Social media and technology are the two of the commodities which as they gain further popularity are instilling more and more concern amongst the people regarding its less than favorable manifestations. Do we have reason to worry about the negative consequences of the social media; most definitely. The answer has to vary though when we are choosing in between whether the social media and the technology, in general, are more harmful or useful. This paper is going to present all the reasons which reveal to us nothing but the benefits of these two conveniences.
The social media is an effective tool to be employed in the field of medicine because through its use; health professionals have found the ability to build more sound and reliable professional networks. The social media also serves as a powerful tool in the sense that it could quickly spread information and could in very little time mobilize the audiences towards a movement or even a political change. With all of the information it provides and the relationships in between the patients and the professionals that it upholds, the social media is a great benefit to the field of medicine. (Daniel R. George, 2013, p.4)
The same social media is also greatly encouraging relationships amongst the present day youth. Much of the preliminary research on the social media presents proof that online communications help the individuals in the accumulation of social capital and networks which provide them with social support, advice and also with much-needed information. (Ahn, 2011, p.1439)
Yet another advantage presented by the social media and the technology is the exposure that it provides to the users. There is a great deal of space dedicated to the news and what’s happening around the world to the newsfeed section of Facebook, much like a number of other social networking websites. This makes social media a constant source of information for its users, which keeps them informed on most of the current events. Research on the topic has been able to conclude that the effects of this exposure are more likely to have an influence on the attitudes of people towards the different issues in the world and in case where people already reserve this attitude, a newsfeed is an effective tool in bringing these users into action concerning a critical matter. (Bowe, 2016, p.11)
When we look at the various views on the subject, not all of them would agree with our stance here. There are actually several studies that have investigated the impact of internet use and the social media on mental health and have presented not so optimistic conclusions. Only in the year 2012, Medical News Today asserted that the use of Facebook was likely to elevate anxiety and supplement a person’s feeling of inadequacy.
Research has also found that with the increased use of internet in the lives of the student, the trend has shifted towards a time where the student gives little attention to detail and even less weightage to pronunciation and grammar. The main focus has become the information that is being reproduced rather than the quality of that information in homework assignments. (Chakraborty, 2015, p.146)
The use of technology also impedes on the physical health along with the individual’s mental well-being and the greatest of these concerns is that of obesity. Since technology has been encouraging a more inactive lifestyle, the obesity rates amongst the children over the course of the past 25 years has tripled.
All of this evidence points towards the negative consequences which are very real in our own lives and also in the lives of our children. We have to keep in mind though that all of these consequences are the result of the overuse of or the addiction to technology and any commodity taken in excess is sure to inflict harm. It is unreasonable of us to expect any different from the use of technology.
List of References
Ahn, J. (2011). The Effect of Social Network Sites on Adolescents’ Social and Academic Development: Current Theories and Controversies. Journal of American Society of Information Science and Technology, 1435-1445.
Bowe, D. Y. (2016). Micro Agenda Setters: The Effect of Social Media on Young Adults’ Exposure to and Attitude Toward News. Social Media + Society, 1-12.
Chakraborty, S. D. (2015). The impact of Social Media / Social Networks on Education and life of Undergraduate level students of Karimganj town-A survey. International Research Journal of Interdisciplinary & Multidisciplinary Studies , 141-147.
Daniel R. George, L. S. (2013). Dangers and opportunities for social media in medicine. Clin Obstet Gynecol, 1-10.
The Stewardship Report. (2010, June 21). Viewpoint: When is Too Much? The Negative Effects of Technology. Retrieved from The Stewardship Report: http://stewardshipreport.com/viewpoint-when-is-too-much-the-negative-effects-of-technology/
Whiteman, H. (2015, June 10). Social media: how does it affect our mental health and well-being? Retrieved from Medical News Today: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/275361.php
