The Lasting Effects of Social Media on Young Adults

In 1997 society was forever changed when Andrew Weinreich created “Six Degrees,” the first ever social media site (Hendricks). Social media became the new way for people to relate to other people, to communicate with the world, and to interact as a society. Today, there is a tremendous variety of social networking sites available to the public. Through the use of platforms like Six Degrees, Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook social media has seen exponential amounts of growth in popularity, especially among youth. Our younger generations know no other means by which to journey this grand adventure of life except by the fast and furious transit of social media. Along with these platforms come the benefits of faster communication, quicker news, and lots of instant entertainment. Over the past twenty years or so, the internet has become one of the most essential tools for daily activities. While it does helps people stay connected and facilitates the sharing of diverse media content, there are a vast amount of negatives associated with its use.

Social media has become a widely discussed communication form and often has been critiqued negatively, as the harmful aspects-especially for younger users-far outweigh the positive. To begin with, social media platforms have become an essential part of young people’s lives. Studies have shown that the average high school teen spends at least two hours using media every day (A Day in the Life of a High School Teen). This has numerous effects on young people and their behaviors. As individuals come into contact with media content, their social reality shifts. For the young people in this generation, the social world is massive, complicated and never silent. It is a force louder and larger than any other all other aspects of life.

One of the main issues facing youth today is the ability of using social media to create a person’s identity. Identity Construction is the basic shaping of a person’s values and beliefs about themselves and it is shaped in large part by an individual’s own actions. In a time of life where labels can be so controlling and damaging, teens are creating identities within such a large arena that losing the label can be a task too daunting to accomplish. And an identity can be created in an instant, and as quick as the press of a button. It can be intentional or completely accidental. Either way, the end result carries the weight of such finality. And even those who may not participate in actual identity construction on social media can be affected negatively by simply feeling extreme emotions from “scrolling” others posts and created existence. It is the feeling among bystanders that perhaps the rest of the world is having a better life experience.

Users can share their opinions, emotions and thoughts without having to impose self- censorship. It is in question whether social media, which has gained strength from its effect on the masses, reaches different segments of society. Human nature tends to look for people who are like-minded as opposed to seeking differences. People will seek those who have common emotions, thoughts and opinions with themselves by sharing on social communication platforms and they turn into an active power by constituting a community with like-minded users.

Maintaining a social media presence can be entertaining yet stressful. With comments and ‘likes’ quantifying influence and success on social media, aspiring to gain affirmation is built into the platforms. As sites like Instagram and Twitter become increasingly integrated in our social and professional lives, differences between our “real” and online identities can shape not only how others perceive us but our self-perceptions, creating pressure to be more like the often idealized digital versions of ourselves and our peers. As a platform where people can “showcase” their best moments, social media becomes a highlight reel or even a completely fabricated existence. People seek ways to validate their popularity or importance through online commits, posts, blogs, or other means of “sharing”. It becomes an event that often takes the user out of a true and real relationships and into a more singular existence without meaningful connections with others.

The content people expose themselves to on the media changes the way they think about themselves and others. Young people are highly affected by the values embraced by media. In effect, media offers numerous interpretations of what is beautiful, attractive, and appropriate. Young people are especially vulnerable to these influences. One’s adolescent years are a critical time for identity formation. Adolescents and emerging adults rely on their social contacts to figure out who they are. With the creation of social media, this process has moved into the virtual sphere. As a result, the individual may be tempted to construct a false self-presentation in order to be liked more by their peers. This self might be built on the false constructs that are offered by the media world: concepts of what is appealing, pretty, good, and tempting. All aspects of one’s true self which do not conform with these notions may be put aside and rejected by the individual.

Social media is woven into the lives of our youth, and all of society, like a tightly knitted fabric. The clock cannot be dialed back to pre-1997. Through the massive amounts of time spent on different social platforms, teenagers will most definitely form an identity, create labels, develop opinions about themselves and others, and become a personification of time spent using these platforms. And although time will surely be a witness to the lasting effects on our society as a whole, one can hope society will also see the direction our journey is going and strides will be made to somehow become a body of people that sees the damage occurring to our youth in particular and create ways to become less dependent on social media for our self-worth and more dependent on real relationships of valued family and friends.