The Negative Effects of Social Media on Society

446 Words2 Pages
The Negative Effects of Social Media on Society The negative effects of social media on society are starting to outweigh the positive. Social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook are embraced by the world but the problems they have created are real. Some of the problems they cause are cyber-bullying, lack of internet privacy, and impersonal relationships. Cyber-bulling is “the use of information and communication technologies to support deliberate, repeated, and hostile behavior”. It has been reported by consumer reports that over 1 million kids were cyber-bullied on Facebook in 2012. The anonymity of being online with fake names and multiple social media accounts has made it possible for people to take out their own personal demons and insecurities on others and this type of behavior has even caused several suicides. Parents need to teach their kids the devastating effects this causes and teach them to never engage in this kind of behavior and also say something if they are the victim of it. Being educated on the importance of not sharing private information is vitally important in this day and age. Facebook and Twitter have made it so easy to share our lives with one another that people are becoming reckless and stupid with what they are posting. One reason to be careful is employers are starting to look at the profiles of employees and applicants to make sure they fit the company image and in some cases people have lost their job over it. Another problem is people are stealing photos and other personal information to pose as you on other social media sites which is creepy because who knows what kind of junk they are posting as you. Personal relations with friends and family are another issue that social media has a negative impact on. It really struck me recently when my mother who is 65 got a smart phone and started texting me instead of calling.
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