Social Media Is Having A Negative Impact On Society

The opinion voiced in the theguardian.com (2017) has outlined the perception that both the negative and positive effects of social media on the general psyche of those using such online social platforms of contact could be discerned in a simultaneous manner. While this particular source specify the research conducted by the Sheffield University has emphasised upon the negative implications of social media based cognitive perception development within impressionist children in the form of the advent of inferiority and self-debasement complexes as an outcome of exposure to selective idealised versions of others and such exposure is facilitated by the social media posts.

However, the same source has also outlined that in spite of the focus of general assessment of mainstream discourses remaining concentrated on the pitfalls of social media, the benefits of social media do not receive such attention. The reference to the Sheffield University study has been provided so as to outline that this study also determined the expansion in overall happiness of children through remaining in contact with their friends or acquaintances. Furthermore, the study conducted by North Florida University has been also referred to by this source to establish that engaging in online exchange of information and opinions through applications such as Facebook, Messenger and Whatsapp could contribute to the habitual empathetic concern enhancement within impressionist minds, such as those of the young through widening of perspectives and responsibility fostering within such personnel. Similar conclusions have been observed through the research of Dnd ePaul University Wisconsin-Madison University which outline that social adjustment and friendship maintenance are facilitated through the application of such social media. Undeniably, when it comes to combat and overcome loneliness, social media could assist better than any other media, especially for the students who could not be in a position to physically remain in contact with their peers or friends and acquaintances.

However, in the theguardian.com (2017), Owen Bowcott has observed that the primary reason for the negative impacts of social media could be identified as the prioritisation of profit maximisation policies by social media service providers such as YouTube, Facebook and others over their corporate social responsibility management aspects. Such profit oriented approaches are jeopardising the efforts of removal of improper content posted on the social media sites such as hate content or content formulated through extremist messages. Furthermore, the source ofcom.org.uk (2016) has emphasised, from statistical perspectives, on the purported benefitical psychological aspects of detatchment from the online social media for differntial yet definite periods of time. The outcomes have not been deterministic.

Thus, it could be concluded from studying all of the three sources provided, that soical media can have only as much negative effect as any other media platform. The extensive scope and reach of social media,, in comparison to other media formats, could impart unwarranted effects on impressionist populaces such as children or the youth. However, social media is a figurative and digital reflection of the social dynamics which underscore the human society. The positive and negative effects run parrallel regarding the impact of social media on the youth. It is incumbent on the users and their peers/family and acquaintances to provide effective guidance to the youths/children so that the positive impacts could be maximised and the negative impacts of social media could be screened completely.

Reference List

• theguardian.com (2017) Social media gets a bad press, but it was a lifeline for me [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/apr/24/social-media-bad-press-lifeline-young-people (Accessed on: 28.04.2020)
• theguardian.com (2017) Social media firms must face heavy fines over extremist content– MPs [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/media/2017/may/01/social-media-firms-should-be-fined-for-extremist-content-say-mps-google-youtube-facebook (Accessed on: 28.04.2020)
• ofcom.org.uk (2016) The Communications Market Report: United Kingdom. 2016. [online] Available at: https://www.ofcom.org.uk/research-and-data/cmr/cmr16/the-communications-market-report-uk(Accessed on: 28.04.2020)