Is Social Media the New Tobacco?
Advantages-Disadvantages of Social Media
Introduction (Essay on Social Media)
The basic necessity of humans as we know is food, clothing and shelter but today smart phones have found themselves a place in the list which introduced us to the social media. In the busy life of the 21st-century social media platforms connect us to our beloved and distant friends. Social media platforms are the most important technological development. They are not just a communication medium but also a source of information for us. It affects lives in different ways and has impacts on peoples’ lives, both negative and positive.
Humans today can afford to skip their lunch or dinner or both but we cannot live a second without checking their social media status and updates. The spacious impact of social media is seen on the young ones especially the teenagers. But what pulls us so strongly towards social media? Humans are very much concerned about their status in the society and what others think about them and social media reflects their influence in society. It shows their standard and reputation among others by the number of followers, likes and friends they have on social media platforms.
Pros and cons of Social Media
Social media has brought us closer to our distant relatives, friends and lets us stay connected all the time but it logged out our near ones from our life. Around 70% of teenagers in India use Facebook and there is an urge to get maximum likes on their status updates failure of which leads them to depression.
A research says that 44% of kids aged in the range of 10 – 15 years who use social media network have an argument with their parents, most cases are with the mother and it is very interesting to see that only 20% of kids who don’t use social media have an argument with their parents.
A report named “Understanding society” showed that 44% of teenagers who use social network for more than 3 hours were not happy with their appearance, only 53% of kids who use social media were happy with their looks. It is very contrasting to see that children who are not using social sites and are happy with their appearance is 82%. It clear how social media sites manipulate the minds of children and make them think that lack something which others have and it is a matter of concern. Teenagers using social sites are more prone to anger, laziness and anxiety. A survey reflected that kids indulged with social sites have less attendance in schools than those who don’t use.
The FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) phobia and NOMO (No Mobile) phobia is rapidly increasing and to rid of this the world is running after Digital Detox to get rid of social media addiction. In China, parents are admitting their wards to Digital Detox camps where they are kept away from social sites and internet. In Britain, people avoid carrying cell phones and choose a place where there is no signal for vacation so that they can share time with family.
Digital Detox is a cure for those addicted to social media and internet. It restricts people from using social sites, smart phones and laptops. The victims are allowed to stay in a space with different people who are a FOMO and NOMO victims too. They are made to socialize with each other and distract them form internet and social updates.
Conclusion on Speech on Social Media – The New Tobacco
Social media was introduced to increase social interaction and communication but being social means to stay connected and communicate in person. Nothing on earth comes with perfection, everything has its own flaws. Social network definitely is beneficial but it has its own drawbacks. Humans are the smartest living being on earth and choosing the right reflects the smartness.