THE EFFECTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON STUDENTS

CELL PHONES COLLECTED IN CLASS DURING AN EXAM; PHOTO BY MAKAILAH MEIER

Social media has so many different effects on people whether it is a negative impact or a positive effect. Some might have no effect, but everyone's opinion and relationship with social media can be very different. To start, more than 4.7 billion people around the world are using some form of social media. Some forms of social media could be Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat, or Facebook. According to the Global Web Index, 46% of internet users use social media to get their news through social media. Gen Z- Millennials were more likely to view news on social sites than other generations. 

    According to a 2019 survey by the Pew Research Center, peoples’ use of social media is correlated with having more friends. 80% of teenagers say social media allows them to feel more connected to their peers. Overall, one in three said that social media has mostly a positive impact on them. While 59% said it had neither a positive nor negative impact on them. Social media has raised so many questions about its effects on physical and mental health by “distracting them, disrupting their sleep, and exposing them to bullying, rumor spreading, unrealistic views of other people's lives, and peer pressure,” as the Mayo Clinic Notes. 

I have made a form for the CCA high school students asking, what social media app do you use the most? Coming in first the top social media app used most was Snapchat with 37% of people using the app. Tiktok was next being at 28.3% used. The third app was Instagram and the others like Facebook and X(Twitter) came in last as used less. 

I've interviewed Abby Kite one of our high school counselors, and asked her what she thinks the pros and cons of social media would be. Kite responded “I believe social media has a significant negative impact on teenagers and I think the statistics speak for themselves. We know that the majority of our teens struggle with mental health struggles in the form of anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and substance abuse. Not only that but kids are being exposed to sexual content at a much earlier age, resulting in students engaging in risky behaviors. Social media isn't going anywhere and it's going to be part of everyone’s lives. 

If parents could provide more parental controls, that would be beneficial, especially for the younger audience. The problem lies in the fact that most parents aren’t aware of what their kids are watching and what effects it has on young people's mental health. I think it should be part of the education system and we should teach students how to use this tool effectively.” 

Social media has one of the biggest impacts on relationships in our time. Social media can not only distract from face-to-face communication, with so many notifications and messages competing for our attention, but it can also be easy to lose sight of the people sitting right in front of us. This can lead to feelings of disconnection and resignment). Another way social media can negatively impact relationships is by promoting unrealistic expectations, from the perfect Instagram couple to the lovey-dovey posts. It can make it seem like everyone has a better relationship than you do. This can lead to feelings of jealousy, insecurity, and even depression. It can drive a wedge between partners who feel they can't live up to the people they see on social media. Social media can also facilitate jealousy and insecurity from liking an ex’s photo to flirting with someone in their DMS. Social media can be a breeding ground for mistrust and suspicion. This can be particularly damaging in romantic relationships, where trust is essential for building a strong foundation.