Is social media really that damaging – and should we be taking time out every now and then?
A look into the benefits and negatives of social media, and how it has helped us as a society through the pandemic.
Funnily enough, a lot of the ‘take a break from social media’ blogs and posts I see are ironically plastered all over social media. Many of these posts coming from social media influencers who, quite frankly, would not have a job if all of us took really long internet time outs. I am an avid social media user; I enjoy reading up on current affairs, watching TikTok to bring me a smile and to teach me something new, and to be nosey on what everyone else is up to! Personally, if you’re using social media positively for you and others — I see no reason to take a ‘break’. If someone is using these apps for more than 12 hours a day or it is harming their mental health or others I would advise otherwise.
I often feel there is a stigma around how much time you spend on social media with a lot of “you sat on your phone all day?” and “you need to live in the real world” comments. You start to almost feel bad about how long we’re spending online and we’re too ‘glued to our screens’ but in reality, who really cares? This week I’ve learnt: a new study technique from TikTok and also how to make lots of new recipes, I have followed breaking news on Twitter with live footage of the storming of the Capitol in the US, found a new hobby with interior design on Pintrest, followed work-out routines on YouTube and ordered way too many clothes thanks to Instagram. That type of immediate satisfaction is exactly what we need this lockdown 3.0. Many of us have found new hobbies, new passions and new friends due to social media — and at the moment, it’s all we have.
Most importantly though it gives us interaction! We can keep in contact with family and friends more easily than we ever have been able to with help from FaceTime and Zoom which has been a lifesaver when we are all having to stay at home. Joe Wicks has had the ability to bring us together actively at a time where a lot of us had been crawled in bed before hand, and being able to keep daily vlogs to share have given us an interesting way to keep in touch.
Yes, there can be negativities with social media: cyberbullying, fake news and sometimes dangerous for vulnerable users. But during these difficult and unpredictable times — it has saved us.
