your degree through its flexible, affordable program of courses available year-round.

Dr. Vania Manipod, DO, is a psychiatrist, speaker, and writer in California. You can follow her on Instagram at @freudandfashion or on her website at freudandfashion.com .

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Social Media Problem And Solutions In Society Today

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Introduction

Dangers of cybercrime and bullying.

Cyber Bullying

Health issues due to social media.

• Have scheduled times to use social media.
• Try downloading apps that will help limiting in access to certain sites.
• Stay off social media while doing something potentially hazardous, to keep from lacking focus and harming yourself.
• lastly if your addiction to social media increases seek professional help.'

Falling For Fake Identities

• Fake online profile power words. Key words found in the majority of fake profiles are; Female, Catholic, Widowed, Nigeria, Self-employed and Royalty.
• Nonsensical messages. The fake profiles run through robotic messaging systems tend to make little to no sense.
• They only have one photo. Having only one photo can be a major red flag.
• They have empty profiles.
• They might request your personal information.'

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Social Media Addiction Causes and Solutions

Introduction.

Among the rest, social media (SM) platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok have enjoyed rapid growth over the past few years, especially during and after the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Almost three billion people use social media globally. The networks have become central to the lives of individuals because of the various benefits individuals get from using such platforms. However, even though it is beneficial, SM is a double-edged sword leading to behavioral addiction and severe effects on the users who do not moderate their use of the sites. The excessive SM use witnessed over the past few years has resulted in addiction, which has resulted in health-threatening behaviors. Some of the adverse effects of SM addiction include dysfunctions, mental disorders, negative emotions, loneliness, and decreased social connectedness. These impacts make the addicted users have low-quality lives and dysfunctional families.

Since social media addiction results in a significant and wide range of damages, it is crucial to understand its causes and how they can help prevent users from getting addicted to the sites. One of the most challenges to dealing with social media addiction is attempting to change an individual’s behavior without knowing what causes them to act as they do. Eventually, such approaches mostly fail because they do not address the root of the problem; instead, they regulate the results. The basis for understanding the psychological factors as the primary cause of SM addiction is crucial and is used in this article to explore possible methods to help curb the problem. Therefore, this article analyzes the causes of SM addiction and uses psychological methods to help address the issues among the affected users.

Causes of Social Media Addiction

Social media addiction has several causes, some of which result from underlying problems affecting individual users. The diversity in people shows that the range of the causes can be infinite as each depends entirely on the person. However, there are common roots attributed to behavior and change. Aksoy indicates that one of the major causes of social media addiction is weaknesses in life skills, which comprise issues associated with socializing, poor communication practices, and loneliness (Aksoy 862). Another cause is resiliency issues, which include the inability for one to recover from inner distress and devastations resulting from harsh conditions. The third primary cause of SM addiction is an individual’s poor problem-solving skills, comprising poor decision making, disorganization, and weak analytical skills. Each of these three primary causes is further explored in the sections below. The three triggers mentioned mainly sprout from various predisposing factors in one’s family, community, or society.

Socializing Problems

One’s inability to socialize with others is one of the critical factors causing individuals to be addicted to social media platforms. According to Chester, most people lack the skills to effectively interact with those they see daily (Chester, Richdale, and McGillivray 2234). This lack of social intelligence makes individuals feel isolated and unable to contribute significant thoughts when in the company of their fellow. They find their types and interact with them when they use social media. Moreover, social media also enables them to hide behind averters, thus speaking their minds without a feeling that anyone can judge them. The major areas associated with socialization problems comprise poor communication and the need to escape one’s loneliness.

Communication Problems

The inability to effectively communicate with other people makes social media users addicted to the sites where they find it easy to speak their minds through text, pictures, and videos. According to Trigueros, such people have difficulties creating and establishing relationships due to past experiences or failures and avoid face-to-face interactions, making them gain little social experience (Trigueros 4208). The void left by the lack of skills necessary for creating a suitable environment for healthy social relationships is filled with severe social behaviors and beliefs. Once developed, these users find a haven in SM sites, where they advance their unfulfilled real-world desires and relationships. They thus develop unreasonable tendencies, which become more adverse as they continue using the sites, thereby damaging their real-life healthy social relationships.

The Need to Escape Loneliness

Loneliness is one of the main drivers for people to seek a social relationship from external sources. During the pre-social media period, most people sought relationships from friends and peers to compensate for those they desired and lacked from family members. However, in present times and with the sprouting social media sites, SM users divert to these platforms to compensate for their lack of companions. O’Day et al. reveal that these users find a false comfort that they are not lonely when they speak with their fellows on the sites (O’Day et al. 100070). On the contrary, such feelings subside immediately after they are out of the sites. For this reason, most addicted users try to continue using these social media apps to escape feeling lonely. Some of the most addicted SM users are those newly divorced, immigrants, and lone children.

Resiliency Problems

Some users are addicted to social media because of their resiliency issues. Most people who lack support from their immediacy tend to SM to find activities that make them feel better. The ease of accessing social media sites also contributes immensely to resiliency problems, making the users addicted to the platforms. These factors give the users heaven of safety where they escape avoiding the crises affecting them. Resiliency problems mainly comprise individuals’ devastations experienced during harsh conditions and their inner distress.

Harsh Conditions

Harsh conditions often trigger the need for additional support, which, when available online, becomes the first place for people to find the psychological support they need at such times. However, most people also face problems with self-management skills when devastated. Various can make one vulnerable to social media manipulations when they face adverse conditions (Ghareb et al.). Moreover, harsh conditions also impair people’s judgment, making them seek peaceful social support solutions on the Internet. The psychological aspect of this problem is mainly rooted in an individual’s ability to maintain their bio-psychological balance. This lack of the power to know to check their mental state and behaviors makes it easy for them to escape their crises by getting deeply involved in the social media sites.

Inner Distress

Some people are addicted to social media because they cannot recover from a painful past or present situation. Most SM addicts have a history of failing to deal appropriately with their diverse problems in life (Wong et al. 1897). Such comprises individuals who find it difficult to recover from the difficulties they faced in the past and cannot heal themselves. Some who have failed in creating meaningful and healthy social relationships use SM to try to get the comfort they need, which prevents them from the memories of such events. Apart from railed social relationships in the past, other underlying issues could be a failure in academics, business, or sports, which make the individuals personally disturbed and lack a way to share their inner distress. The thoughts of the past make these individuals succumb to social media, which eventually harms their physical and psychological health.

Poor Problem-Solving Skills

As noted earlier, most people resort to social media and get hooked on them because of their various distresses. Thus, it is also crucial to note that those who get addicted to SM do so because they lack skills, they can use to solve issues affecting them at any time. Such individuals rush to social media to find sympathy from their followers and online friends. Such individuals failed to deal with their past problems and developed psychological disorders such as depression, anxiety, and attention deficits. These mental health issues further make individuals prone to social media addiction. Lack of problem-solving skills leading to people overusing SM includes weaknesses in analyzing situations and making informed decisions and disorganized plans.

Weak Analytical and Decision-Making Skills

Those addicted to social media users do not possess mature defense systems that they can employ in cases where they must defend themselves when faced with life’s crises. Primarily, such problems arise when individuals fail to analyze the issues and find logical solutions, thereby choosing more accessible options to navigate their situations or forget about them. Some users go to social media platforms as a defense or to find pity for what affects them (Ku et al. 100570). However, as they use the sites more, they are often taken deeper using the platforms’ algorithms. The users thus find related stories, which create comfortable heaven for them, making it difficult to face life’s realities. They thus find it challenging to reverse their behavior, fearing worse psychological outcomes. Their last situations become worse because they are unable to analyze the problems that caused them to be in their current circumstances and thus cannot be decisive about what they can do to become better.

Disorganized Plans

Most people addicted to social media are who they are because of their past disorganized plans. They continue using SM because they do not have many other options to plan their lives. They become purposeless and only momentarily use the sites to fulfill their psychological emptiness. They find comfort in following events on various social media platforms and get entertained. They feel comforted with the content they get and the people they meet on the sites. However, they remained miserable, hoping they could find assistance from those they followed on the platforms. Consequently, those addicted to social media experience more severe consequences, both in health and socio-economic aspects.

Solving Social Media Addiction

The analysis conducted on the causes of social media addiction has identified three main factors: weaknesses in life skills, resiliency issues, and poor problem-solving skills. The underlying issues and the root of all these factors are psychologically oriented, which reveals the need to use psychological interventions to help find the best ways to help those addicted or can be addicted to SM. SM use is mainly associated with depression, anxiety, and mental health problems. Major social media platforms have responded to concerns around the use of the sites and their effects on mental health. For instance, YouTube initially had likes and dislikes to measure the performance of videos, but it resorted to removing the dislikes counts to contribute to mental wellbeing. Instagram and Facebook have also taken the trend, and more SM companies are following suit. The idea behind such changes is to reduce psychological problems associated with the platforms’ use; the users already have an underlying emotional problem, and negative feedback can increase their psychological distress.

It was also noted earlier that trying to curb social behavior may be a poor approach to limiting social media addiction. Behavior is a psychological factor that requires a deeper understanding of the individual to help them deal with their problems and individually overcome them. Thus, it is crucial to help the affected person identify their drive to use social media excessively and thus create a map to overcome addiction. One should identify the main reason why they are on each social site in the first place. The drive to be part of the platforms forms the basis of understanding why someone would want to overstay at the same site for an extended period. However, this should be an individual question that may require an in-depth reflection and honest answer. A psychoanalyst can help identify the possible reasons the individual uses social media and thereby help them to seek personal answers for their use of the platforms.

This analysis identified that one of the factors making people addicted to social media is problems with socializing. Social health is a crucial element of humankind, and everyone should be able to form and maintain excellent and productive relationships with their peers, parents, and siblings. Those who lack care have ways of healing from the past and find more muscular attachments with those they meet. The analysis also identified problems in resiliency, such as harsh conditions and inner distress, as a cause of social media addiction. One should ask themselves if they can control their situations before seeking alternative and easier ways to navigate them. Individuals can also learn to understand that they can get help from people closer than those they meet online. Moreover, poor problem-solving skills were identified to cause SM addiction. Users addicted to SM can find alternative ways to solve their problems instead of hiding on social media. Understanding the SM does not help one find solutions is the basis for beginning the journey to one’s freedom.

The current study has revealed several causes of social media addiction, though the major ones are associated with severe underlying psychological problems. The study identified weaknesses in life skills, including individual factors such as poor communication practices and loneliness. It also revealed that resiliency problems such inability recover from one’s inner distress and devastation when they experience harsh conditions can make them use social media more to ease their mental stress. Poor problem-solving skills such as poor decision-making, disorganization, and weak analytical skills also make people addicted to social media. The study has also revealed that since the primary causes of social media addiction are psychologically motivated, individuals must understand why they are using particular problems and also get psychoanalytic treatments that can help with their adverse life experiences.

Works Cited

Aksoy, Mehmet Emin. “A qualitative study on the reasons for social media addiction.” European Journal of Educational Research 7.4 (2018): 861-865.

Chester, M., Richdale, A. L., & McGillivray, J. (2019). Group-based social skills training with play for children on the autism spectrum. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders , 49 (6), 2231-2242.

Ghareb, Mazen, et al. “Social media and social relationships: A case study in Kurdistan society.” Applied Computer Science 14.3 (2018).

Ku, Kelly YL, et al. “What predicts adolescents’ critical thinking about real-life news? The roles of social media news consumption and news media literacy.” Thinking Skills and Creativity 33 (2019): 100570.

O’Day, Emily B., and Richard G. Heimberg. “Social media use, social anxiety, and loneliness: A systematic review.” Computers in Human Behavior Reports 3 (2021): 100070.

Trigueros, Rubén, et al. “Relationship between emotional intelligence, social skills and peer harassment. A study with high school students.” International journal of environmental research and public health 17.12 (2020): 4208.

Wong, Hiu Yan, et al. “Relationships between severity of internet gaming disorder, severity of problematic social media use, sleep quality and psychological distress.” International journal of environmental research and public health 17.6 (2020): 1879.

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20 Social Media Problems and Solutions in Society Today

Table of Contents

Types of social media problems today, spending too much time on social media, getting addicted to social media, the update syndrome, neglecting family and responsibilities, dependence on online friends, managing social media time, wasting time on social media, reducing attention span, lack of focus and productivity, the fomo syndrome, wasting time playing games, seeking validation, relationship issues due to social media, infidelity on social media, disturbing privacy issues, falling for fake identities, getting duped on social media, health issues due to social media, negative impact on academics, dangers of cyber crime and bullying, wrapping it up.

Social media is a boon. Or, is it a bane? Though it has its many benefits and uses, there are plenty of social media problems that trouble us. What are these social media issues? And how do we deal with them? One of the major complaints with social media is the amount of time it consumes. Here are some insights into the problems with social media and suggested solutions that may help you use the social media networking sites in the right way and keep a healthy work-life balance in this updated post. ~ Ed.

Social media is both, good and bad. It has actually changed our lives in many ways since its inception.

Like everything else, it too has its cons , which seem to get an upper hand over the pros. So, most people face social media problems sometime or the other.

Social media issues are inevitable; you just need to find ways to deal with it, isn’t it?

Let’s talk about the problems with social media that you or others might be facing. Hopefully, also find the social media solutions too.

First let me make it clear; social media is a great place to promote your views and meet new people, aid communication, and find new job prospects, besides the many other advantages. However, it can at times do more harm than good. I hope you agree.

I’m not skeptical or negative about social media; in fact, I use it immensely on a daily basis. However, let’s face the facts and accept its drawbacks.

Perhaps the biggest problems that people face is the amount of time they spend on the social media networks. However, ironically, this is essential nowadays if you want a strong social media presence. You can’t forget the impact of  Social media signals  that is essential for bloggers, writers , and other professionals, isn’t it?

The resulting lack of time directly or indirectly leads to other problems in life.

So what do we do?

“Social media is your opportunity to reach a massive number of people with transparency, honesty, and integrity.” ~ Brian E. Boyd Sr.

Let’s move ahead and try to find the solutions to social media problems and make a combined effort to help those who in need in this regard.

I would be mainly talking about the social networking sites and the problems people face. If you have any such issues, come over and share it in the comments.

Social media has many benefits ; the social media sites are great places to build connections, for personal and professional work. But here we want to focus on the problems with social media.

Besides the usual problems with social media you face, especially on the social networking sites, there are a few other social media issues like –

• Plagiarism Issues in Social Media
• Social Media Legal and Ethical Problems
• Marketing Problems in Social Media

However, I’d not go into more details about the other kinds of problems with social media, but concentrate on the ones that affect most of us commonly – social networking site problems.

“Social media spark a revelation that we, the people, have a voice, and through the democratization of content and ideas we can once again unite around common passions, inspire movements, and ignite change.” ~ Brian Solis

20 Social Media Problems in Society and Their Solutions

These 20 social media problems and solutions aren’t the only issues people face. But they are the most common social media problems with their possible solutions.

Problem: As you have accounts on many social networking sites , do you spend time visiting each one too often?

Solution  – Yes! I know I do, but you need to find ways to overcome this issue. So, the ONLY thing that works on such social networking sites is limiting your time and running off!!

Believe me, nothing else really works – tried and tested!

Social networking can be addictive and overwhelming at the same time. You need to learn to filter out the ‘noise’ to find something specific.

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Problem: Do you get so lost in your social media networks that you can’t function if you aren’t connected the online world? You feel lost, isolated, and become dependent, which can be dangerous.

Solution  – I agree that people need a strong social media presence nowadays, and if you aren’t online the main social networking sites, you’re missing out on a LOT, but you need to know how to handle it all.

Don’t become dependent on such sites. Instead, find yourself some offline hobbies, friends, and ways to recreate so that you don’t become addicted to the Internet .

Problem: Do you keep updating your status and remain busy reading the updates of others?

Solution  – Chalk out a schedule and how much time you want to spend on such sites, visit them, share your update, quickly go through your notifications and messages, and move away.

The more you stay and check out what others have shared, or see the invitation to play games, or visit unnecessary pages, the more time you waste.

Problem: As you are online 24×7, are you neglecting your family, kids, siblings and friends ?

Solution  – Family and your relationships should always come first, and this is a reminder for me too! Thus when you need to be with them , you need to move away from the social media.

Don’t allow social media to interfere with your daily chores, responsibilities, nor your relationships with your family, friends, parents, kids, and spouse. Take out time for it, and move away after that!

“Social networking platforms drove man closer to those in neighboring continents, while driving him further apart from those in his neighborhood.” ~ Mokokoma Mokhonoana

Problem: Do you spend lots of time interacting with friends or strangers online to make new friends? As you are so used to working behind the scenes, perhaps when you meet offline people, do you feel awkward in conversing with them?

Solution  – You need to ask yourself does online friendship really work . Yes, and no – just as the link to this post describes, do read the interesting conversation that goes on about it in the post. 🙂

It all depends on how you build relationships with your online friends. Check their profiles before making friends with them, another point most people forget to do.

Also, don’t entirely depend or only have online friends. Move out and meet offline friends and be with them, so that the awkwardness doesn’t remain.

Problem: Get too many messages, notifications, tags that you find it tough to cope with once you are on these social media networks.

Solution  – I deal with this issue every single day! You just need to ignore them if they come in huge numbers, or if you feel they are important – take them up by visiting your account once a day.

Choose a time for your preferred social networking site to visit and reply to all the notifications, but don’t get stuck there. End it up within a set time period – and move away!

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Problem: Some people bore you and you don’t like to interact with them, yet you do because you are being polite. So do you waste time in talking to those who don’t matter to you over issues?

Solution  – If you are on the social networks just to waste time, you can never get anything worthwhile done. In case you have to deal with people who bore you, and you are one of the polite ones, you need to change!

After one or two replies, excuse yourself from the conversation and get away. If you continue talking, they will continue asking or talking. So, the choice is always in your hand.

Problem: Do you face short attention spans because of the time you spend on social networking sites – making it tough to cope with ALL the information because there is so much to read and learn and so little time?

Solution  – If you find your attention span shortening over the years – that’s perhaps due to the time spent online gathering or reading the vast information at a faster rate, as compared to earlier.

Keep taking frequent breaks when you work online. Your mind and body, including the overworked brain, need a BREAK! Chalk out a time for social media and the Internet, instead of being online all the time.

“Distracted from distraction by distraction.” ~ T.S. Eliot

Problem: Do you lack focus and think your productivity is taking a back seat due to these social media sites?

Solution  – When you are forever online working and visiting several social media and social networking websites in day, you tire your brain and lack the attention and focus.

Yes, if you have the free time, these social networks are good, or else, they can reduce your efficiency and productivity, besides harming your entire days work and routine.

Thus, time yourself and remain focused in what you need to do first – everything else can come up later. Setting your priorities is essential, which ensures you only work to achieve your target.

Problem: Perhaps you always want to listen to what everyone has to say, all the time. That’s called FOMO (fear of missing out), which makes you anxious and crazy. So, are you online and on these social media networks always ?

Solution  – You need to break this bad habit of being online ALL the time, as I know some of my blogging friends face this issue.

Just set a timer or go by the watch, and get away as soon as your time is up. I know it’s tough, but if you are determined, you can easily do it, just as I’ve learnt to do.

So, you hardly see me on Facebook and Twitter, except for the short time that I am online. 🙂

Remember, if you want to achieve something – you need to be very focused, or else it doesn’t work.

Problem: Do you waste time playing online games like Angry Birds, Zynga Poker, Facebook Scrabble etc, which are present on such social networking sites? Or do people tag and invite you to play such games?

Solution  – I get a LOT of such invitations to play online games . But I just do one thing – IGNORE such notifications! Sorry for doing that – but I don’t have the time to waste in playing games!

If you are free, by all means play such games and invite those who might like playing too. But don’t tag, bother, or trouble those you know wouldn’t be keen.

You can also check the settings of your account to stop getting the notifications for such games or apps, if you look it up.

Problem: Do you spend time clicking your pictures and sharing it on the social media and seeing what others share, or comment on them?

Solution  – You need to remember that all that you share on the social networks becomes public. So, be careful when you click your pictures and share them.

Or you can adjust the settings to share them with a group of close friends and family, though it’s better to email them or share it through other sites like Picasa etc., rather than social networking sites, where they can still be traced.

Besides, clicking your pictures, uploading the, and sharing it all over becomes an addiction, especially with young tweens and teens. Parents need to be careful because people can misuse such pictures too.

Problem: Do you feel your relationship is breaking up or broke up due to the amount you spent on these social network sites?

Solution  – Talking of relationship issues – who doesn’t have them? But if you have problems with your partner  because either of them is online for a long period, you need to make amends there.

Chalk out a fixed time when you are online or working, after which, devote time with your spouse or partner. They also need your undivided attention.

More the time you spend with them, better your relationship becomes.

Problem: Some people use such sites to hook up or indulge into extra-marital activities . Have you faced such issues where there are problems in your relationship or marriage?

Solution  – Be online for your work and get away soon after that, just as I’ve been saying all along. If you have issues in your marriage – resolve them. Running to social media and finding others there is not the way!

Better still, share your social media account profile with your spouse – no harm. This only builds the trust and they are sure of your activities. Otherwise, some people spend most of their time to find ways to catch a cheating spouse online .

Remember, anything outside your marriage is lust, and not love, just as I mentioned in my earlier post.

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Problem: Have you had privacy issues while being online these social networking sites?

Solution  – Online privacy is a serious issue , especially for kids, tweens and teens – so parents need to be very careful about spending time and teaching their kids about the pros and cons of social networking sites.

You need to keep a watch on the sites your kids are operating or opening and teach them the right from the wrong.

Even for adults, you need to be very careful about sharing your personal information online and your details too.

Problem: Was your account banned or hacked ? Have you come across people with fake accounts and false identities?

Solution  – You cannot say who the other person behind the screen really is or what his or her intention is. So be aware of such fake accounts and identities by checking out their profiles in detail.

Change your setting so that not everyone can read and know about you, till they are your friends. Things like your hobbies, birthdays, address, likes, dislikes, and other details needn’t be shared till required.

Cyber crime is something everyone needs to be careful about.

Problem: Have you come across scammers on social networking sites who trick you to download malicious software or visit certain sites?

Solution  – Beware of hackers and spammers! They often send links that can harm your computer, and once that gets infected; they can use your contacts to spread the malware further.

Don’t open any link that you feel suspicious about or if it’s from some unknown person, whether in your email or your social media accounts.

Problem: Do you face health issues , like sleep deprivation due to being on the social networks till late night? Even your teens could be busy texting or surfing online, are you aware?

Solution  – When you are always online, your health will suffer. Lack of sleep is an issue I deal with and the side effects are not good as they affect you, and your next days working.

Remember, your body needs at least 7-8 hours of sleep, so time your work and limit your online activities. Look after your health because that is your greatest wealth.

Your kids will follow you, so limit to the amount you allow them online. I’m glad we do that, so things are in control.

Problem: Do your kids spend endless hours online, especially on social media networking sites, which affects their studies and results in low academic grades?

Solution  – Studies indicate a fall in grades in students who spend endless hours on the social networking sites. Parents need to keep a check and allow them enough time to interact and work online if need be.

Not to mention that unlimited access has various drawbacks, which I’ll take up in a future post. 🙂

Problem: Are your kids facing social media problems? Perhaps stalking, cyber bullying and such things have occurred with them or their profiles – how did you handle that?

Solution  – When you allow your kids to be online, you need to keep a check on their social media profiles and educate them to use it the right way too. Sit with them and guide them on how to open an account.

Not to mention all that they are allowed to reveal about their personal self on such sites. Anything written – becomes public, so be aware of cyber bullies, texting, and stalkers.

You might like to read this post – Are Your Teens Cyber Safe  – a very important post for ALL parents. If things get out of hand, limiting the screen time also helps.

I’m sure you can relate with these issues, isn’t it? I know I can, though with time I’ve learnt how to handle these problems with social media. So, do you face any of these social media issues?

“Now we have so many more social outlets, so many ways to be stalked and bullied. If social media is too much for you to handle, then don’t have a Twitter or Facebook account. Just be yourself. Be who you want to be.” ~ Khloe Kardashian

As for the negative impacts mentioned above, I think when you know the social media problems; you also know the solutions to such problems, don’t you?

Such social media networks are great place to be on, especially if you work from home as you get to make so many new friends. More so, it’s a good way to use them for social causes , and also take a break from work!

Speaking of which, I know I’ve met all my blogging friends by visiting and blog commenting and social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Google Plus.

Besides, there are many other friends I’ve met on these social network sites who don’t visit my blog, but love to connect, talk, message, or just read my posts. So they too are listed as your online friends.

All of the above doesn’t mean you go ahead and delete your social media accounts! It’s just that you need to know how to use them, and how much time you need to spend on them. 🙂

If you can control the time you spend on the social media sites, and not let them control you, you can maintain a good work-life balance .

“Social networks aren’t about Web sites. They’re about experiences.” ~ Mike DiLorenzo

I hope by talking about the above-mentioned social media issues, I’ve managed to help you pin-point your problems. Remember, everything has a solution if you are ready.

So, get away from your social media networks if you find it overwhelming and take a break. 🙂

“Social media demands a lot of us on top of our already demanding lives. So let’s disconnect as we need to and renew our interest and ourselves.” ~ Simon Mainwaring

Over to you –

Do you have problems with social media? How do you cope with the social networking problems? Do you think you can add more to this list of social media problems? What suggestions would you give? Share in the comments.

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Thanks for the solutions. I had some of these problems

I’m trying to minimize my screen time, but even after uninstalling apps, I couldn’t stop myself from using the apps from the web version. Now, I feel how social media can harm our minds.

Hi Harleena you’re definitely right about social media Its time to bring change. Nice share Thank you

All the issues you talk about are worth concerning. New generation spending too much time on social media which is taking them away from the their family. Now a days, only thing that matters for teenagers is their social media influence. We need better controlled social medias.

its take me very long time to read your whole blog but its quite impressive and helpful .. as all of us know that technology helps a lot but it’s destroys also if we are not using it a good way .. so its upon us .. btw thaks for sharing

Yesterday I had something happen that made me realize a major issue in my life. My grandson got his drivers permit and acually “called” me to tell me. Being elderly and feeling the “I am a white elephant” syndrome of late, this call made tears come to my eyes as he told me. He actually loves me enough to HEAR my reaction to wonderful news! At the same moment of his calling me his stepmom was posting a photo of him and announcing it to the world. When you are family, immediate family, sometimes it’s just nice to know you have loving privledges the world does not have, like having milestone news shared with person to person interaction over being told as part of a crowd of people that may or may not KNOW that family member. We all need to feel special in our loved ones lives and social media mega posts, really rip that right off the table, you are just another name in the crowd. I don’t think this is just the elderly who have felt this let down but I know it is a very common causing factor in depession among grandparents and older family members.

Hello Harleena, Thanks for sharing great post with us. So informative post about social media. First of all i’d like to appreciate you on your clean blog design. Social media is a boon, if we use it in proper way, as you mentioned. If not it is curse. As a blogger, i’d like to say that social media helps me a lot to work on blog, understand new things, get connected with other bloggers. So it break downs to one final question: how much effective we are on social media? Thanks again for the deep information, keep writing!

Hi Harleena, insightful post about social media.

Social media is a two edged sword which can be used to make money, build your brand and grow your online reputation. On the other hand, it can kill your precious time, damage your reputation or make an internet troll. So it depends on how you use your time on social media. Thanks for the great post Harleena, keep rocking.

Well these are priceless pointers to overcome social media addiction. Many fake profiles exist on almost every social platform and unfortunately they are duping unsuspecting users in all parts of the world.

Sleep deprivation is another problem which is connected to social media but unfortunately most people fail to realise it. Thanks for highlighting these drawbacks of social media along with solutions to deal with them. I hope this post reaches as many people as possible.

Social media has become a place where people come to show their short term happiness. This short term happiness reflects the major amount of life on social media which creates insecurity in others mind and make them depressed. all the points you wrote have resonated with me and i will make sure that i follow the steps that you have said. Thank you for sharing the article.

Hi Harleena, informative post about social media.

First of all i’d like to appreciate you on your clean blog design

Social media is a boon, if we use it in proper way, as you mentioned. If not it is curse.

As a blogger, i’d like to say that social media helps me a lot to work on blog, understand new things, get connected with other bloggers.

So it break downs to one final question: how much effective we are on social media?

Thanks again for the deep information, keep writing!

Social media is a two edged sword which can be used to make money, build your brand and grow your online reputation. On the other hand, it can kill your precious time, damage your reputation or make an internet troll. So it depends on how you use your time on social media.

As a blogger, I can say it it’s really useful if you limit your time on spending on social media and you can network with other bloggers on sites like Facebook and twitter. You can also use social media to promote your blog posts to get more traffic to your sites.

So it really comes down to one thing: how effectively you’re managing your time on social media. Are you using it for wasting time or using it productively to network with other bloggers and use it to grow your online reputation.

Coming to your question: I never faced any issues with social media because I rarely spend time on it. I’m active on sites like twitter though but I use it connect with other bloggers and promote my blog posts.

Thanks for the great post Harleena, keep rocking.

Hello Harleena Mam,

This is my first comment on your blog. I love this post as it is very informative and have facts that resonate with our lives. Social Media is definitely important as we have to adapt ourselves with latest technology. Social Media sites are great place to connect with people online. But I think a self control and consciousness is very important to analyze what is right and what is Wrong? I am also using Social Media sites a lot but I always keep a balance between social sites and my daily life. Thanks for sharing these great insights.

Have a Great Weekend 🙂 Vishwajeet

Hi Harleena, you made some excellent points here! I try to keep my social sites shut down while I’m doing other work. As you say it is hard to focus if you see notifications coming up and dinging you. That was something I had trouble with when I started my blogging journey. I would be going back and forth all the time and not getting much writing done! I think it can make people feel anxious especially if you manage social media for others, etc. You wonder why isn’t that great post working and why is no one engaging on that one, etc. I love leaving my phone at home once in a while or going out for a walk with the ringer off. You have to unplug from time to time to not get yourself overwhelmed. Thanks for your tips and tricks here Harleena 🙂 Have a wonderful day!

Too much of anything is bad for you and social media is among one of the most toxic things in our lives today.

Although many livelihoods depend on it the number of bad elements avaiable online certainly makes us think.

Awesome article. Keep up the good work 🙂

There are both advantages and disadvantages of using social media. I love to see how much people are interacting. Same to Facebook, the engagement is way of the mark.

Facebook has many interesting features as well as irritating features. Among them I feel very irritating with tags. Yeah, I admire tagging is good to mention someone. But we can see on Facebook, there are many peoples who randomly tag friends without any reasons. So I feel that really disgusting. Though I’ve managed to handle it by changing tagging policy for my account.

Social media has that kind of magical attraction which couldn’t be denied. With its powers properly utilised and effectively managed, one can reap the benefits of growing your brand extensively and reaching out to an immense number of people. Thanks for this awesome post!

Very nice solution tips. Thank you very much for sharing with us.

Gosh! It’s the number seven “Some people bore you and you don’t like to interact with them, yet you do because you ar being polite. So do you waste time in talking to those who don’t matter to you over issues?”. There are lots of people whome ain’t there to add to you, alot of times i fall into a discussion with them just quiting won’t look nice to me so i just waste alot of time chatting with them, nice one here, hopefilly, I’ll start quiting irrilevant chat.

I have a love/hate relationship with social media. There is too much of it, but I like interacting with others. I sometimes get so sick of things that I just ignore is all completely, but then, when I return to it, I have to get caught up. It’s never a win-win situation. 🙁

I’m actually considering writing a post on how much I hate it.

Hi Lorraine,

I can understand that kind of feeling, and it does become overwhelming for some of us if we are online all the time, whether working or interacting with others. Yes, I tried that once or twice too when I’d made up my mind to just switch-off, but when I returned, there were numerous notifications, messages, tags, and loads of comments to take care of the next few days.

I guess striking a balance is tough, but if you want to avoid such social media problems you need to work your way about and see what fits in best with your schedule, isn’t it?

Thanks for stopping by and sharing your experiences with us 🙂

I don’t know if this will help with your love/hate relationship, but something I learned is that limiting my amount of time on social media is very beneficial to my health. I just designate thirty minutes here or there for time to interact on it and then I get off it. It is very easy to focus on it and spend so much time on it.

Doing this also helps me not waste so much time.

Hey Harleena,

Wow, what a detailed post and it sounds like there are a lot of people now have issues with social media. I’m really not surprised because I hear this a lot from people who find that time has gotten away with them and the next thing you know the day is gone.

Of course I don’t have this issue and I never really have because as you know I’m pretty organized. I think for most it should boil down to their priorities although it’s pretty obvious that people can definitely get carried away “chatting” with others online.

I would hate to start all over today just now coming online to build up my profiles. I mean it does take time to reach out and make those connections so I can see where people can easily lose track of time if they haven’t specifically set some kind of time limit on that.

I’m just glad I don’t have kids and have to worry about what they’re viewing, who they’re connecting with and privacy issues. They would probably hate me I’m sure because I would lock them out.

You’ve really covered some key points here and I hope those who have had some issues have found it very helpful. As always, thanks for sharing.

Hi Adrienne,

Glad you liked the post, and yes, there are SO many people who have such social media problems, though I know a lot more could be added to the list – but perhaps if we can handle these many, it’s good enough as a start 🙂

Oh yes…you plan to spend a few minutes or an hour and you land up staying up much longer than you expect, only to realize the amount of precious time you’ve really wasted.

I know how well organized you are and you truly work by the clock, don’t you? Perhaps one day you should write a post on time-management and how you manage your time so well in doing so much within the limited hours.

Priorities should always come first, and later, once your task in hand is over, you can spend your time chatting or being on the social networking sites doing what you like. At least you have a free heart and mind to do that then!

Yes indeed, you are lucky here with no kids to take care of because if you are a parent, your kids surely need guidance all along and need to be educated on how to use the social networks the right way. More so, you need to be a role model to your kids because they see ALL that you do. Luckily for us, our kids know they have only limited access to the Internet so do all that they want within that time frame and then back to their studies. They also know we know where all they are going, so keeping track is easy that ways for us.

Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts with us. Have a nice day ahead 🙂

This was a much needed subject to go over. There’s a lot of addictions out there, and social media falls on the top. To be honest with you, I thought I was bad since I’m on social media like facebook for about an hour a day at the most. The site I spend the most on is YouTube since I can also watch movies and learn some piano chords. But as you probably already know, I have some extracurricular activities I engage in and sometimes I hang out with friends.

Can you remember what we were doing before social media? I can remember some of the best times of my life was playing outside as a kid. Although I had Nintendo and Atari, I made time to play with friends. If I didn’t make time, my grandma use to make time for me LOL. But she saw early on the effect of just staying inside playing games and watching TV all day.

But yes, I do believe that social media can be addicting! It’s just amazing how much an hour can go by while you’re on social media, whether you’re on your computer or on your smart phone. I like the idea of SYPS and how you’re making your blog more of a community. I think it’s better to set it up like this because you can definitely meet people that’s going through the same things you’re going through. On top of that, whenever you overcome a problem, you can celebrate it with others that have been supporting you!

Thanks for sharing Harleena, and you have a great day!

Hi Sherman,

It sure was as I see so many people online, ALL the time and most of them are just wasting time and doing nothing productive. I don’t think spending an hour online is bad, I need to do that myself and perhaps they say 80% is promotion of your blog, while 20% is writing it, so how else does one do it, if not online such social media sites.

However, what matters is that we learn to limit our time online – do our work, and move away. That’s where most people get caught. I was there too once when I started long back, so I know the effect it has on you and your work.

Ah…YouTube is one place I rarely visit, except when I have to look up a video for my post or someone puts up a video post, but it’s certainly a great place to get lost, again never ending source of information. Yes, and I love those activities you engage in too 😉

That’s already a post idea on my mind since long and I would surely write about it one day – life without the social media! Yes, those were in-fact the best days of my life too – totally carefree with no strings attached. We would be more with our families and friends – at least much more bonding was there as compared to what it’s become now. I think nowadays we are just SO dependent on the social media, Internet, mobiles, and a lot of other tech stuff that leaving any one out makes you anxious, isn’t it?

Social networking sites are an addiction if we can’t manage our time on them. Yes, social media on the whole is a great source of information, but you need to set limits to the amount of time you want to spend on it and not let it rule your life.

I started with these SYPS 3-4 months back and I wanted it to be a platform free and open for everyone who faces problems, to come forth and share their issues, related to the talked of subject, and anyone coming up to answer the questions people had. But I soon learnt that I was the only one replying to people here too…lol…but that’s alright. I know those who have similar problems might like these solutions.

Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts with us. Have a nice day as well 🙂

I just love what you are doing for people! Social media is a big problem for folks. Recently I had my family over and wherever we went, from the beach to a restaurant, all the young adults were on their phones.

I told them to leave the phones home when we were going out. Oh they protested! They may miss a tweet, an important message, etc. But I told them that when family is together we must focus on one another or else, stay home.

What a great experiment! By the third day, they were noticing clouds in the sky like a little child would do. At dinner we all focused on one another and had such a good time. As we browsed around little shops, they were so focused and excited.

When we got back home, they rushed to their computers and phones. Came to find out, nothing was more important than the experience they had shared. Mission accomplished. By the fifth day, they didn’t need to be reminded. In fact, they enjoyed their time without social media.

Now, the only way I could have done this experiment is because I do discipline myself to turn things off! A long time ago I found myself hanging out too much on social media and had to put a stop to it.

Now I follow my DMO (Daily Method of Operation) whereby I do what I need to first, then spend 10 minutes three times a day on Social Media.

And guess what? The world didn’t end he he he!

Thank you so much for saying that, though I know so much more can be done – just wish had more hands and hours in a day at times to help out 🙂

That’s such wise advice – especially to the younger lots, something every family must focus on because family time means – no Internet, no mobiles, no work – nothing at all. I know I am SO guilty of all of these things, but it’s one decision I’ve finally made never to do when I go on a vacation. Certain things can take a back seat, it doesn’t really matter, especially when you are bonding with your loved ones, isn’t it?

I agree with you, there is SO much more to life than being online and such social media networks, which only one can see and notice when you leave it all and shift your focus on other things. I’m sure when they returned and checked on their accounts, they wouldn’t have been missed, just an odd message here or there.

People need to realize this that if they spend family time and don’t update their status or tweet for a few days, the world won’t stop! Everyone’s so busy in their own lives to hardly notice your absence, unless you are a real icon or something like that.

I love your DMO and it’s something that I do too, but my time online is twice a day and for a longer period of half to one hour each time because I share my posts on various groups and communities and I do take out time to thank each one of those people who like or comment on my posts, on the various networks. But once I do that, I just move away, or else I start getting tons of more messages from bloggers asking for help or wanting me to comment of like their posts.

Thanks for your lovely comment that’s surely added value to the post, and I’m sure the younger lots would learn a lot from what you mentioned here. Have a nice week ahead 🙂

Hi Harleena Here you again come up with a fabulous article. yes While using internet and social media websites we face so many problems to distract the user. All the common problems with their solution you have mentioned above will help lots of peoples to get rid from these type of problems. Thanks for sharing. keep posting.

Hi Addison,

Glad you liked the post 🙂

Absolutely! There are as a tis lots of distractions one faces in the day, and being online, especially the social networking sites does become distracting if one isn’t able to manage the time. I know most of us face these issues, so I just hope this post on social media problems and solutions helps those who need this information.

Thanks for stopping by and sharing your views with us 🙂

BTW – If possible, it would be nice if you would use a Gravatar so that we know who we are talking to – just a friendly suggestion 🙂

Hi Harleena,

You have explained this topic in a good way but I want to ask you something which doesn’t belong to this topic. May I know why people don’t want to index their sitemap in any search engine? What Is the reason behind it? I have searched at many blogs but didn’t get the answer. I hope you can tell me. I will wait for your reply. Rakesh

Welcome to my blog Rakesh!

Although I don’t answer off topic questions, but as you asked, I’d tell you frankly that I don’t have much of an idea as to why people don’t want to index their sitemap in the search engines. I guess the logical reasons are to avoid getting their site pages from being indexed, keeping them private, and not willing to share the information with the world. Many membership sites do that and perhaps those who run secret businesses running on their sites, who are not bothered with rankings and have no desire of getting organic traffic.

I’m sure you’ll find better answers if you Google your question- what place to find the answers to your questions than a search engine! However, you’re more than welcome to ask questions here related to this post’s topic.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great week ahead. 🙂

BTW – It would be nice if you would use a Gravatar so that we know who we are talking to – just a friendly suggestion 🙂

I think I strike a good balance. Of course, that is because I have help. But my day job is worth much more of my time, so I can hire out help with SM. Anyhow, I can do more than I am doing but hopefully my new hire will be just the ticket I need to building a better online presence!

Good to know that you have help and things are manageable for you, and I wish everyone was able to do that too 🙂

But for those who are dealing with many social media accounts all alone, it can become rather overwhelming to be all over and do it all. I guess with your day job, you certainly need additional help and I’m sure that would help you build a stronger online presence too.

Yes Harleena, these all are common problems that we have faced time to time. I am glad to read all the question and answers about social media. Yes, it is addictive but you have suggested the best way to deal with all these problems. Thanks for sharing this.

Welcome to my blog Allison!

Glad you agree with this list, though I know there’s a lot more we could add to it, but perhaps these are the common ones, aren’t they? Social media sites can be very addictive, but a lot depends on us and how we find ways to manage our time we spend on them, isn’t it?

Interesting topic for discussion! Well, until now I don’t have a problem with social media. I’m the kind of person who does not like asking for trouble, especially in social media. I think, foolish if we use social media to insult others. Instead, I prefer to use it to share useful knowledge 🙂

For my health, I am aware of my own health. Health is a great gift and I will not waste it, right?

Thanks for sharing this with us, Harleena. Nice share!

I think you are one of the lucky lots! It’s tough nowadays to keep away from the social media sites, especially the networking sites because there is so much happening there, and as you can see from the feedback from a few commenters, managing their time online such sites is an uphill task.

Yes indeed, if social media is used the right way, to gain and share information and knowledge, there can be nothing better, or else it can have an adverse effect. I agree about the health part too, and that should be on our priority list as well.

Thanks for stopping by and sharing your experiences with us. 🙂

Quite good case study. I personally think that everything regarding social media is simply – common sense, consistency and to be be social.

Welcome to my blog Kaloyan!

Glad you liked this post on the various social media problems most of us face. I agree with you, but for some people it isn’t as simple as that as once they start social networking, it’s tough for them to keep track of time or manage things.

Thanks for stopping by and sharing your views 🙂

Yes,there are lots of problem regarding social media sites like mental depression,break up,harmful for study,illegal activity even to loose your job but using it effectively can also bring you lots of happiness,popularity,money and many more.So like every other things there must be some positive and negative aspects but it totally depends upon you,how you’re going to use it.

Hi Deparpan,

I agree with you – there are a lot of pros and cons of social media, just as you mentioned. If used wisely and in a well-balanced way, social networking sites and the social media can work in your favor, or else result in lack of productivity due to wastage of time.

The pleasure is always mine to launch here and go through your awesome posts with the wonderful writing skills of your’s Harleena Mam 🙂

Glad you like my posts and writing style, Debarpan – appreciate your feedback. Thanks once again 🙂

Harleena, get on and off social sites fast! Love the tips. I limit time on each site to dissolve attachments. I boost my effectiveness by blogging, socializing and doing all online stuff against the clock.

Oh yes…that’s the only one that works perfectly for me too, just like for you. I guess limiting your time on doing your work and moving on to the next task is the key, without really wasting it on anything else.

Nicely put Harleena.

You are right on all aspects of the issues of social media. Things are changing rapidly and this requires one to change with it or face the consequences. No matter what you are doing, be it blogging, or online surfing, letting your children play games -changes are coming thick and thin. I like the way you have mentioned the issues and its solutions. You have covered most of it. I find the whole social media overwhelming and mind boggling sometimes.

Glad you liked these social media problems and solutions, though I know there’s a lot more you can add to this list 🙂

Things and even times have changed, and with so many people online, besides the safety and privacy issues, you just need to find your quiet time away or else you can just get so caught in it all, isn’t it? Kids are the ones who are at the maximum danger, if they are not guided well enough and I think every parent needs to pay attention to this fact. Yes, social media can be overwhelming, especially for those who are online ALL the time.

Is #12 actually a “problem”? (12 – Do you spend time clicking your pictures and sharing it on the social media and seeing what others share, or comment on them?) I thought that is what social media was sort of for no?

Welcome to my blog Troy!

Lol…I wish that was the case, but you need to be very careful about what all you share on social networking sites. Anything you share goes public, especially your pictures, which could be misused by anyone. I’m sure you’d love the video that explains this point further – check it out!

Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts with us 🙂

Hi Ma’am!

According to me, social media site are what making us less social in real life. Now a days, everyone use to spend their most time on social networking sites. Sometimes it seems total wastage of time so I like to schedule things. I spend some good time on Facebook and Twitter. Yes I have an account on so many sites but I use them only for profession purposes.An you know the only time I feel relaxed, when there is power-cut in my area and I loss push myself out of home.

Hi Tejwinder,

Yes, to a certain extent they are because we don’t know how to limit our time online 🙂

I see many youngsters spend hours on such social networking sites and waste their time and life, whereas this is the time they need to concentrate and focus on their career, isn’t it?

Scheduling the time you spend on each social media site is the only way things work, and like you, even I do that as I visit my various accounts, and if some work comes up, I have no problems even skipping a day or two of visiting such sites. They are not the start and end of it all, and there are a lot of things that are more important in life. Lol…yes, I can imagine the relaxed feeling when there is no power or when we aren’t connected to the online world 🙂

Hi Harleena You may already have an online presence. You may worry time spent on social media will distract your team from other important things. Your website needs SEO, for example. Tamara Weintraub, content marketing manager at ReachLocal, says there is no reason you can’t have both.

I agree with you, and yes, if you have work and need a strong online presence, you certainly need the power of social media. However, if you cannot manage the amount of time you spend on the social networking sites or other such places, it can result in lack of focus and productivity, isn’t it?

BTW – It would be nice if you can get a Gravatar so that we know who we are talking to – just a friendly suggestion 🙂

Hi Harleena Thanks for your suggestion.I also Recommend that,but i am unable to do that in my weebly account.Can You please help me out???

Hi Harleena!

Wow! You covered so much in this post. I agree that all of these can be a huge issue for many of us. I’m happy to say I believe I have most of it handled but need to constantly monitor myself to make sure I don’t get suck into the game of it. It’s like very rich candy that needs to be eaten in moderation. Luckily I have pretty good self-discipline so I catch myself when I’m getting a little too attached. And even reading posts like this help because they remind me of how NOT to be.

Thank you again for another great post. ~Kathy

Yes, I tried to, but I’m sure there’s lot more one could add 🙂

Good to know that, something we all need to do as well – monitor the time we spend on such social networking sites. More so, it’s always a never ending process if you don’t know how to limit yourself on such sites. Lol…I liked your example of eating the rich candy, but in moderation. I think you are already doing things the right way, and such reminders only assure you that you are on the right path.

Hi Harleena

I usually forget about going on to social media and not sharing as much as I should. Like you say one can spend far too much time on there. Now I don’t feel so guilty about ignoring it.

Some family members share far too much on Facebook and for that reason I am not connected to them. Being careful about the friends you have also matters. They maybe fine but it tells a lot about you if their profile picture is raunchy.

Anybody wanting a job should be very careful what they share on these sites. If I was looking to hire someone for an offline job, I would check out their social media site. You don’t have to be connected to them or even let them know you are checking them out. Bad language, bad relationships, etc. gets put on these sites. Funny that they let the whole world see who they are but not their own family, yet don’t they realize we can see what they say unless they have it private? It amazes me how stupid some smart people can be.

I personally am very vague on social media sites for that very reason. I am still pretty private on my site and even in comments as I feel that certain things should remain private. Sharing to a point is fine, but on the social media they (the weirdos)can find you, where as to find you on the websites and trace your life would require much more work that they would probably never do. Even so one should never be an open book anywhere on the network. Honesty has nothing to do with telling everything about yourself. There are somethings that never or ever needs to be shared.

Some very good points on the subject.

I think you are in real bliss if you do that! Honestly speaking, I wish I could just vanish from the social media at times, not because I spend a lot of time there, but because of the endless tags, notifications, and messages that I receive. Yes, ignoring them is one option I haven’t yet chosen, but if things become overwhelming, I might have to cut-off 🙂

Absolutely! Sharing more than required or putting up pictures where you or your family members might be there, something that you don’t like – can often lead to problems and misunderstandings. We need to be SO careful about our profiles and all that we share because everything you share becomes public, even though you might hide it from your timeline.

I agree with you about the jobs too, good point indeed. If people know the kind of person you are on these social networking sites, they might just change their mind of hiring you. Besides, even those who are looking for a suitable match to get married should be very careful about their social media profiles as those are always the first to be seen – I’ve seen many youngsters suffer due to all that they share on their profiles thinking it’s limited to their family and close friends, which isn’t the case.

That’s how it should be I would say, and comment only where need be or when it’s with a group of close friends, which again depends if you are in the same time zone and online at the same time. Because we need to make our profiles public, being professionals, we need to tweak it and have only the relevant matter online, without adding your birth dates, address, your family or other relations, town or city you reside in as all these can become a problem for those who want to trace you, nor is there any need I would add.

Thanks for stopping by and adding more value to the post 🙂

Hi Harleena, I love this format where you crowd source solutions to people’s problems. A problem shared is a problem halved, as you said in your first article in this series!

You’re right, Social Media certainly can cause problems and you’ve done a wonderful job of explaining what those are. Social Media is a tool and like any tool it must be used properly.

I have been very fortunate not to have issues with Social Media. I have reconnected with many friends using Social Media and made some new ones. But I also recognize the importance of treating Social Media with respect and not going overboard with it.

Hi Carolyn,

Glad you liked it and that was the aim of these series so that people can share their problems and find solutions. Yes indeed, when you share a problem, you certainly feel lighter and better, and it gives a chance to others also to learn from them.

Absolutely! We need to use social media as a tool and use it only when need be, and I know you do just that being the efficient person that you are. I think it’s a great place to connect and meet people, but again, all that interaction and socializing should be done when we end our chores or when we take out time away from work for it, isn’t it?

Thanks for stopping by and sharing your words of wisdom with us. 🙂

I follow just one rule till I work on social media. The rule is: “Do social media like you drive a car”. Keep looking straight and see in back mirror in case of urgent need. I never cast even a look at irrelevant sharings on social media and just stay to my niche. This saves my time and keeps me focused.

Do you think it is fine to open separate account of each social media for your each blog if you have multiple blogs and can you be able to maintain unity of your identity with different accounts. If someone does all SMO with one each account of all social media for all his blogs will it not be so contradictory because on Facebook there is no separate category of friends for different niche. Will it not be injustice to share a post of technology blog that will also appear on timelines of those friends who added you because of your another fitness blog. Did you get my point. If you have any solution do share it with me and for the guidance of all.

Lol…I like that way of looking at social media, perhaps very focused I would say 🙂

People mainly use the social media for leisure or pleasure and tend to get carried away, but as you mentioned, if you are able to manage the amount of time you spend online and just do your work and get away, you care on the right track.

I think it is good to open separate account of social media for your each blog. I had the same question in mind some time ago. I learned that each of your site should’ve its own identity. It’ll do good to your blog branding if you’ve a logo and separate social media accounts. Also this move will help create a provision for future, in case you need to sell your blog for whatsoever reasons. Then, you can include the social media accounts in the entire package, which would enhance its cost.

In my case, it’s a multi-niche blog, so people know and don’t mind variation in topics and niches, and I share them all in my social media accounts. Not to mention that now people invite me to their groups on FB or G+ communities, after knowing what all I share, so depends from person to person. But you’re right in that if you’ve different niche blogs, then promoting them through your one personal social media account might be bit confusing to some subscribers or followers for reasons that you mention.

Having said all that, it is not easy to maintain multiple social media accounts unless you outsource them. Perhaps what you can also do is to have your personal social media accounts too display on all your sites to create a common identity.

The best solution would be to make your blog multi-niche like mine if you can – I’m sure you’d benefit more in terms of easier management, saving of time and efforts, limit extra expenses, combine the readership and create more traffic as well as rise high in ranks.

However, if what you’ve are static niche sites, then you needn’t do anything else but have separate social media accounts for each and update them not so frequently. Hope this helped 🙂

Thanks for stopping by and sharing your social media problems with us 🙂

I feel my main problem with Social Media is not using it effectively!

I generally visit Facebook and Twitter without a goal in mind, which means that I spend a lot of time just looking at pointless stuff and not really connecting. This then sends me down a black hole!

I really would like to get strategic with my Social Media actions — connecting with specific people and adding value by answering questions! I’m going to need to spend some time working this out and getting a plan together!

Thanks for the kick in the butt! 🙂

Hi Jennifer,

That’s the most common problem faced by most of us I would say, though thankfully I’ve overcome it now 🙂

I can understand what you mean, but I think you must be doing that after you end your work, so that’s needed at times too. It’s a great way to connect with fellow bloggers, family, and friends, provided you complete all your tasks or you surely would get caught up if you don’t limit the time you spend there.

Yes, if you are online these sites for a specific task or building your business, then you need to work that ways and target those people through what you share, which again you need to do within a set time period, or it can get overwhelming. Planning would surely help in this regard, especially if you want to catch up with a specific group of people online such social networking sites.

Thanks for stopping by. Lol…not a kick, just a small reminder 😉

Actually The point you have described about get addicted to social media relates me in a better sense. When I started to use Facebook that time brought disaster for me. I was so much addicted to it. I started thinking about my friend’s list even when I worked. It was the crucial time for me. After some one of my friend asked me to get rid of it. But you know it is really hard to avoid such type of things.

When any newbie enters in the world of social media then with the attention of many strangers to become friend is such an unbelievable task happens. At that time beginners love to visit every hour to their account. All the points you have included are really helpful to every single person. I hope I will avoid such mistakes in my upcoming life.

Thanks for sharing. -Ravi

Welcome to my blog Ravi!

Glad I was able to finally welcome you, and sorry for the slight delay 🙂

I think most of us can relate to these social media problems as we face them in our daily lives. Yes, Facebook, Twitter, and even G+ can become very addictive if you don’t know how to limit your time on such social networks. I also see many newbies online – ALL the time, and it saddens my heart because this is their most productive time that they just waste.

It’s tough to get rid of your social media accounts, though some people do that but open up a new profile sooner or later. I guess the answer lies in learning to control yourself. Self-discipline might take time, but once you learn the way, things fall into place. Social media should be used when we are free or have ended our tasks, not otherwise.

I agree with you, for a newcomer it’s tough to decide the right from wrong, and just the fact that so many people want to become their friends and the new things they pick up can become overwhelming. I think they forget that just for small pleasures online, they are missing out on making their lives worthwhile, and when realization strikes, it’s often too late. I hope this post helps people in more ways than one. 🙂

As usual, you’ve delivered such an awesome post with a very detailed outlook of 20 prominently discussed problems due to social media.

Like everything in life, social media is just a tool to reach out to more people, with ease and from the comfort of our own home. The benefits of social media are simply stupendous!

However, with great power comes great responsibility and that is where problem begins, isn’t it?

Most of us do not like to take responsibility for our actions and blame it on someone or something else. Just like money is evil (usually those who don’t have it enough speak about money that way even more), now, social media is bad for many many people who don’t understand how to use it or who are unwilling to learn about it.

Yesterday, I was talking to a parent and he brought up the issue of drugs here in the US and how high school kids are susceptible to it. And he mentioned that certain types of drugs are being legalized in some states and that has brought down the revenue of drug mafia and brought down the population in jails drastically. Less of drug problems are being reported in those states and guess what? Doctors are now coming up with a constructive use of those drugs in curing diseases.

Social media, if we take time to get educated and like everything else, if we discipline ourselves to act maturely, there is no problem.

But, when we stay away from taking responsibility and keep the habit of blaming someone or something else for our own failures, it is a big problem.

Just my two cents 🙂 although you know I shared a few days ago about social media problem parents can help their kids with. You know, even there, I wanted to make parents responsible for what kids do and see and face.

Thank you for sharing!

Regards, Kumar

Glad you liked the post, and I loved your feedback 🙂

Yes indeed, social media is where we all meet each other, speaking of which, that’s how we connected, didn’t we? It’s the only place where people from all walks of life meet and learn so much from each other, besides the great resource of information it is. But just as everything has issues, even the social media problems are somethings we can’t ignore.

You are absolutely right about saying that we tend to blame others or things for our actions, which is the case with social media too, just because we don’t know how to handle or manage it in the right way. Talking of drugs as you mentioned – how can parents even think them to be ‘legal’ or allow their kids to take them? But perhaps after a certain stage things get out of their hand there. I’m glad in SO many ways I’m not staying there!! 🙂

I remember your wonderful post about the problems with social media where parents play a part because it all does come down to parenting and how they impart the right knowledge to their kids. Keeping a watch and guiding your kids is vital, even if your kids are grown up.

Thanks for stopping by and sharing your two cents with us – loved them 🙂

Wow, you certainly ask the hard questions! Great points. I agree that online activity can lead to neglecting real life responsibilities. It’s a struggle to keep balance in life in general and social media makes it even harder.

Welcome to my blog Meredith!

Yes, they might be hard but I think they are the common social media problems most of us face, aren’t they? 🙂

Absolutely! I’ve seen many parents neglect their responsibility of looking after their kids and family because they are always on the social networking sites, for whatever reasons. I agree it’s a struggle, especially for working moms, but family always comes first, and you need to balance things out so that they don’t suffer. Time management is an art we all need to learn that, isn’t it?

BTW – It would be nice if you use your Gravatar as I see you have a lovely picture on your blog, so that we know who we are talking to – just a friendly suggestion 🙂

Hello ma’am,

Points 8,9, and 10 are so connected to me!

Social media has brought in me FOMO,has given my productivity a back seat. I always have been active in social media specially google plus and Fb. Major problem is there are tonnes of new updates specially these days when I have hundreds of blogger friends updating thousands of posts. Each information is so interesting ( ok majority if not all) that i go read them and if I didnt know something I feel restless like am I missing something? All my friends know about such site or so and so facility on the net how come I don’t know etc. Then in an attempt to read and know all the stuff I loose my concentration and productivity.

Please guide me ma’am.

Hi Swadhin,

Glad you could relate the post, and you are certainly not the only one to feel the way you do because most bloggers and those who work online, feel the same way, especially those who are active on the social networking sites.

I can well understand about the feeling of not missing out the updates and all that others share, it’s a feeling of missing out on a lot, isn’t it? However, if you have work to do, you would certainly have to limit the work you spend on FB and G+. All I can suggest is that you could subscribe to the blogs you want to visit or add them to your RSS so that you don’t miss out anything, rather than waiting to check the updates as and when it comes online. That’s how I do it.

Of course, you must spend some time online and be with everyone too so that you don’t miss out on things, but limit your time. Perhaps time yourself and spend an hour in the morning and one hour in the evening – less or more depends on you I would say. But by doing so, you know you have all the other hours to work. Try this out, I’m sure it would work for you and increase your focus and productivity.

Thanks for stopping by and sharing your social media problems with us. Hope this little suggestion helped 🙂

Thank you for your really helpful tips to cope up with the problems. Subscribing to rss is the best option I think to read and keep track of favorite blogs.I remember you had mentioned such a thing on one of your interviews that you shared on Twitter recently. Email subscription is also a brilliant idea but as I live in my inbox I don’t want to clutter my living area.:)

You are most welcome, and yes, like you, I also subscribe to a very few important blogs and prefer to keep my inbox clutter free. Rest all of them are in my RSS, which you can visit, read, and comment whenever you get time.

I don’t remember the interview, but I know it’s something I do and if you make further folders in your Feedly you can manage your blogs very well and plan out which ones you want to visit when.

Thanks once again 🙂

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Tech solutions to limit kids’ access to social media are fraught with problems, including privacy risks

Professor of Information Sciences & Director, Social Change Enabling Impact Platform, RMIT University

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Lisa M. Given receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. Lisa is Editor-in-Chief of the Annual Review for Information Science and Technology

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A campaign to block children’s access to social media to limit online harms and unhealthy internet use is picking up momentum in Australian politics . The current age limit for platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok is 13, but some state governments are calling to raise this age to 16 .

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has welcomed these efforts , and the federal opposition has committed to introducing laws that will bar under 16-year-olds from social media.

These calls are among the latest attempts to control how young people engage with culture. From banning children’s books, to limiting television screen time , and rating music, movies and videogames, society often turns to government regulation to address moral panics.

Yet, critics explain the desire to control children’s access is “ not really backed by robust science ”. They raise privacy concerns about uploading personal documents (like passports) and providing details unrelated to age (like credit card numbers) to technology companies . Critics also highlight the social and informational benefits of online engagement, which may be lost if young people are banned.

These criticisms are valid, as age assurance technologies have a long way to go to address these concerns.

Is age verification even possible?

Many online sites currently rely on age gating , where users self-report their age. This can easily fail.

Children under 13 can provide fake birthdates to create social media accounts. And teenagers can simply tap “yes” when asked to verify if they’re over the age of 18.

To prevent children from accessing inappropriate and harmful online content, the federal government is already funding a trial of “age assurance” technologies .

Self-reporting is actually a type of age assurance. Other methods, including more rigorous age verification processes, are also available. However, none of them are foolproof or risk free.

So how do age verification/assurance technologies work?

Several strategies are being used or tested to identify people’s potential age.

User-provided age verification. This asks users to upload “hard identifiers” (such as a passport or driver’s license) as proof of age. While this approach is reliable, it excludes anyone who lacks appropriate identification.

Verified parental consent. A parent verifies their age (via a hard identifier) and then confirms the age of a child user, and/or approves access on their behalf. This approach requires involvement of a responsible adult, but raises concerns for young people’s privacy.

Age estimation using behavioural data. Artificial intelligence tools can build users’ age profiles based on platform behaviours, such as analysing the accounts they follow, posts they like and content they post. But these numeric age estimates may not match an individual’s stage of development or literacy level, or even their actual age.

Age estimation using biometrics. A user’s age is estimated based on biometric data (for example, facial scanning). This is a challenging approach, as facial recognition technologies are known to be biased and prone to errors .

Unfortunately, many of these approaches raise significant privacy concerns for users, not least because a third party (such as the social media company) would be handling their ID documents and other personal data.

While government-issued digital IDs may offer secure alternatives for age verification, many people may not hold passports, driver’s licenses, or other types of “hard” documentation required for these services.

What do we lose by automating age verification?

While these technologies will improve over time, now is the time to decide whether age-based bans are what we need or want.

Society may agree that online adult content – such as pornography, gambling and alcohol sites – should be restricted by age. However, banning children from all social media may cause more harm than good.

Social media platforms provide vital pathways for young people to engage with peers and seek information for school, work and personal needs. For example, YouTube and LinkedIn are critical professional development and networking tools, often used in education. Would a social media ban only target specific tools, or apply to all platforms, regardless of purpose?

By enacting age-related bans and other restrictions across the board, without discretion or consideration for individual maturity, children’s right to access information will also be curtailed.

From climate change to the housing crisis, health concerns and career goals, young people need access to reliable information and community networks. Yes, they will also watch cat videos and learn about the latest fashions. And they may, inevitably, encounter inappropriate content, trolls and bullies.

Social media – as with television, internet and other media content – are best explored by children with the support of parents , teachers and other caregivers to guide their use.

While age assurance technologies may limit access to some adult content, these tools also restrict parental discretion to determine what is best for their children.

Appropriate social media use requires critical thinking and digital literacy skills – not only for children, but for parents and other caregivers. Government investment in educating parents and other caregivers on social media tools and safety practices would ensure families are well equipped to navigate our ever-changing social media landscape.

• Social media
• Data privacy
• Children online
• Online harm
• Social media bans
• Teens on social media
• Age verification

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Potential risks of content, features, and functions: The science of how social media affects youth

Almost a year after APA issued its health advisory on social media use in adolescence , society continues to wrestle with ways to maximize the benefits of these platforms while protecting youth from the potential harms associated with them. 1

By early 2024, few meaningful changes to social media platforms had been enacted by industry, and no federal policies had been adopted. There remains a need for social media companies to make fundamental changes to their platforms.

Psychological science continues to reveal benefits from social media use , as well as risks and opportunities that certain content, features, and functions present to young social media users. The science discussed below highlights the need to enact new, responsible safety standards to mitigate harm. 2

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Related content

• APA report calls on social media companies to take responsibility to protect youth
• How much is too much social media use?

Elaboration of science on social media content, features, and functions

Platforms built for adults are not inherently suitable for youth. i Youth require special protection due to areas of competence or vulnerability as they progress through the childhood, teenage, and late adolescent years. ii This is especially true for youth experiencing psychological, physical, intellectual, mental health, or other developmental challenges; chronological age is not directly associated with social media readiness . iii

Hypersensitivity to social feedback

Brain development starting at ages 10–13 (i.e., the outset of puberty) until approximately the mid-twenties is linked with hypersensitivity to social feedback/stimuli. iv In other words, youth become especially invested in behaviors that will help them get personalized feedback, praise, or attention from peers.

• AI-recommended content has the potential to be especially influential and hard to resist within this age range. v It is critical that AI-recommended content be designed to prioritize youth safety and welfare over engagement. This suggests potentially restricting the use of personalized recommendations using youth data, design features that may prioritize content evoking extreme emotions, or content that may depict illegal or harmful behavior.
• Likes and follower counts activate neural regions that trigger repetitive behavior, and thus may exert greater influence on youths’ attitudes and behavior than among adults. vi Youth are especially sensitive to both positive social feedback and rejection from others. Using these metrics to maintain platform engagement capitalizes on youths’ vulnerabilities and likely leads to problematic use.
• The use of youth data for tailored ad content similarly is influential for youth who are biologically predisposed toward peer influence at this stage and sensitive to personalized content. vii

Need for relationship skill building

Adolescence is a critical period for the development of more complex relationship skills, characterized by the ability to form emotionally intimate relationships. viii The adolescent years should provide opportunities to practice these skills through one-on-one or small group interactions.

• The focus on metrics of followers, likes, and views focuses adolescents’ attention on unilateral, depersonalized interactions and may discourage them from building healthier and psychologically beneficial relationship skills. ix

Susceptibility to harmful content

Adolescence is a period of heightened susceptibility to peer influence, impressionability, and sensitivity to social rejection. x Harmful content, including cyberhate, the depiction of illegal behavior, and encouragement to engage in self-harm (e.g., cutting or eating-disordered behavior) is associated with increased mental health difficulties among both the targets and witnesses of such content. xi

• The absence of clear and transparent processes for addressing reports of harmful content makes it harder for youth to feel protected or able to get help in the face of harmful content.

Underdeveloped impulse control

Youths’ developing cortical system (particularly in the brain’s inhibitory control network) makes them less capable of resisting impulses or stopping themselves from behavior that may lead to temporary benefit despite negative longer-term consequences. xii This can lead to adolescents making decisions based on short-term gain, lower appreciation of long-term risks, and interference with focus on tasks that require concentration.

• Infinite scroll is particularly risky for youth since their ability to monitor and stop engagement on social media is more limited than among adults. xiii This contributes to youths’ difficulty disengaging from social media and may contribute to high rates of youth reporting symptoms of clinical dependency on social media. xiv
• The lack of time limits on social media use similarly is challenging for youth, particularly during the school day or at times when they should be doing homework. xv
• Push notifications capitalize on youths’ sensitivity to distraction. Task-shifting is a higher order cognitive ability not fully developed until early adulthood and may interfere with youths’ focus during class time and when they should be doing homework. xvi
• The use and retention of youths’ data without appropriate parental consent, and/or child assent in developmentally appropriate language, capitalizes on youths’ relatively poor appreciation for long-term consequences of their actions, permanence of online content, or their ability to weigh the risks of their engagement on social media. xvii

Reliance on sleep for healthy brain development

Other than the first year of life, puberty is the most important period of brain growth and reorganization in our lifetimes. xviii Sleep is essential for healthy brain development and mental health in adolescence. xix Sleep delay or disruptions have significant negative effects on youths’ attention, behavior, mood, safety, and academic performance.

• A lack of limits on the time of day when youth can use social media has been cited as the predominant reason why adolescents are getting less than the recommended amount of sleep, with significant implications for brain and mental health. xx

Vulnerability to malicious actors

Youth are easily deceived by predators and other malicious actors who may attempt to interact with them on social media channels. xxi

• Connection and direct messaging with adult strangers places youth at risk of identity theft and potentially dangerous interactions, including sexploitation.

Need for parental/caregiver partnership

Research indicates that youth benefit from parental support to guide them toward safe decisions and to help them understand and appropriately respond to complex social interactions. xxii Granting parents oversight of youths’ accounts should be offered in balance with adolescents’ needs for autonomy, privacy, and independence. However, it should be easier for parents to partner with youth online in a manner that fits their family’s needs.

• The absence of transparent and easy-to-use parental/caregiver tools increases parents’ or guardians’ difficulty in supporting youths’ experience on social media. xxiii

Health advisory on social media use in adolescence

Related topics

• Social media and the internet
• Mental health

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A path forward based on science

Change is needed soon. Solutions should reflect a greater understanding of the science in at least three ways.

First, youth vary considerably in how they use social media. Some uses may promote healthy development and others may create harm. As noted in the APA health advisory , using social media is not inherently beneficial or harmful to young people. The effects of social media depend not only on what teens can do and see online, but teens’ pre-existing strengths or vulnerabilities, and the contexts in which they grow up.

Second, science has highlighted biological and psychological abilities/vulnerabilities that interact with the content, functions, and features built into social media platforms, and it is these aspects of youths’ social media experience that must be addressed to attenuate risks. xxiv Social media use, functionality, and permissions/consenting should be tailored to youths’ developmental capabilities. Design features created for adults may not be appropriate for children.

Third, youth are adept at working around age restrictions. Substantial data reveal a remarkable number of children aged 12 years and younger routinely using social media, indicating that current policies and practices to restrict use to older youth are not working. xxv

Policies will not protect youth unless technology companies are required to reduce the risks embedded within the platforms themselves.

As policymakers at every level assess their approach to this complex issue, it is important to note the limitations of frequently proposed policies, which are often misreported and fall far short of comprehensive safety solutions that will achieve meaningful change.

Restricting downloads

Restricting application downloads at the device level does not fully restrict youths’ access and will not meaningfully improve the safety of social media platforms. Allowing platforms to delegate responsibility to app stores does not address the vulnerabilities and harms built into the platforms.

Requiring age restrictions

Focusing only on age restrictions does not improve the platforms or address the biological and psychological vulnerabilities that persist past age 18. While age restriction proposals could offer some benefits if effectively and equitably implemented, they do not represent comprehensive improvements to social media platforms, for at least four reasons:

• Creating a bright line age limit ignores individual differences in adolescents’ maturity and competency
• These proposals fail to mitigate the harms for those above the age limit and can lead to a perception that social media is safe for adolescents above the threshold age, though neurological changes continue until age 25
• Completely limiting access to social media may disadvantage those who are experiencing psychological benefits from social media platforms, such as community support and access to science-based resources, which particularly impact those in marginalized populations
• The process of age-verification requires more thoughtful consideration to ensure that the storage of official identification documents does not systematically exclude subsets of youth, create risks for leaks, or circumvent the ability of young people to maintain anonymity on social platforms.

Use of parental controls

Granting parents and caregivers greater access to their children’s social media accounts will not address risks embedded within platforms themselves. More robust and easy-to-use parental controls would help some younger age groups, but as a sole strategy, this approach ignores the complexities of adolescent development, the importance of childhood autonomy and privacy, and disparities in time or resources available for monitoring across communities. xxvi

[Related: Keeping teens safe on social media: What parents should know to protect their kids ]

Some parents might be technologically ill-equipped, lack the time or documentation to complete requirements, or simply be unavailable to complete these requirements. Disenfranchising some young people from these platforms creates inequities. xxvii

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1 These recommendations enact policies and resolutions approved by the APA Council of Representatives including the APA Resolution on Child and Adolescent Mental and Behavioral Health and the APA Resolution on Dismantling Systemic Racism in contexts including social media. These are not professional practice guidelines but are intended to provide information based on psychological science.

2 This report seeks to elaborate on extant psychological science findings, which may be particularly relevant in the creation of policy solutions that protect young people, and to inform the development of social media safety standards.

Recommendations from APA’s health advisory on social media use in adolescence

• Youth using social media should be encouraged to use functions that create opportunities for social support, online companionship, and emotional intimacy that can promote healthy socialization.
• Social media use, functionality, and permissions/consenting should be tailored to youths’ developmental capabilities; designs created for adults may not be appropriate for children.
• In early adolescence (i.e., typically 10–14 years), adult monitoring (i.e., ongoing review, discussion, and coaching around social media content) is advised for most youths’ social media use; autonomy may increase gradually as kids age and if they gain digital literacy skills. However, monitoring should be balanced with youths’ appropriate needs for privacy.
• To reduce the risks of psychological harm, adolescents’ exposure to content on social media that depicts illegal or psychologically maladaptive behavior, including content that instructs or encourages youth to engage in health-risk behaviors, such as self-harm (e.g., cutting, suicide), harm to others, or those that encourage eating-disordered behavior (e.g., restrictive eating, purging, excessive exercise) should be minimized, reported, and removed; moreover, technology should not drive users to this content.
• To minimize psychological harm, adolescents’ exposure to “cyberhate” including online discrimination, prejudice, hate, or cyberbullying especially directed toward a marginalized group (e.g., racial, ethnic, gender, sexual, religious, ability status), or toward an individual because of their identity or allyship with a marginalized group should be minimized.
• Adolescents should be routinely screened for signs of “problematic social media use” that can impair their ability to engage in daily roles and routines, and may present risk for more serious psychological harms over time.
• The use of social media should be limited so as to not interfere with adolescents’ sleep and physical activity.
• Adolescents should limit use of social media for social comparison, particularly around beauty- or appearance-related content.
• Adolescents’ social media use should be preceded by training in social media literacy to ensure that users have developed psychologically-informed competencies and skills that will maximize the chances for balanced, safe, and meaningful social media use.
• Substantial resources should be provided for continued scientific examination of the positive and negative effects of social media on adolescent development.

Acknowledgments

We wish to acknowledge the outstanding contributions to this report made by the following individuals:

Expert advisory panel

Mary Ann McCabe, PhD, ABPP, member-at-large, Board of Directors, American Psychological Association; associate clinical professor of pediatrics, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences

Mitchell J. Prinstein, PhD, ABPP, chief science officer, American Psychological Association; John Van Seters Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Mary K. Alvord, PhD, founder, Alvord, Baker & Associates; board president, Resilience Across Borders; adjunct associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences

Dawn T. Bounds, PhD, PMHNP-BC, FAAN, assistant professor, Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing, University of California, Irvine

Linda Charmaraman, PhD, senior research scientist, Wellesley Centers for Women, Wellesley College

Sophia Choukas-Bradley, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh

Dorothy L. Espelage, PhD, William C. Friday Distinguished Professor of Education, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Joshua A. Goodman, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Psychology, Southern Oregon University

Jessica L. Hamilton, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Psychology, Rutgers University

Brendesha M. Tynes, PhD, Dean’s Professor of Educational Equity, University of Southern California

L. Monique Ward, PhD, professor, Department of Psychology (Developmental), University of Michigan

Lucía Magis-Weinberg, MD, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Psychology, University of Washington

We also wish to acknowledge the contributions to this report made by Katherine B. McGuire, chief advocacy officer, and Corbin Evans, JD, senior director of congressional and federal relations, American Psychological Association.

Selected references

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ii Nesi, J., Choukas-Bradley, S., & Prinstein, M. J. (2018). Transformation of adolescent peer relations in the social media context: Part 1—A theoretical framework and application to dyadic peer relationships. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review , 21 (3), 267–294. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10567-018-0261-x

iii Valkenburg, P. M., & Peter, J. (2013). The differential susceptibility to media effects model. Journal of Communication , 63 (2), 221–243. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcom.12024

iv Fareri, D. S., Martin, L. N., & Delgado, M. R. (2008). Reward-related processing in the human brain: Developmental considerations. Development and Psychopathology , 20 (4), 1191–1211; Somerville, L. H., & Casey, B. J. (2010). Developmental neurobiology of cognitive control and motivational systems. Current Opinion in Neurobiology , 20 (2), 236–241. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conb.2010.01.006

v Shin, D. (2020). How do users interact with algorithm recommender systems? The interaction of users, algorithms, and performance. Computers in Human Behavior , 109 , 106344. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2020.106344

vi Sherman, L. E., Payton, A. A., Hernandez, L. M., Greenfield, P. M., & Dapretto, M. (2016). The power of the Like in adolescence: Effects of peer influence on neural and behavioral responses to social media. Psychological Science , 27 (7), 1027–1035. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797616645673

vii Albert, D., Chein, J., & Steinberg, L. (2013). The teenage brain: Peer influences on adolescent decision making. Current Directions in Psychological Science , 22 (2), 114–120. https://doi.org/10.1177/0963721412471347

viii Armstrong-Carter, E., & Telzer, E. H. (2021). Advancing measurement and research on youths’ prosocial behavior in the digital age. Child Development Perspectives , 15 (1), 31–36. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdep.12396 ; Newcomb, A. F., & Bagwell, C. L. (1995). Children’s friendship relations: A meta-analytic review. Psychological Bulletin , 117 (2), 306.

ix Nesi, J., & Prinstein, M. J. (2019). In search of likes: Longitudinal associations between adolescents’ digital status seeking and health-risk behaviors. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology , 48 (5), 740–748. https://doi.org/10.1080/15374416.2018.1437733 ; Rotondi, V., Stanca, L., & Tomasuolo, M. (2017). Connecting alone: Smartphone use, quality of social interactions and well-being. Journal of Economic Psychology , 63 , 17–26. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joep.2017.09.001

x Sherman, L. E., Payton, A. A., Hernandez, L. M., Greenfield, P. M., & Dapretto, M. (2016). The power of the Like in adolescence: Effects of peer influence on neural and behavioral responses to social media. Psychological Science , 27 (7), 1027–1035. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797616645673

xi Susi, K., Glover-Ford, F., Stewart, A., Knowles Bevis, R., & Hawton, K. (2023). Research review: Viewing self-harm images on the internet and social media platforms: Systematic review of the impact and associated psychological mechanisms. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry , 64 (8), 1115–1139.

xii Hartley, C. A., & Somerville, L. H. (2015). The neuroscience of adolescent decision-making. Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences , 5 , 108–115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cobeha.2015.09.004

xiii Atherton, O. E., Lawson, K. M., & Robins, R. W. (2020). The development of effortful control from late childhood to young adulthood. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology , 119 (2), 417–456. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspp0000283

xiv Boer, M., Stevens, G. W., Finkenauer, C., & Van den Eijnden, R. J. (2022). The course of problematic social media use in young adolescents: A latent class growth analysis. Child Development , 93 (2), e168–e187.

xv Hall, A. C. G., Lineweaver, T. T., Hogan, E. E., & O’Brien, S. W. (2020). On or off task: The negative influence of laptops on neighboring students’ learning depends on how they are used. Computers & Education , 153 , 103901. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2020.103901 ; Sana, F., Weston, T., & Cepeda, N. J. (2013). Laptop multitasking hinders classroom learning for both users and nearby peers. Computers & Education , 62 , 24–31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2012.10.003

xvi von Bastian, C. C., & Druey, M. D. (2017). Shifting between mental sets: An individual differences approach to commonalities and differences of task switching components. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General , 146 (9), 1266–1285. https://doi.org/10.1037/xge0000333

xvii Andrews, J. C., Walker, K. L., & Kees, J. (2020). Children and online privacy protection: Empowerment from cognitive defense strategies. Journal of Public Policy & Marketing , 39 (2), 205–219. https://doi.org/10.1177/0743915619883638 ; Romer D. (2010). Adolescent risk taking, impulsivity, and brain development: Implications for prevention. Developmental Psychobiology , 52 (3), 263–276. https://doi.org/10.1002/dev.20442

xviii Orben, A., Przybylski, A. K., Blakemore, S.-J., Kievit, R. A. (2022). Windows of developmental sensitivity to social media. Nature Communications , 13 (1649). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-29296-3

xix Paruthi, S., Brooks, L. J., D’Ambrosio, C., Hall, W. A., Kotagal, S., Lloyd, R. M., Malow, B. A., Maski, K., Nichols, C., Quan, S. F., Rosen, C. L., Troester, M. M., & Wise, M. S. (2016). Recommended amount of sleep for pediatric populations: A consensus statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine , 12 (6), 785–786. https://doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.5866

xx Perrault, A. A., Bayer, L., Peuvrier, M., Afyouni, A., Ghisletta, P., Brockmann, C., Spiridon, M., Hulo Vesely, S., Haller, D. M., Pichon, S., Perrig, S., Schwartz, S., & Sterpenich, V. (2019). Reducing the use of screen electronic devices in the evening is associated with improved sleep and daytime vigilance in adolescents. Sleep , 42 (9), zsz125. https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsz125 ; Telzer, E. H., Goldenberg, D., Fuligni, A. J., Lieberman, M. D., & Gálvan, A. (2015). Sleep variability in adolescence is associated with altered brain development. Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience , 14, 16–22. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dcn.2015.05.007

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A Warning on Social Media Is the Very Least We Can Do

By Pamela Paul

Opinion Columnist

You’re in the middle of a public health emergency involving a dangerously addictive substance — let’s say an epidemic of fentanyl or vaping among teens. Which of the following is the best response?

1. Issue a warning. Tell everyone, “Hey, watch out — this stuff isn’t good for you.”

2. Regulate the dangerous substance so that it causes the least amount of harm.

3. Ban the substance and penalize anyone who distributes it.

In the midst of a well-documented mental health crisis among children and teenagers, with social media use a clear contributing factor, the surgeon general, Dr. Vivek Murthy, recommends choice one. As he wrote in a Times Opinion guest essay on Monday, “It is time to require a surgeon general’s warning label on social media platforms, stating that social media is associated with significant mental health harms for adolescents.”

It’s an excellent first step, but it’s a mere Band-Aid on a suppurating wound. Telling teenagers something is bad for them may work for some kids, but for others it’s practically an open invitation to abuse. To add muscle to a mere label, we need to prohibit its sale to people under 18 and enforce the law on sellers. We need to strongly regulate social media , as Europe has begun to do, and ban it for kids under 16. Murthy urges Congress to take similar steps .

Free-speech absolutists (or those who play the role when a law restricts something that earns them lots of money) will say that requiring age verification systems is an unconstitutional limit on free speech . Nonsense. We don’t allow children to freely attend PG-13 or R-rated movies. We don’t allow hard liquor to be advertised during children’s programming.

Other objections to regulation are that it’s difficult to carry out (so are many things) and that there’s only a correlative link between social media and adverse mental health rather than one of causation .

Complacency is easy. The hard truth is that many people are too addicted to social media themselves to fight for laws that would unstick their kids. Big Tech, with Congress in its pocket, is only too happy for everyone to keep their heads in the sand and reap the benefits. But a combination of Options 2 and 3 are the only ones that will bring real results.

An earlier version of this article misspelled the surname of the surgeon general. He is Dr. Vivek Murthy, not Murphy.

How we handle corrections

Pamela Paul is an Opinion columnist at The Times, writing about culture, politics, ideas and the way we live now.

Artists are terrified Instagram is stealing their work. They're turning to hot platform Cara — but it's not a perfect solution.

• Artists are angry at Meta for using their Instagram and Facebook photos to train AI models.
• They fear Instagram's Emu could replicate their copyrighted artworks, threatening their jobs.
• Some artists are moving to Cara, which gained 600,000 users in a week but has had issues.

Some artists are angry that Meta is using their photos on Instagram and Facebook to train its artificial intelligence models .

A trio of artists told Business Insider they're worried that Instagram's text-to-image generator Emu will produce images emulating their style, which means that artists will play a role in endangering their jobs.

"It is already difficult to make a living as an artist, and these practices feel exploitative," Christina Kent, a San Francisco-based fine artist, told Business Insider.

Some artists are moving to Cara, a social media platform designed for artists.

Cara, launched in 2023, doesn't train any AI models on its users' content , and it has an automatic feature that prevents others from scraping art on the platform. Cara founder Jingna Zhang is a Singaporean photographer whose work was plagiarized by a Luxembourg-based artist in 2022. She recently won an appeal regarding the photograph in a Luxembourg court.

Cara gained over 600,000 users in the first week of June and has moved to the top of App Store rankings, according to a TechCrunch report last week. The app's spike in sign-ups came after Meta's chief product officer , Chris Cox, said last month that the company uses publicly available photos and text from Instagram and Facebook to train Emu, and after European users were notified that their posts will be used to train AI, unless they opt out, in late June.

"Artists who are choosing to leave for Cara are doing it out of outrage and disagreement" with Meta's AI policy, said Meridian Culpepper, an animation artist in Los Angeles.

Losing hard-earned followings

Professional artists said they have issues with Instagram beyond AI, including that they feel forced to buy ads to be seen. But giving up the platform completely won't be easy.

"Instagram has been important to me as an artist — it's how I started my art career," Kent, who has nearly 75,000 followers, told BI.

She said that it allowed her to connect with art collectors from around the world and helped her transition to painting full-time.

Kent said she doesn't like how Meta is taking artists' creative work and profiting from it.

Related stories

"Despite these concerns, I feel like I have to keep my Instagram for now, since that is where my collectors are," Kent said.

Culpepper, the Los Angeles-based animation artist, said she's sticking around because tech giants like Meta set an example for others in the industry.

"I am staying on Instagram because I see the value in fighting for that choice," said Culpepper. "I'm not going to delete my account and run away. I want to stay and see the issue resolved."

Not just an artist's problem

Opting out can be a hassle. Meta asks users to go through several steps and fill out a form that asks them to provide proof that their private photos or personal details show up in Meta's AI model, along with the relevant prompts used to get the results.

And filling out the form and providing "evidence" is not a guarantee that accounts will be excluded from scraping.

"We don't automatically fulfill requests sent using this form. We review them consistent with your local laws," text above the form reads.

Some artists said governments should give users the right to opt out.

"I'm also quite upset that Singapore doesn't have the option for people here to opt out of Instagram and Facebook using our pictures and artworks for their AI," said Noah Smith, a Singapore-based animation student who said he is on Instagram and Cara.

Far from perfect

Artists, including Kent in San Francisco, said they're using platforms like Cara to hedge against the whims of any one platform.

"The past few years have shown me that I can't build a business that is dependent on one platform. Instagram can take my audience away with a simple change of the algorithm," Kent said.

Along with opening an account on Cara, she has also started a YouTube channel to share more long-form content.

Switching platforms comes with its own headaches — the spike in new Cara users led to a series of app crashes last week.

"The app has been slow this week with all of the new traffic, and I haven't been able to post much," said Kent. "It also erroneously flagged one of my paintings as AI-generated, and I haven't been able to resolve that yet."

Meta did not respond to BI's requests for comment. Cara's founder told the Washington Post that the free app was still in development.

After publication, a spokesperson for Cara told BI that there was a bug that showed an error message for AI images from their early beta, and the company has since fixed it.

Watch: Artsy CMO, Everette Taylor, tells Insider that the online art marketplace is more inclusive, and lucrative

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Home — Essay Samples — Sociology — Social Media — Social Media Addiction

Social Media Addiction

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Published: Mar 20, 2024

Words: 538 | Page: 1 | 3 min read

Table of contents

Causes of social media addiction, consequences of social media addiction, addressing social media addiction.

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What is generative AI?

In the months and years since ChatGPT burst on the scene in November 2022, generative AI (gen AI) has come a long way. Every month sees the launch of new tools, rules, or iterative technological advancements. While many have reacted to ChatGPT (and AI and machine learning more broadly) with fear, machine learning clearly has the potential for good. In the years since its wide deployment, machine learning has demonstrated impact in a number of industries, accomplishing things like medical imaging analysis  and high-resolution weather forecasts. A 2022 McKinsey survey shows that AI adoption has more than doubled  over the past five years, and investment in AI is increasing apace. It’s clear that generative AI tools like ChatGPT (the GPT stands for generative pretrained transformer) and image generator DALL-E (its name a mashup of the surrealist artist Salvador Dalí and the lovable Pixar robot WALL-E) have the potential to change how a range of jobs are performed. The full scope of that impact, though, is still unknown—as are the risks.

Get to know and directly engage with McKinsey's senior experts on generative AI

Aamer Baig is a senior partner in McKinsey’s Chicago office;  Lareina Yee  is a senior partner in the Bay Area office; and senior partners  Alex Singla  and Alexander Sukharevsky , global leaders of QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey, are based in the Chicago and London offices, respectively.

Still, organizations of all stripes have raced to incorporate gen AI tools into their business models, looking to capture a piece of a sizable prize. McKinsey research indicates that gen AI applications stand to add up to $4.4 trillion  to the global economy—annually. Indeed, it seems possible that within the next three years, anything in the technology, media, and telecommunications space not connected to AI will be considered obsolete or ineffective .

But before all that value can be raked in, we need to get a few things straight: What is gen AI, how was it developed, and what does it mean for people and organizations? Read on to get the download.

To stay up to date on this critical topic, sign up for email alerts on “artificial intelligence” here .

Learn more about QuantumBlack , AI by McKinsey.

What every CEO should know about generative AI

What’s the difference between machine learning and artificial intelligence, about quantumblack, ai by mckinsey.

QuantumBlack, McKinsey’s AI arm, helps companies transform using the power of technology, technical expertise, and industry experts. With thousands of practitioners at QuantumBlack (data engineers, data scientists, product managers, designers, and software engineers) and McKinsey (industry and domain experts), we are working to solve the world’s most important AI challenges. QuantumBlack Labs is our center of technology development and client innovation, which has been driving cutting-edge advancements and developments in AI through locations across the globe.

Artificial intelligence is pretty much just what it sounds like—the practice of getting machines to mimic human intelligence to perform tasks. You’ve probably interacted with AI even if you don’t realize it—voice assistants like Siri and Alexa are founded on AI technology, as are customer service chatbots that pop up to help you navigate websites.

Machine learning is a type of artificial intelligence. Through machine learning, practitioners develop artificial intelligence through models that can “learn” from data patterns without human direction. The unmanageably huge volume and complexity of data (unmanageable by humans, anyway) that is now being generated has increased machine learning’s potential , as well as the need for it.

What are the main types of machine learning models?

Machine learning is founded on a number of building blocks, starting with classical statistical techniques  developed between the 18th and 20th centuries for small data sets. In the 1930s and 1940s, the pioneers of computing—including theoretical mathematician Alan Turing—began working on the basic techniques for machine learning. But these techniques were limited to laboratories until the late 1970s, when scientists first developed computers powerful enough to mount them.

Until recently, machine learning was largely limited to predictive models, used to observe and classify patterns in content. For example, a classic machine learning problem is to start with an image or several images of, say, adorable cats. The program would then identify patterns among the images, and then scrutinize random images for ones that would match the adorable cat pattern. Generative AI was a breakthrough. Rather than simply perceive and classify a photo of a cat, machine learning is now able to create an image or text description of a cat on demand.

Introducing McKinsey Explainers : Direct answers to complex questions

How do text-based machine learning models work how are they trained.

ChatGPT may be getting all the headlines now, but it’s not the first text-based machine learning model to make a splash. OpenAI’s GPT-3 and Google’s BERT both launched in recent years to some fanfare. But before ChatGPT, which by most accounts works pretty well most of the time (though it’s still being evaluated), AI chatbots didn’t always get the best reviews. GPT-3 is “by turns super impressive and super disappointing,” said New York Times tech reporter Cade Metz in a video where he and food writer Priya Krishna asked GPT-3 to write recipes for a (rather disastrous) Thanksgiving dinner .

The first machine learning models to work with text were trained by humans to classify various inputs according to labels set by researchers. One example would be a model trained to label social media  posts as either positive or negative. This type of training is known as supervised learning because a human is in charge of “teaching” the model what to do.

The next generation of text-based machine learning models rely on what’s known as self-supervised learning. This type of training involves feeding a model a massive amount of text so it becomes able to generate predictions. For example, some models can predict, based on a few words, how a sentence will end. With the right amount of sample text—say, a broad swath of the internet—these text models become quite accurate. We’re seeing just how accurate with the success of tools like ChatGPT.

What does it take to build a generative AI model?

Building a generative AI model has for the most part been a major undertaking, to the extent that only a few well-resourced tech heavyweights have made an attempt . OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, former GPT models, and DALL-E, has billions in funding from bold-face-name donors. DeepMind is a subsidiary of Alphabet, the parent company of Google, and even Meta has dipped a toe into the generative AI model pool with its Make-A-Video product. These companies employ some of the world’s best computer scientists and engineers.

But it’s not just talent. When you’re asking a model to train using nearly the entire internet, it’s going to cost you. OpenAI hasn’t released exact costs, but estimates indicate that GPT-3 was trained on around 45 terabytes of text data—that’s about one million feet of bookshelf space, or a quarter of the entire Library of Congress—at an estimated cost of several million dollars. These aren’t resources your garden-variety start-up can access.

What kinds of output can a generative AI model produce?

As you may have noticed above, outputs from generative AI models can be indistinguishable from human-generated content, or they can seem a little uncanny. The results depend on the quality of the model—as we’ve seen, ChatGPT’s outputs so far appear superior to those of its predecessors—and the match between the model and the use case, or input.

ChatGPT can produce what one commentator called a “ solid A- ” essay comparing theories of nationalism from Benedict Anderson and Ernest Gellner—in ten seconds. It also produced an already famous passage describing how to remove a peanut butter sandwich from a VCR in the style of the King James Bible. Image-generating AI models like DALL-E 2 can create strange, beautiful images on demand, like a Raphael painting of a Madonna and child, eating pizza . Other generative AI models can produce code, video, audio, or business simulations .

But the outputs aren’t always accurate—or appropriate. When Priya Krishna asked DALL-E 2 to come up with an image for Thanksgiving dinner, it produced a scene where the turkey was garnished with whole limes, set next to a bowl of what appeared to be guacamole. For its part, ChatGPT seems to have trouble counting, or solving basic algebra problems—or, indeed, overcoming the sexist and racist bias that lurks in the undercurrents of the internet and society more broadly.

Generative AI outputs are carefully calibrated combinations of the data used to train the algorithms. Because the amount of data used to train these algorithms is so incredibly massive—as noted, GPT-3 was trained on 45 terabytes of text data—the models can appear to be “creative” when producing outputs. What’s more, the models usually have random elements, which means they can produce a variety of outputs from one input request—making them seem even more lifelike.

What kinds of problems can a generative AI model solve?

The opportunity for businesses is clear. Generative AI tools can produce a wide variety of credible writing in seconds, then respond to criticism to make the writing more fit for purpose. This has implications for a wide variety of industries, from IT and software organizations that can benefit from the instantaneous, largely correct code generated by AI models to organizations in need of marketing copy. In short, any organization that needs to produce clear written materials potentially stands to benefit. Organizations can also use generative AI to create more technical materials, such as higher-resolution versions of medical images. And with the time and resources saved here, organizations can pursue new business opportunities and the chance to create more value.

We’ve seen that developing a generative AI model is so resource intensive that it is out of the question for all but the biggest and best-resourced companies. Companies looking to put generative AI to work have the option to either use generative AI out of the box or fine-tune them to perform a specific task. If you need to prepare slides according to a specific style, for example, you could ask the model to “learn” how headlines are normally written based on the data in the slides, then feed it slide data and ask it to write appropriate headlines.

What are the limitations of AI models? How can these potentially be overcome?

Because they are so new, we have yet to see the long tail effect of generative AI models. This means there are some inherent risks  involved in using them—some known and some unknown.

The outputs generative AI models produce may often sound extremely convincing. This is by design. But sometimes the information they generate is just plain wrong. Worse, sometimes it’s biased (because it’s built on the gender, racial, and myriad other biases of the internet and society more generally) and can be manipulated to enable unethical or criminal activity. For example, ChatGPT won’t give you instructions on how to hotwire a car, but if you say you need to hotwire a car to save a baby, the algorithm is happy to comply. Organizations that rely on generative AI models should reckon with reputational and legal risks involved in unintentionally publishing biased, offensive, or copyrighted content.

These risks can be mitigated, however, in a few ways. For one, it’s crucial to carefully select the initial data used to train these models to avoid including toxic or biased content. Next, rather than employing an off-the-shelf generative AI model, organizations could consider using smaller, specialized models. Organizations with more resources could also customize a general model based on their own data to fit their needs and minimize biases. Organizations should also keep a human in the loop (that is, to make sure a real human checks the output of a generative AI model before it is published or used) and avoid using generative AI models for critical decisions, such as those involving significant resources or human welfare.

It can’t be emphasized enough that this is a new field. The landscape of risks and opportunities  is likely to change rapidly in coming weeks, months, and years. New use cases are being tested monthly, and new models are likely to be developed in the coming years. As generative AI becomes increasingly, and seamlessly, incorporated into business, society, and our personal lives, we can also expect a new regulatory climate  to take shape. As organizations begin experimenting—and creating value—with these tools, leaders will do well to keep a finger on the pulse of regulation and risk.

Articles referenced include:

• " Implementing generative AI with speed and safety ,” March 13, 2024, Oliver Bevan, Michael Chui , Ida Kristensen , Brittany Presten, and Lareina Yee
• “ Beyond the hype: Capturing the potential of AI and gen AI in tech, media, and telecom ,” February 22, 2024, Venkat Atluri , Peter Dahlström , Brendan Gaffey , Víctor García de la Torre, Noshir Kaka , Tomás Lajous , Alex Singla , Alex Sukharevsky , Andrea Travasoni , and Benjamim Vieira
• “ As gen AI advances, regulators—and risk functions—rush to keep pace ,” December 21, 2023, Andreas Kremer, Angela Luget, Daniel Mikkelsen , Henning Soller , Malin Strandell-Jansson, and Sheila Zingg
• “ The economic potential of generative AI: The next productivity frontier ,” June 14, 2023, Michael Chui , Eric Hazan , Roger Roberts , Alex Singla , Kate Smaje , Alex Sukharevsky , Lareina Yee , and Rodney Zemmel
• “ What every CEO should know about generative AI ,” May 12, 2023, Michael Chui , Roger Roberts , Tanya Rodchenko, Alex Singla , Alex Sukharevsky , Lareina Yee , and Delphine Zurkiya
• “ Exploring opportunities in the generative AI value chain ,” April 26, 2023, Tobias Härlin, Gardar Björnsson Rova , Alex Singla , Oleg Sokolov, and Alex Sukharevsky
• “ The state of AI in 2022—and a half decade in review ,” December 6, 2022,  Michael Chui ,  Bryce Hall ,  Helen Mayhew , Alex Singla , and Alex Sukharevsky
• “ McKinsey Technology Trends Outlook 2023 ,” July 20, 2023,  Michael Chui , Mena Issler,  Roger Roberts , and  Lareina Yee  
• “ An executive’s guide to AI ,” Michael Chui , Vishnu Kamalnath, and Brian McCarthy
• “ What AI can and can’t do (yet) for your business ,” January 11, 2018,  Michael Chui , James Manyika , and Mehdi Miremadi

This article was updated in April 2024; it was originally published in January 2023.

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What are Common Problems Faced by Students in School?

List of The Common Problems Faced by Students in School

Student social media users mentioned many interesting problems they faced in school. The majority of this #StudentProblems101 are classroom problems such as difficulty in understanding lessons, humiliation, stress, and boredom. Personal problems, on the other hand, include sleep deprivation and miserable weekends and holidays due to homework.

Poor Teaching

Poor teaching according to one study is associated with teacher’s lack of care and concern, poor social relationships, and insensitiveness to students learning requirements. In fact, student’s cognitive learning and enjoyment are highly dependent on the quality of teaching. The reason is that poor teachers decreased students’ self-confidence and motivation for learning and increase their anxiety while in the classroom.

Humiliation

Classroom problem such as humiliation according to these social media users commonly occur when the teacher mention his or her name as an example of a bad student. For instance, “Study hard and don’t be late like Paul.” According to the result of the study conducted by Breaux and Whittaker, most participants experienced humiliation from a teacher. Offensive teachers are those who humiliate students, blame students for problems in the classroom and engage in sarcasm. They are mean and cruel, play favorites, and self-centered.

Stress Boredom

Students with teachers who take pride in punishing students often experience stress and boredom. For instance, some teachers systematically overload students with content and impose nearly unattainable objectives, make test difficult, and punish students with low grades. Indolent teachers, on the other hand, are those who deliver boring lectures, lack basic teaching skills, arrived late, neglect to grade homework, and make their classes too easy.

There Is No Place Like Home

Students are young people with natural curiosity and eagerness to learn. However, they are also outgoing people with interest other than school. Putting pressure on a young person, therefore, is counterproductive and may lead to some negative attitude towards learning. For instance, a teenager consistently deprived of sleep and missed out things such as family gets together, sport events, and so on, because of homework, may eventually hate homework and school. Young people tend to see social demands of school life extremely difficult when they spend most of their days in study tables.

Study of issues in education suggests that most students seem to misbehave and hate school when they put much more time in homework. This is because young people need to play, spend time with family and friends, and do things they love. Although homework according to several studies has positive effects particularly in high school, the result of other studies suggests that it greatly affect students’ feelings and attitudes about school negatively. These include loss of interest in academic material and physical and emotional stress.

In reality, homework robs students of valuable leisure and family time and time to spend on developing other interest. Moreover, excessive lesson time and homework time eventually result to burn out or students alienation from the academic material. In fact, study shows that some students left school because of homework and exacerbate the division between high and low-income families. For instance, students from more progressive backgrounds are likely to have more time and parental support than those with disadvantaged demographic backgrounds.

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