Negative effects of social media on people
Tags: Conspiracy Theories, Social Media

Social media is a wide place that creates opportunities for multiple entities. But how different professionals use different social entities counts for the prosperity of their careers in the future. Nevertheless, social media is highly useful when counting down the platforms for individual engagement. At one time where it provides a platform for people all over the world to connect and share, it is, at the same time, capable of destroying the very reason it was created to. The folks at theory51.com attempt to debunk and identify false information particularly where conspiracies are concerned.

But how does it work?

Having a proper understanding of how social media system works, how social media platforms allow the users to broadcast their messages effectively and how digital content can improve the marketing of a particular business or a campaign is very essential in the modern tech world. But that is not always the case in the hands of people. Social media is being used both positively and negatively, but which one is more common, that’s up to every individual who uses it for both purposes.

Many organisations have been using social media to excel in their everyday business that includes selling products and further contact with customers but at the same time, this technique might not be the best thing on the planet. It also possesses a darker yet risky aspect to the people. Information, whether correct or not, can bear real damage to others. Social media is not only limited to information, rather it’s a whole visual experience where individuals connect with each other from different areas of the world and unite.

I just can’t stop checking my phone!

The first and foremost thing that social media requires is time management and once it is achieved, you might be off a little worry. Even when people are at work, they are constantly checking their social media accounts. That is where bad time management comes in place. People are not aware of how these things destroy their effective time routine. They are addicted to check their social media account, whether on phone or laptop every once in a 15 to 30 minute time period. The reason behind this constant check would be sometimes, the boredom of work or maybe they are just annoyed. The initial focus of an individual is lost whenever a social media account is opened and re-focus takes a lot of time. People hiding behind social media accounts are often not performing well in their office environment.

So, how does it affect me?

Many mental health problems arise with social media impact too. The professionals are aware that it deeply affects the minds of individuals and they are very much concerned as well. They are aware of the fact that these constant interactions with social media accounts are contributing to very short spans of attention. These professionals have also reported that people who regularly use Facebook, Instagram and many other social media platforms like WhatsApp are having higher levels of stress. These stress levels are also contributing to low work output by the employees. So, apart from wasting time over social media, work output is also being affected in other ways too. Employees who ponder over the use of social media also proved to be more productive and have better relationships with other co-workers and customers. These platforms are not only affecting the mental health, but a little physical torture takes part as well.

Apart from worse time management and mental/physical health problems, social media is also responsible for spreading false information and very much alike. The fake news has made a commonplace in the minds of many customers and clients as well. The truth is always hidden over these platforms. False and misleading information is present over many social media platforms than there is over the television media. These fake news can very much damage the reputation of a renowned brand and can harm their reputation in a very particular way if not taken care of. Even loyal customers are sometimes affected by these fake persuasions.

One of the main ideas behind the fake news spreaders is fake online reviews. Because of social media, people rely highly on online reviews. Many platforms such as Facebook tracks these reviews and keeps a record of each and every person rating them so that others can have a little benefit in choosing their shopping or eating area. This highly affects the business of many people and is, therefore, a big deal. Some of these reviews are highly fake and they either praise or degrade a business making them vulnerable to business ending threats. This trend negatively affects a lot of organisations. If something inappropriate goes viral because of an uneducated or unethical employee who has some other things in mind, then it can possess a much bigger threat to the business and may result in huge losses. Safety of certain foods and treatments is also compromised when they are exposed to such threats over social media. Many users spread misinformation to make their own organisation better.

Then there’s bullying…

Many people using the social media become the victims of cyber-bullying as well. Especially young people who are prone to be bullied online are targeted, very often, by their fellow co-workers. These types of bullying include private threats over SMS, inappropriate public comments and manipulated pictures of individuals that were not targeted towards the very reason they were captured. Many young people become the victim of stress and mental health problems such as depression and anxiety because of these bullying standards. This, in turn, affects their performance in academic as well as physically. Many workplace tensions are created because of this cyber posed threats.

Many controversial topics are shared over these platforms which might create tension in a greater circle which the individual might not be aware of. This can potentially create hypertension politically on a much larger level and can also cause extremism as well. Pictures and videos that are shared over these platforms may often contain blood, gore, and violence which can alter the minds of multiple individuals and can further lead to increased stress levels. So, it can be concluded that social networks have negative effects on the personal and professional life of users.