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Social Media: Its Problem and Solution for the Modern Society

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Why social media has changed the world — and how to fix it

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Are you on social media a lot? When is the last time you checked Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram? Last night? Before breakfast? Five minutes ago?

If so, you are not alone — which is the point, of course. Humans are highly social creatures. Our brains have become wired to process social information, and we usually feel better when we are connected. Social media taps into this tendency.

“Human brains have essentially evolved because of sociality more than any other thing,” says Sinan Aral, an MIT professor and expert in information technology and marketing. “When you develop a population-scale technology that delivers social signals to the tune of trillions per day in real-time, the rise of social media isn’t unexpected. It’s like tossing a lit match into a pool of gasoline.”

The numbers make this clear. In 2005, about 7 percent of American adults used social media. But by 2017, 80 percent of American adults used Facebook alone. About 3.5 billion people on the planet, out of 7.7 billion, are active social media participants. Globally, during a typical day, people post 500 million tweets, share over 10 billion pieces of Facebook content, and watch over a billion hours of YouTube video.

As social media platforms have grown, though, the once-prevalent, gauzy utopian vision of online community has disappeared. Along with the benefits of easy connectivity and increased information, social media has also become a vehicle for disinformation and political attacks from beyond sovereign borders.

“Social media disrupts our elections, our economy, and our health,” says Aral, who is the David Austin Professor of Management at the MIT Sloan School of Management.

Now Aral has written a book about it. In “The Hype Machine,” published this month by Currency, a Random House imprint, Aral details why social media platforms have become so successful yet so problematic, and suggests ways to improve them.

As Aral notes, the book covers some of the same territory as “The Social Dilemma,” a documentary that is one of the most popular films on Netflix at the moment. But Aral’s book, as he puts it, "starts where ‘The Social Dilemma’ leaves off and goes one step further to ask: What can we do about it?”

“This machine exists in every facet of our lives,” Aral says. “And the question in the book is, what do we do? How do we achieve the promise of this machine and avoid the peril? We’re at a crossroads. What we do next is essential, so I want to equip people, policymakers, and platforms to help us achieve the good outcomes and avoid the bad outcomes.”

When “engagement” equals anger

“The Hype Machine” draws on Aral’s own research about social networks, as well as other findings, from the cognitive sciences, computer science, business, politics, and more. Researchers at the University of California at Los Angeles, for instance, have found that people obtain bigger hits of dopamine — the chemical in our brains highly bound up with motivation and reward — when their social media posts receive more likes.

At the same time, consider a 2018 MIT study by Soroush Vosoughi, an MIT PhD student and now an assistant professor of computer science at Dartmouth College; Deb Roy, MIT professor of media arts and sciences and executive director of the MIT Media Lab; and Aral, who has been studying social networking for 20 years. The three researchers found that on Twitter, from 2006 to 2017, false news stories were 70 percent more likely to be retweeted than true ones. Why? Most likely because false news has greater novelty value compared to the truth, and provokes stronger reactions — especially disgust and surprise.

In this light, the essential tension surrounding social media companies is that their platforms gain audiences and revenue when posts provoke strong emotional responses, often based on dubious content.

“This is a well-designed, well-thought-out machine that has objectives it maximizes,” Aral says. “The business models that run the social-media industrial complex have a lot to do with the outcomes we’re seeing — it’s an attention economy, and businesses want you engaged. How do they get engagement? Well, they give you little dopamine hits, and … get you riled up. That’s why I call it the hype machine. We know strong emotions get us engaged, so [that favors] anger and salacious content.”

From Russia to marketing

“The Hype Machine” explores both the political implications and business dimensions of social media in depth. Certainly social media is fertile terrain for misinformation campaigns. During the 2016 U.S. presidential election, Russia spread  false information to at least 126 million people on Facebook and another 20 million people on Insta­gram (which Facebook owns), and was responsible for 10 million tweets. About 44 percent of adult Americans visited a false news source in the final weeks of the campaign.

“I think we need to be a lot more vigilant than we are,” says Aral.

We do not know if Russia’s efforts altered the outcome of the 2016 election, Aral says, though they may have been fairly effective. Curiously, it is not clear if the same is true of most U.S. corporate engagement efforts.

As Aral examines, digital advertising on most big U.S. online platforms is often wildly ineffective, with academic studies showing that the “lift” generated by ad campaigns — the extent to which they affect consumer action — has been overstated by a factor of hundreds, in some cases. Simply counting clicks on ads is not enough. Instead, online engagement tends to be more effective among new consumers, and when it is targeted well; in that sense, there is a parallel between good marketing and guerilla social media campaigns.

“The two questions I get asked the most these days,” Aral says, “are, one, did Russia succeed in intervening in our democracy? And two, how do I measure the ROI [return on investment] from marketing investments? As I was writing this book, I realized the answer to those two questions is the same.”

Ideas for improvement

“The Hype Machine” has received praise from many commentators. Foster Provost, a professor at New York University’s Stern School of Business, says it is a “masterful integration of science, business, law, and policy.” Duncan Watts, a university professor at the University of Pennsylvania, says the book is “essential reading for anyone who wants to understand how we got here and how we can get somewhere better.”

In that vein, “The Hype Machine” has several detailed suggestions for improving social media. Aral favors automated and user-generated labeling of false news, and limiting revenue-collection that is based on false content. He also calls for firms to help scholars better research the issue of election interference.

Aral believes federal privacy measures could be useful, if we learn from the benefits and missteps of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe and a new California law that lets consumers stop some data-sharing and allows people to find out what information companies have stored about them. He does not endorse breaking up Facebook, and suggests instead that the social media economy needs structural reform. He calls for data portability and interoperability, so “consumers would own their identities and could freely switch from one network to another.” Aral believes that without such fundamental changes, new platforms will simply replace the old ones, propelled by the network effects that drive the social-media economy.

“I do not advocate any one silver bullet,” says Aral, who emphasizes that changes in four areas together — money, code, norms, and laws — can alter the trajectory of the social media industry.

But if things continue without change, Aral adds, Facebook and the other social media giants risk substantial civic backlash and user burnout.

“If you get me angry and riled up, I might click more in the short term, but I might also grow really tired and annoyed by how this is making my life miserable, and I might turn you off entirely,” Aral observes. “I mean, that’s why we have a Delete Facebook movement, that’s why we have a Stop Hate for Profit movement. People are pushing back against the short-term vision, and I think we need to embrace this longer-term vision of a healthier communications ecosystem.”

Changing the social media giants can seem like a tall order. Still, Aral says, these firms are not necessarily destined for domination.

“I don’t think this technology or any other technology has some deterministic endpoint,” Aral says. “I want to bring us back to a more practical reality, which is that technology is what we make it, and we are abdicating our responsibility to steer technology toward good and away from bad. That is the path I try to illuminate in this book.”

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Press mentions.

Prof. Sinan Aral’s new book, “The Hype Machine,” has been selected as one of the best books of the year about AI by Wired . Gilad Edelman notes that Aral’s book is “an engagingly written shortcut to expertise on what the likes of Facebook and Twitter are doing to our brains and our society.”

Prof. Sinan Aral speaks with Danny Crichton of TechCrunch about his new book, “The Hype Machine,” which explores the future of social media. Aral notes that he believes a starting point “for solving the social media crisis is creating competition in the social media economy.” 

New York Times

Prof. Sinan Aral speaks with New York Times editorial board member Greg Bensinger about how social media platforms can reduce the spread of misinformation. “Human-in-the-loop moderation is the right solution,” says Aral. “It’s not a simple silver bullet, but it would give accountability where these companies have in the past blamed software.”

Prof. Sinan Aral speaks with Kara Miller of GBH’s Innovation Hub about his research examining the impact of social media on everything from business re-openings during the Covid-19 pandemic to politics.

Prof. Sinan Aral speaks with NPR’s Michael Martin about his new book, “The Hype Machine,” which explores the benefits and downfalls posed by social media. “I've been researching social media for 20 years. I've seen its evolution and also the techno utopianism and dystopianism,” says Aral. “I thought it was appropriate to have a book that asks, 'what can we do to really fix the social media morass we find ourselves in?'”

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Social Media

Social media is broken. A new report offers 25 ways to fix it

Jun 30, 2021

Researchers, policymakers, and users have identified several key issues with the social media ecosystem. These include vast power held by a few corporations, which hurts innovation and competition; the spread of false news and debates about the limits of free speech; how social media threatens privacy, election integrity, and democracy; and platform oversight and transparency.

The Social Media Summit @ MIT brought together experts to discuss these issues and focus on solutions, which range from new oversight panels to breaking up big companies.

“Social media is rewiring the central nervous system of humanity in real time,” said MIT Sloan professor Sinan Aral, who led the event. “We’re now at a crossroads between its promise and its peril.”

A new report from the summit, now available online, takes a deep look at the range of problems posed by existing social media models, and offers 25 potential solutions to address them.

Download the report

Here’s a look at seven areas of concern addressed at the summit, and just a few of the potential solutions. 

1. The spread of false news and misinformation

False news spreads quickly online, aided by social media algorithms that amplify popular, and often incendiary, content. And social media companies and their advertisers often benefit from it, Aral noted.

One solution is to crack down on the most prolific offenders, said Clint Watts, a research fellow with the Foreign Policy Institute. “We know about them, and [enforcement] needs to focus there for maximum impact,” Watts said. 

2. The difficult balance between user privacy and platform transparency

Social media poses what Aral calls a “transparency paradox.” Researchers and the public have the right to know how social media platforms are accessing and using consumer data. But there’s also a need to protect user privacy and security.

Algorithmic transparency that lets researchers examine peer-to-peer information sharing without sharing personal information would lead to greater understanding about malicious use and how to prevent it, said Kate Starbird, an associate professor at the University of Washington. Some platforms are already more transparent than others. “We’re able to review data patterns on Twitter because their data is public,” she said. “Facebook and YouTube do not readily share data and we can’t study them very well.”

3. Lack of regulation for social media companies

Nick Clegg, vice president of global affairs at Facebook, said he agreed that independent oversight is a necessity.“We’re way beyond the stale debate of whether we need new rules of the road,” Clegg said during a discussion with Aral. Clegg also noted that if different areas of the world regulate social media differently, it could balkanize the internet.  The U.S. and European Union need to work together, he said, and bring India into the fold.

4. Lack of competition

Competition is a big incentive for companies to change behavior, Aral noted, but there is market concentration in the social economy with Facebook, Twitter, and Google.

“We’re dealing with an array of issues, including concentration that is choking off innovation, harming advertisers and small businesses, and leading to less competition for quality and privacy,” said Zephyr Teachout, an assistant professor of law at Fordham Law School.

The European Union is considering the Digital Markets Act, which would address anti-competitive practices and dictate corporate responsibility for non-compliance. This might be a model for other areas.

5. Algorithms contribute to bias, racism, and polarization

Social media and search engines have become the main way people organize and access information, said Safiya Noble, co-founder of the Center for Critical Internet Inquiry at UCLA. But companies that run them are guided by profit, and not things like democracy or human rights, she noted, and sometimes the most popular, profitable speech promotes racism, misinformation, and polarization.

Part of the problem is frictionless systems that allow users to easily retweet and share this kind of information, said Renée Richardson Gosline, a principal research scientist at MIT Sloan. Introducing friction by slowing online interactions and giving users the chance to think before sharing information is one solution, she said.

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6. social media business models don’t always serve users.

Social media business models are built on the attention economy, in which platforms sell users’ attention for advertising. But what gets attention isn’t always good for users, or society. Revising business models away from the attention economy could help.

Subscription-based models, which aren’t tied to adverting, are an alternative, said Scott Galloway, an adjunct professor of marketing at New York University, though he noted that there is a danger if the best, fact-checked information is available only behind a paywall.

7. The line between free speech and harmful speech is sometimes unclear

Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act provides websites with immunity from third-party content. It needs to be reformed to make platforms more liable for the content they publish, said Richard Stengel, a former undersecretary of state for Public Affairs and Public Diplomacy and former managing editor of Time magazine. “Regulations have to incentivize platforms to take responsibility for illegal content just as Time magazine was,” he said, noting that platforms are currently in a gray area when it comes to regulating content.

Renée Diresta, research manager at the Stanford Internet Observatory, said policy should also differentiate between free speech and free reach . The right to free speech doesn’t extend to a right to have that speech amplified by algorithms.

“There’s always been this division between your right to speak and your right to have a megaphone that reaches hundreds of millions of people,” she said.

Read next: MIT Sloan research about social media, misinformation, and elections 

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Science News

Social media harms teens’ mental health, mounting evidence shows. what now.

Understanding what is going on in teens’ minds is necessary for targeted policy suggestions

Most teens use social media, often for hours on end. Some social scientists are confident that such use is harming their mental health. Now they want to pinpoint what explains the link.

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By Sujata Gupta

February 20, 2024 at 7:30 am

In January, Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook’s parent company Meta, appeared at a congressional hearing to answer questions about how social media potentially harms children. Zuckerberg opened by saying: “The existing body of scientific work has not shown a causal link between using social media and young people having worse mental health.”

But many social scientists would disagree with that statement. In recent years, studies have started to show a causal link between teen social media use and reduced well-being or mood disorders, chiefly depression and anxiety.

Ironically, one of the most cited studies into this link focused on Facebook.

Researchers delved into whether the platform’s introduction across college campuses in the mid 2000s increased symptoms associated with depression and anxiety. The answer was a clear yes , says MIT economist Alexey Makarin, a coauthor of the study, which appeared in the November 2022 American Economic Review . “There is still a lot to be explored,” Makarin says, but “[to say] there is no causal evidence that social media causes mental health issues, to that I definitely object.”

The concern, and the studies, come from statistics showing that social media use in teens ages 13 to 17 is now almost ubiquitous. Two-thirds of teens report using TikTok, and some 60 percent of teens report using Instagram or Snapchat, a 2022 survey found. (Only 30 percent said they used Facebook.) Another survey showed that girls, on average, allot roughly 3.4 hours per day to TikTok, Instagram and Facebook, compared with roughly 2.1 hours among boys. At the same time, more teens are showing signs of depression than ever, especially girls ( SN: 6/30/23 ).

As more studies show a strong link between these phenomena, some researchers are starting to shift their attention to possible mechanisms. Why does social media use seem to trigger mental health problems? Why are those effects unevenly distributed among different groups, such as girls or young adults? And can the positives of social media be teased out from the negatives to provide more targeted guidance to teens, their caregivers and policymakers?

“You can’t design good public policy if you don’t know why things are happening,” says Scott Cunningham, an economist at Baylor University in Waco, Texas.

Increasing rigor

Concerns over the effects of social media use in children have been circulating for years, resulting in a massive body of scientific literature. But those mostly correlational studies could not show if teen social media use was harming mental health or if teens with mental health problems were using more social media.

Moreover, the findings from such studies were often inconclusive, or the effects on mental health so small as to be inconsequential. In one study that received considerable media attention, psychologists Amy Orben and Andrew Przybylski combined data from three surveys to see if they could find a link between technology use, including social media, and reduced well-being. The duo gauged the well-being of over 355,000 teenagers by focusing on questions around depression, suicidal thinking and self-esteem.

Digital technology use was associated with a slight decrease in adolescent well-being , Orben, now of the University of Cambridge, and Przybylski, of the University of Oxford, reported in 2019 in Nature Human Behaviour . But the duo downplayed that finding, noting that researchers have observed similar drops in adolescent well-being associated with drinking milk, going to the movies or eating potatoes.

Holes have begun to appear in that narrative thanks to newer, more rigorous studies.

In one longitudinal study, researchers — including Orben and Przybylski — used survey data on social media use and well-being from over 17,400 teens and young adults to look at how individuals’ responses to a question gauging life satisfaction changed between 2011 and 2018. And they dug into how the responses varied by gender, age and time spent on social media.

Social media use was associated with a drop in well-being among teens during certain developmental periods, chiefly puberty and young adulthood, the team reported in 2022 in Nature Communications . That translated to lower well-being scores around ages 11 to 13 for girls and ages 14 to 15 for boys. Both groups also reported a drop in well-being around age 19. Moreover, among the older teens, the team found evidence for the Goldilocks Hypothesis: the idea that both too much and too little time spent on social media can harm mental health.

“There’s hardly any effect if you look over everybody. But if you look at specific age groups, at particularly what [Orben] calls ‘windows of sensitivity’ … you see these clear effects,” says L.J. Shrum, a consumer psychologist at HEC Paris who was not involved with this research. His review of studies related to teen social media use and mental health is forthcoming in the Journal of the Association for Consumer Research.

Cause and effect

That longitudinal study hints at causation, researchers say. But one of the clearest ways to pin down cause and effect is through natural or quasi-experiments. For these in-the-wild experiments, researchers must identify situations where the rollout of a societal “treatment” is staggered across space and time. They can then compare outcomes among members of the group who received the treatment to those still in the queue — the control group.

That was the approach Makarin and his team used in their study of Facebook. The researchers homed in on the staggered rollout of Facebook across 775 college campuses from 2004 to 2006. They combined that rollout data with student responses to the National College Health Assessment, a widely used survey of college students’ mental and physical health.

The team then sought to understand if those survey questions captured diagnosable mental health problems. Specifically, they had roughly 500 undergraduate students respond to questions both in the National College Health Assessment and in validated screening tools for depression and anxiety. They found that mental health scores on the assessment predicted scores on the screenings. That suggested that a drop in well-being on the college survey was a good proxy for a corresponding increase in diagnosable mental health disorders. 

Compared with campuses that had not yet gained access to Facebook, college campuses with Facebook experienced a 2 percentage point increase in the number of students who met the diagnostic criteria for anxiety or depression, the team found.

When it comes to showing a causal link between social media use in teens and worse mental health, “that study really is the crown jewel right now,” says Cunningham, who was not involved in that research.

A need for nuance

The social media landscape today is vastly different than the landscape of 20 years ago. Facebook is now optimized for maximum addiction, Shrum says, and other newer platforms, such as Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok, have since copied and built on those features. Paired with the ubiquity of social media in general, the negative effects on mental health may well be larger now.

Moreover, social media research tends to focus on young adults — an easier cohort to study than minors. That needs to change, Cunningham says. “Most of us are worried about our high school kids and younger.” 

And so, researchers must pivot accordingly. Crucially, simple comparisons of social media users and nonusers no longer make sense. As Orben and Przybylski’s 2022 work suggested, a teen not on social media might well feel worse than one who briefly logs on. 

Researchers must also dig into why, and under what circumstances, social media use can harm mental health, Cunningham says. Explanations for this link abound. For instance, social media is thought to crowd out other activities or increase people’s likelihood of comparing themselves unfavorably with others. But big data studies, with their reliance on existing surveys and statistical analyses, cannot address those deeper questions. “These kinds of papers, there’s nothing you can really ask … to find these plausible mechanisms,” Cunningham says.

One ongoing effort to understand social media use from this more nuanced vantage point is the SMART Schools project out of the University of Birmingham in England. Pedagogical expert Victoria Goodyear and her team are comparing mental and physical health outcomes among children who attend schools that have restricted cell phone use to those attending schools without such a policy. The researchers described the protocol of that study of 30 schools and over 1,000 students in the July BMJ Open.

Goodyear and colleagues are also combining that natural experiment with qualitative research. They met with 36 five-person focus groups each consisting of all students, all parents or all educators at six of those schools. The team hopes to learn how students use their phones during the day, how usage practices make students feel, and what the various parties think of restrictions on cell phone use during the school day.

Talking to teens and those in their orbit is the best way to get at the mechanisms by which social media influences well-being — for better or worse, Goodyear says. Moving beyond big data to this more personal approach, however, takes considerable time and effort. “Social media has increased in pace and momentum very, very quickly,” she says. “And research takes a long time to catch up with that process.”

Until that catch-up occurs, though, researchers cannot dole out much advice. “What guidance could we provide to young people, parents and schools to help maintain the positives of social media use?” Goodyear asks. “There’s not concrete evidence yet.”

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• How to Combat the Negative…

How to Combat the Negative Effects of Social Media

This blog post was written by guest contributor Dr. Vania Manipod, DO.

Many of us find ourselves mindlessly scrolling through social media, and before we know it, hours have passed by, and we are often left feeling worse than we did when we started. Social media use in excess has been linked to several negative emotions such as increased loneliness, anxiety , and depression. Though most of the studies done thus far have been on the impact of social media on adolescents, adults are prone as well.

Even as a psychiatrist who is aware of the negative impact of social media on our mental health, I’ve struggled several times with comparing myself to others, and I’ve had several patients report similar issues. So, how do we put limits on our social media use in order to prevent these negative effects? The following are some helpful ways you can be proactive to combat the negative effects of social media. The study of negative effects of social media is a popular topic in psychology today.

1. Be mindful of your social media habits.

Being mindful means being more conscious and aware of our patterns. Since much of our social media use involves mindless scrolling, the best way to take control of our use is to first be conscious of how we’re using social networking sites in the first place. To start, ask yourself the following questions:

• What is your pattern of social media use? For example, do you wake up and immediately start scrolling, do you scroll during breaks, before bed, etc.?
• How much time do you spend daily on social media?
• How do you use social media? Do you use it to see what other people are doing? Or do you use it to communicate and stay connected with others?
• Do you tend to feel better or worse when utilizing social media? Does it lower your self-esteem, cause you to feel depressed, or do you feel better after being on social media?

Once we know our patterns and the emotions involved in our social media use, we can then be more proactive on ways to counteract the negative effects of social media.

2. Set limits on the amount of time you spend on social media.

Studies have shown that the amount of time spent daily on social media is associated with negative emotions. A study by Kiera E. Riehms and colleagues published in JAMA Psychiatry found that adolescents who used social media for more than three hours a day may be at higher risk of mental health problems.

There are several ways to track, monitor, and block the amount of time spent on social media, including several apps. Last year, Instagram also added the “Your Activity” setting which shows the average time you spent on Instagram in the last week. Other ways to start setting limits on social media is to implement a few simple rules you can apply to your daily life. For example, two rules that I enforce daily is 1) no scrolling social media within an hour after waking up and 2) put my smartphone away at least an hour before bed. Other examples include putting your smartphone away when out with others or when eating meals with family. The general idea with this tip is to establish healthy boundaries with our use of social media.

3. Know when it’s time to stop scrolling.

A lot of our social media use is compulsive. After all, these networks are designed to keep us engaged as long as possible. Therefore, it’s important to be aware of the addictive potential of social media sites. We may constantly check social media sites because of the psychology of FOMO and the power of likes . No matter the reason, the moment being on social media starts to trigger negative feelings is the time you need to stop scrolling. For some, that may mean stopping if they’re upset that their post isn’t getting as many likes as anticipated or noticing that they’re constantly comparing themselves to others. For others, it’s when they start feeling down because it appears others are doing fun things while they’re bored at home. We have the power to exit social media, and the moment we start feeling negative in any way, that’s the time to disconnect.

4. Use social media to connect with people who inspire you, share similar interests, and provide a sense of belonging.

A way to combat the negative effects of social media is to instead use it in a positive way that strengthens and maintains connections with others. As mentioned in King University Online’s Psychology of Social Media guide, the mental health advocacy organization Painted Brain has outlined ways that social media can positively impact mental health. Some ideas include providing support groups, strengthening relationships, and socially integrating with similar interest groups. If we prioritize using social media as a positive space for staying connected, then we will be more likely to filter out accounts, people, groups, and conversations that have the potential to infiltrate the positive networks we’ve created.

5. If an account stirs up negative emotions, then it’s time to unfollow.

Because our use of social media becomes habitual, we often forget that we can control what shows up on our feed. If certain people’s posts make you feel negative about yourself in any way, then it’s totally okay to hit the “unfollow” button. Social media can influence our mood, anxiety levels and self-esteem, so taking a few moments to eliminate toxic accounts can be a very simple yet empowering thing we can do for ourselves. Social media and body image are often interlinked and can have an adverse affect on mental health.

Today, social media is a part of our culture and daily lives, so taking steps to be proactive and mindful of how we use it and the way it makes us feel is crucial to avoid the negative effects it can have. Setting limits with the amount of time we spend and taking control of what we see on our feed can ultimately improve our mental health and wellbeing.

Specialize in the Psychology of Social Media

Counselors, therapists, mental health professionals, and psychiatrists are increasingly focusing on social media’s impact on our mental health. One of the best ways to get ahead of this trend is by earning an online B.S. in Psychology , which can effectively prepare you to confront the psychological needs of a rapidly changing technological landscape. In only 16 months, King University Online can help you earn your degree through its flexible, affordable program of courses available year-round.

Dr. Vania Manipod, DO, is a psychiatrist, speaker, and writer in California. You can follow her on Instagram at @freudandfashion or on her website at freudandfashion.com .

Social Media Addiction Causes and Solutions

Introduction.

Among the rest, social media (SM) platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok have enjoyed rapid growth over the past few years, especially during and after the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Almost three billion people use social media globally. The networks have become central to the lives of individuals because of the various benefits individuals get from using such platforms. However, even though it is beneficial, SM is a double-edged sword leading to behavioral addiction and severe effects on the users who do not moderate their use of the sites. The excessive SM use witnessed over the past few years has resulted in addiction, which has resulted in health-threatening behaviors. Some of the adverse effects of SM addiction include dysfunctions, mental disorders, negative emotions, loneliness, and decreased social connectedness. These impacts make the addicted users have low-quality lives and dysfunctional families.

Since social media addiction results in a significant and wide range of damages, it is crucial to understand its causes and how they can help prevent users from getting addicted to the sites. One of the most challenges to dealing with social media addiction is attempting to change an individual’s behavior without knowing what causes them to act as they do. Eventually, such approaches mostly fail because they do not address the root of the problem; instead, they regulate the results. The basis for understanding the psychological factors as the primary cause of SM addiction is crucial and is used in this article to explore possible methods to help curb the problem. Therefore, this article analyzes the causes of SM addiction and uses psychological methods to help address the issues among the affected users.

Causes of Social Media Addiction

Social media addiction has several causes, some of which result from underlying problems affecting individual users. The diversity in people shows that the range of the causes can be infinite as each depends entirely on the person. However, there are common roots attributed to behavior and change. Aksoy indicates that one of the major causes of social media addiction is weaknesses in life skills, which comprise issues associated with socializing, poor communication practices, and loneliness (Aksoy 862). Another cause is resiliency issues, which include the inability for one to recover from inner distress and devastations resulting from harsh conditions. The third primary cause of SM addiction is an individual’s poor problem-solving skills, comprising poor decision making, disorganization, and weak analytical skills. Each of these three primary causes is further explored in the sections below. The three triggers mentioned mainly sprout from various predisposing factors in one’s family, community, or society.

Socializing Problems

One’s inability to socialize with others is one of the critical factors causing individuals to be addicted to social media platforms. According to Chester, most people lack the skills to effectively interact with those they see daily (Chester, Richdale, and McGillivray 2234). This lack of social intelligence makes individuals feel isolated and unable to contribute significant thoughts when in the company of their fellow. They find their types and interact with them when they use social media. Moreover, social media also enables them to hide behind averters, thus speaking their minds without a feeling that anyone can judge them. The major areas associated with socialization problems comprise poor communication and the need to escape one’s loneliness.

Communication Problems

The inability to effectively communicate with other people makes social media users addicted to the sites where they find it easy to speak their minds through text, pictures, and videos. According to Trigueros, such people have difficulties creating and establishing relationships due to past experiences or failures and avoid face-to-face interactions, making them gain little social experience (Trigueros 4208). The void left by the lack of skills necessary for creating a suitable environment for healthy social relationships is filled with severe social behaviors and beliefs. Once developed, these users find a haven in SM sites, where they advance their unfulfilled real-world desires and relationships. They thus develop unreasonable tendencies, which become more adverse as they continue using the sites, thereby damaging their real-life healthy social relationships.

The Need to Escape Loneliness

Loneliness is one of the main drivers for people to seek a social relationship from external sources. During the pre-social media period, most people sought relationships from friends and peers to compensate for those they desired and lacked from family members. However, in present times and with the sprouting social media sites, SM users divert to these platforms to compensate for their lack of companions. O’Day et al. reveal that these users find a false comfort that they are not lonely when they speak with their fellows on the sites (O’Day et al. 100070). On the contrary, such feelings subside immediately after they are out of the sites. For this reason, most addicted users try to continue using these social media apps to escape feeling lonely. Some of the most addicted SM users are those newly divorced, immigrants, and lone children.

Resiliency Problems

Some users are addicted to social media because of their resiliency issues. Most people who lack support from their immediacy tend to SM to find activities that make them feel better. The ease of accessing social media sites also contributes immensely to resiliency problems, making the users addicted to the platforms. These factors give the users heaven of safety where they escape avoiding the crises affecting them. Resiliency problems mainly comprise individuals’ devastations experienced during harsh conditions and their inner distress.

Harsh Conditions

Harsh conditions often trigger the need for additional support, which, when available online, becomes the first place for people to find the psychological support they need at such times. However, most people also face problems with self-management skills when devastated. Various can make one vulnerable to social media manipulations when they face adverse conditions (Ghareb et al.). Moreover, harsh conditions also impair people’s judgment, making them seek peaceful social support solutions on the Internet. The psychological aspect of this problem is mainly rooted in an individual’s ability to maintain their bio-psychological balance. This lack of the power to know to check their mental state and behaviors makes it easy for them to escape their crises by getting deeply involved in the social media sites.

Inner Distress

Some people are addicted to social media because they cannot recover from a painful past or present situation. Most SM addicts have a history of failing to deal appropriately with their diverse problems in life (Wong et al. 1897). Such comprises individuals who find it difficult to recover from the difficulties they faced in the past and cannot heal themselves. Some who have failed in creating meaningful and healthy social relationships use SM to try to get the comfort they need, which prevents them from the memories of such events. Apart from railed social relationships in the past, other underlying issues could be a failure in academics, business, or sports, which make the individuals personally disturbed and lack a way to share their inner distress. The thoughts of the past make these individuals succumb to social media, which eventually harms their physical and psychological health.

Poor Problem-Solving Skills

As noted earlier, most people resort to social media and get hooked on them because of their various distresses. Thus, it is also crucial to note that those who get addicted to SM do so because they lack skills, they can use to solve issues affecting them at any time. Such individuals rush to social media to find sympathy from their followers and online friends. Such individuals failed to deal with their past problems and developed psychological disorders such as depression, anxiety, and attention deficits. These mental health issues further make individuals prone to social media addiction. Lack of problem-solving skills leading to people overusing SM includes weaknesses in analyzing situations and making informed decisions and disorganized plans.

Weak Analytical and Decision-Making Skills

Those addicted to social media users do not possess mature defense systems that they can employ in cases where they must defend themselves when faced with life’s crises. Primarily, such problems arise when individuals fail to analyze the issues and find logical solutions, thereby choosing more accessible options to navigate their situations or forget about them. Some users go to social media platforms as a defense or to find pity for what affects them (Ku et al. 100570). However, as they use the sites more, they are often taken deeper using the platforms’ algorithms. The users thus find related stories, which create comfortable heaven for them, making it difficult to face life’s realities. They thus find it challenging to reverse their behavior, fearing worse psychological outcomes. Their last situations become worse because they are unable to analyze the problems that caused them to be in their current circumstances and thus cannot be decisive about what they can do to become better.

Disorganized Plans

Most people addicted to social media are who they are because of their past disorganized plans. They continue using SM because they do not have many other options to plan their lives. They become purposeless and only momentarily use the sites to fulfill their psychological emptiness. They find comfort in following events on various social media platforms and get entertained. They feel comforted with the content they get and the people they meet on the sites. However, they remained miserable, hoping they could find assistance from those they followed on the platforms. Consequently, those addicted to social media experience more severe consequences, both in health and socio-economic aspects.

Solving Social Media Addiction

The analysis conducted on the causes of social media addiction has identified three main factors: weaknesses in life skills, resiliency issues, and poor problem-solving skills. The underlying issues and the root of all these factors are psychologically oriented, which reveals the need to use psychological interventions to help find the best ways to help those addicted or can be addicted to SM. SM use is mainly associated with depression, anxiety, and mental health problems. Major social media platforms have responded to concerns around the use of the sites and their effects on mental health. For instance, YouTube initially had likes and dislikes to measure the performance of videos, but it resorted to removing the dislikes counts to contribute to mental wellbeing. Instagram and Facebook have also taken the trend, and more SM companies are following suit. The idea behind such changes is to reduce psychological problems associated with the platforms’ use; the users already have an underlying emotional problem, and negative feedback can increase their psychological distress.

It was also noted earlier that trying to curb social behavior may be a poor approach to limiting social media addiction. Behavior is a psychological factor that requires a deeper understanding of the individual to help them deal with their problems and individually overcome them. Thus, it is crucial to help the affected person identify their drive to use social media excessively and thus create a map to overcome addiction. One should identify the main reason why they are on each social site in the first place. The drive to be part of the platforms forms the basis of understanding why someone would want to overstay at the same site for an extended period. However, this should be an individual question that may require an in-depth reflection and honest answer. A psychoanalyst can help identify the possible reasons the individual uses social media and thereby help them to seek personal answers for their use of the platforms.

This analysis identified that one of the factors making people addicted to social media is problems with socializing. Social health is a crucial element of humankind, and everyone should be able to form and maintain excellent and productive relationships with their peers, parents, and siblings. Those who lack care have ways of healing from the past and find more muscular attachments with those they meet. The analysis also identified problems in resiliency, such as harsh conditions and inner distress, as a cause of social media addiction. One should ask themselves if they can control their situations before seeking alternative and easier ways to navigate them. Individuals can also learn to understand that they can get help from people closer than those they meet online. Moreover, poor problem-solving skills were identified to cause SM addiction. Users addicted to SM can find alternative ways to solve their problems instead of hiding on social media. Understanding the SM does not help one find solutions is the basis for beginning the journey to one’s freedom.

The current study has revealed several causes of social media addiction, though the major ones are associated with severe underlying psychological problems. The study identified weaknesses in life skills, including individual factors such as poor communication practices and loneliness. It also revealed that resiliency problems such inability recover from one’s inner distress and devastation when they experience harsh conditions can make them use social media more to ease their mental stress. Poor problem-solving skills such as poor decision-making, disorganization, and weak analytical skills also make people addicted to social media. The study has also revealed that since the primary causes of social media addiction are psychologically motivated, individuals must understand why they are using particular problems and also get psychoanalytic treatments that can help with their adverse life experiences.

Works Cited

Aksoy, Mehmet Emin. “A qualitative study on the reasons for social media addiction.” European Journal of Educational Research 7.4 (2018): 861-865.

Chester, M., Richdale, A. L., & McGillivray, J. (2019). Group-based social skills training with play for children on the autism spectrum. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders , 49 (6), 2231-2242.

Ghareb, Mazen, et al. “Social media and social relationships: A case study in Kurdistan society.” Applied Computer Science 14.3 (2018).

Ku, Kelly YL, et al. “What predicts adolescents’ critical thinking about real-life news? The roles of social media news consumption and news media literacy.” Thinking Skills and Creativity 33 (2019): 100570.

O’Day, Emily B., and Richard G. Heimberg. “Social media use, social anxiety, and loneliness: A systematic review.” Computers in Human Behavior Reports 3 (2021): 100070.

Trigueros, Rubén, et al. “Relationship between emotional intelligence, social skills and peer harassment. A study with high school students.” International journal of environmental research and public health 17.12 (2020): 4208.

Wong, Hiu Yan, et al. “Relationships between severity of internet gaming disorder, severity of problematic social media use, sleep quality and psychological distress.” International journal of environmental research and public health 17.6 (2020): 1879.

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Social Media Addiction

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Table of contents

Causes of social media addiction, consequences of social media addiction, addressing social media addiction.

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The Definitive Guide to Writing a Problem Solution Essay

06 February, 2021

13 minutes read

Author:  Josh Carlyle

In this article, we cover the basics of problem solution essay writing. We will explain what a problem and solution essay is in academic and straightforward terms. We shall also cover the four essential components that make this essay coherent. With these four components in mind, we will offer guidance on the outline structure and provide some general writing tips on research and problem solving, as well as some topics and essay samples.

What is a Problem Solution Essay?

A problem solution essay is a staple of humanities and social science subjects. These essays cover a pressing issue, examine how it causes problems, and offer solutions to these problems. The topic for problem solution essay papers can be incredibly diverse. The problem could be local, regional, or global. It could affect a wide range of people or be part of the discourse on an arcane and obscure aspect of computing.

If you are wondering how to write a problem solution essay, look no further than its name. The core of a problem solution essay is in the title. In this type of essay, a problem is presented, and a solution is offered. Doing this well requires presenting the issue in an audience-appropriate way and then offering solutions that thoroughly negate any critiques of those solutions. 

4 Components of a Problem Solution Essay

In a problem and solution essay, the following aspects must be included:  

• The Situation: this opening part is where the foundation of the problem lies. It is not an introduction in the sense that you may be familiar with or an abstract that covers the entirety of your thesis. Rather, it is a short and straightforward briefing that will make a layperson familiar with the situation at hand.
• The Problem: this part provides specifics of the problem. Detailed dissections of evidence take place here; we’ll summarise those later in the evaluation section. 
• The Solution: this component covers push-back specific solutions you may encounter. Part of a correct answer is thinking of your opponents’ perspectives and ensuring that they address their assumptions and points.
• The Evaluation: in this section, it is crucial to write with brevity and wit; this will make your position memorable. Readers will often remember the last part of essays they read, so make sure it represents a microcosm of your essay as a whole. 

These components are the essence of the structure required in a problem solution essay. The actual structure you will work with will require a finer granulation of sections. For instance, in the solution section, the critiques will also need to have a review applied, demonstrating their lack of applicability or irrelevance. 

Problem Solution Essay Outline

The best guide for a problem solution essay outline is the four components mentioned above. Cover the situation, the problem, the solution, and then evaluate both or all sides of the story. 

To drill down further into the outline, you should have an introduction that will set out your paper’s structure. Then you should present the situation. Keep this section free from emotive language. Use it to ensure the reader has all the facts, and imagine that you want everyone reading the paper to be on a level playing field in terms of knowledge and framing of the problem.

In the problem section, you must explain why there is a particular issue. At this point in your essay, ensure that you do not leave the door open to other causes of the problem. Find ways to make the problem something that the reader cares about and wants to solve, but beware of assuming the reader is on your side simply because you’ve said some things and made some points. 

Once the situation has been explained, and the problem elucidated, present your solution. It  should use evidence, and you should be able to explain how it directly relates to the question.  Don’t use ad hominem attacks or go polemic. Unravel the problem with your solution. Take it to step by step and keep your writing composed.

In the evaluation section, you should find your argument’s weaknesses and the views that find fault with your solution.

How To Find Solutions to Your Problems

You can find solutions to your problems by researching them; someone will have asked the question before, or one very similar to it. You can talk to your peers and even conduct polls on social media to gauge the public’s position on various solutions. 

Another way of finding solutions include flipping your perspective. Take the position of the other side and see the world through their gaze. By putting yourself in the opponent’s shoes, you can see weaknesses in your ideas and perhaps adjust them to take on more relevance to more people or factor in an aspect that you had overlooked.

Ultimately, the best way to find solutions is to read and read some more. Try looking in your library if you prefer books to the internet, but don’t leave Google out of it. Using the search engine correctly, you can dig up all kinds of books, papers, and presentations that will be very useful in your studies.

Problem Solution Essay Topics

The list of problem solution essay topics is very long. As mentioned earlier, the problem can be a local issue, affecting a specific demographic or being universal. Regardless of the topic you choose, there are another million waiting for an answer.

To start you off, the climate crisis is an excellent area for debate. 

• How do we deal with stranded assets in the fossil fuel industry and financial sector? 
• What should the laws be surrounding new cars run on petrol and diesel? 
• How should electrification be carried out in developing nations? Is a carbon tax a viable way to reduce emissions? 

Other problem solution essay ideas might include social media’s effect on dopamine levels, gerrymandering in electoral districts, or the working week’s length. 

Problem Solution Essay Examples

Reading previous papers is a fantastic method to improve your grades. Study essays that get top marks and some of the ones which get lower marks. The difference will be apparent in their vocabulary, logic, and evidence. Read a few problem solution essay sample papers but don’t plagiarize them; always cite your sources. Here are a few examples to help you get started: 

https://www.eapfoundation.com/writing/essays/problemsolution/  

https://www.ieltsbuddy.com/problem-solution-essays.html  

Writing Tips for a Problem Solution Essay

An essay is a complex task to complete. That’s why it’s useful to break down the whole into several steps. 

Step one is to conduct some thorough research and planning. If you have free choice over the problem at hand, then start by brainstorming some groups you belong to and decide whether they’re officially mandated ones like a sports team or a club, or broader, like your sex, gender, nationality, or language grouping.

After this, jot down some issues in the groups. Are you struggling to manage the payment plan for your sports hall? Has there been an instance of bullying or shaming in your school? With the topic in mind, move onto research. 

When researching your topic, it’s always useful to remember that there is nothing new under the sun. It is almost definite that similar problems have arisen before, and most solutions already exist.

Then, conduct and compose a literature review on the topic. A literature review is an excellent addition to your essay as a standalone section. It helps to situate your issue within the world and builds relations to other similar problems. 

You may think you have nothing to say about the problem or find it hard to justify your opinion. Well, in the problem solution essay, your voice matters. Always try to back up what you’re saying through evidence and try not to stray into writing a polemic. Yet, passion and emotion are useful tools for framing the problem. Just try not to make these responses the whole essay.

As far as solving problems goes, you can use some general mechanics to come up with solutions. The following paragraphs will present some of these logical mechanics; feel free to use them in your writing:

• Add something new: this solution works when something is lacking. The problem may be a lack of funding, equipment, or motivation. The assumed problem when using this angle of attack is that there is a lack of resources available. Concrete examples of this could include more teaching assistants in education, longer opening hours at a library, or more significant legislation to protect the environment.
• Remove something: this is the inverse of the previous point. Inversing is a useful strategy for thinking about problems in general. If something is too crowded or too busy, it might be a solution to limit exposure to something and devise a solution. 
• Education: learning is a more specific aspect of ‘adding something’; it presupposes that a lack of information and awareness is the cause of the problem. If people had this knowledge, the theory goes that the issue would disappear or reduce because people could make informed decisions and correct their behavior.
• Enforcement: if something like school rules, or even the law, is being ignored, proper enforcement might be a solution. Enforcement has its own sets of problems. This angle is an excellent way to write an unfolding and varied essay as it requires lots of discussion around proper enforcement. Making people do things they don’t want to do is a tricky situation and is riddled with structural and psychological issues.
• Compromising: proposing compromise through mediation or bi-partisan effort is another complex solution. To work effectively, it has to involve people who possess robust negotiation techniques. But settlements happen all the time, so they’re a powerful solution to many problems. It may be useful to learn about zero-sum and relative issues to argue this case correctly.
• A change in leadership: leaders can become stale and cumbersome; they may get weighed down by responsibility and have a low tolerance for change. Although, many problems require systemic changes, such as the climate crisis. With an established leader in charge, progress could be slow as they may be blinkered by their position. In this case, they are proposing an election or vote of confidence as a solution that can break the deadlock and offer people a chance to voice their concerns through voting.

One could surmise that the problem and solution essay is an incredibly relevant style of writing. By dissecting an issue and coming up with solutions, you learn a skill that is useful in many careers and practices. But writing one effectively requires both passion and perseverance; writing about topics that move us, though letting the fire burn too brightly, can put readers off or lead them to ignore their blind spots. 

Follow the structures set out above and make sure to proofread your essays before submission. Finding a good editor is always a positive step; they can help to rephrase your words so that your argument comes across more fluently. 

Writing drafts is good practice, although not always possible due to time constraints. Ideally, you should work through two drafts before submitting a final piece; if the essay makes up a small part of your overall grade, adjust the drafting process accordingly. 

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How to Protect Teens From the Risks of Social Media

One of the biggest concerns parents have is how to help their children navigate social media. It’s not surprising this is a question front and center in our minds. A recent Pew Research Center report found that over a third of teens say they spend “too much time” on social media, and over a third of teens say they are using social media platforms like TikTok “almost constantly.”

Questions about social media use in children are also top of mind for the United States Surgeon General and the American Psychological Association (APA), who both released advisories recently to heighten the public’s awareness of the challenges social media pose to youth and to provide guidance on how to address them.

We spoke to Jacqueline Nesi , professor at Brown University, a member of the National Scientific Council on Adolescence, and a member of the APA’s expert advisory panel, to discuss the key takeaways from both reports. Nesi’s research focuses on how social media influences adolescents’ mental health, which she writes about in her weekly newsletter Techno Sapiens .

Her insights suggest that social media isn’t always bad for teens. Nesi highlights parenting skills like having open communication, monitoring, setting boundaries, and modeling as ways to help our children navigate social media so that it can be a healthy part of their lives. What’s more, she explains how policymakers, technology companies, and researchers have major roles to play in prioritizing adolescent mental health within social media platforms

Maryam Abdullah: The Surgeon General’s advisory says, “The current body of evidence indicates that while social media may have benefits for some children and adolescents, there are ample indicators that social media can also have a profound risk of harm to the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents.” How would you help parents understand this statement?

Jacqueline Nesi: In all the media coverage that has come out about the Surgeon General’s advisory, the phrase “profound risk of harm” tends to be the first thing that’s in the headlines. But when we look at the advisory as a whole going outside of that one statement, it does paint a more nuanced picture of what we know from the research, which is that there are both benefits and harms to social media on kids. Its impact is complicated. It depends on a lot of factors, including how it’s being used, the individual child who is using it, their particular risks and vulnerabilities, what the time on social media is replacing, or what it is potentially getting in the way of.

The “profound risk of harm” statement itself may be a slight overstatement of the data in terms of what we actually know about these nuanced impacts of social media on mental health.

“Social media” is a broad term that is referring to a lot of different platforms where teens and adults can do lots of different things. Some of the things they’re doing are beneficial for their mental health, and some of the things they’re doing are not and in some cases are harmful. I think that one of the takeaways of the Surgeon General’s advisory is that even if the evidence is not definitive and even if there are both risks and benefits, because there is some evidence of risk to at least some kids, that is evidence enough for us to act to make these platforms as safe as possible for youth and to maximize the benefits that they can have.

MA: When and how is social media good for adolescents?

JN: Generally, social media can be beneficial to adolescents when it’s being used in ways that promote their well-being: to maintain friendships, make friendships, or get social support when they’re struggling. One of the major benefits of social media is just social connection.

Other potential benefits would be things like learning and discovery, like learning more about topics they might not have known before or discovering new interests or what’s going on in the world. Identity exploration and affirmation are other important benefits, as well. On social media, adolescents can find other people who are similar to them in terms of both interests and identity, and that can be particularly important for youth who might be marginalized in their offline lives, including sexual minority youth.

Many of the benefits I just named are particularly important for adolescents. During adolescence, some of the key developmental tasks that youth are engaged in are things like identity—figuring out who they are—as well as figuring out who they are in relation to others, forming social connections and relationships. All of this serves to promote independence and autonomy, which is another key aspect of that developmental period. Many of the benefits of social media as well as many of the risks map onto these tasks that are so important for adolescents to navigate during that time.

MA: What does the research suggest about social media and adolescents’ exposure to discrimination, bullying, and content that can encourage self-harm?

JN: The Surgeon General’s advisory breaks down the research on risks into two major categories: exposure to harmful content and overuse of social media that gets in the way of other activities. When it comes to harmful content, that can include anything from bullying and harassment, hate speech, or content that encourages or promotes harmful behaviors like disordered eating or self-harm. Exposure to those kinds of things is really problematic for teenagers and for anyone.

Overuse happens when social media is being used to an extent where it’s excessive, or it’s really getting in the way of other activities that we know are important for mental health, like sleep, exercise, time outside , in-person social interactions.

MA: One recommendation in the APA advisory is that adolescents should be screened for signs of “problematic social media use.” What are some signs of problematic use? Who can do these screenings?

JN: The number of minutes or hours on social media isn’t necessarily always a great indicator of whether this has become problematic, particularly because teens may be spending some of that time doing things that are very adaptive, like communicating with friends.

It really comes down to whether social media is causing problems in everyday functioning: Is it getting in the way of activities that are so important for mental health? Is it causing significant conflict or problems with family, friends? Is it getting in the way of schoolwork or academic functioning?

As with many concerns that come up in children and adolescents, parents are on the first line of noticing. If something seems wrong or off with their children, I think parents know their children best. They may be the first to notice something. Schools can also be looking out for changes in behavior or functioning that may be related to excessive social media use. If parents have concerns about their child’s mental health, or about potential excessive use, seeking out a mental health provider is also a good idea.

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I also think that a child’s pediatrician is a great place to start. At least brief screenings around the time of a yearly well child visit make sense. Informally, all the adults in a child’s life—parents, teachers, school counselors, and health care providers—can be helping to monitor and pay attention to how a child is interacting with social media.

MA: Another recommendation in the APA advisory is that adolescents should receive training in “social media literacy.” What is social media literacy training? Where can families turn to for this training?

JN: The general idea behind social media literacy would be helping youth understand how social media interacts with their daily lives—being aware of the potential risks of social media as well as its benefits, knowing how to use it safely and in healthy ways. There’s a number of different aspects that could be covered, like being aware of and how to spot misinformation, signs of problematic use, how to build healthy online relationships, recognizing what is safe communication about mental health online, and handling conflicts that come up on social media platforms.

Generally, training around these topics could be offered in schools in many cases. There are a number of different digital citizenship or social media literacy curricula that are out there. Common Sense Media, for example, has one of the larger ones that many schools use. A good place for parents to start is to understand what is being offered at your child’s school around teaching about some of these issues. And then it’s something that parents can also supplement at home.

MA: What are the key recommendations for parents and families from these two advisory reports? What are some practical tips you would give to parents to use today to nurture healthy social media use in their teens?

“There are both benefits and harms to social media on kids. Its impact is complicated”

JN: The first key is communication. Have open, ongoing dialogue about both the risks and the benefits of social media and teach about some of the risks. The second key is monitoring. Ask questions to learn about what your child is up to, particularly for younger adolescents. That may involve asking a lot of questions and some amount of keeping an eye on what they’re doing. You can occasionally check your adolescent’s device with their knowledge, of course. You can also sit down and use social media together with your child.

The third key is limits or boundaries. These technologies are, in many cases, designed to be used a lot and to be somewhat difficult to put down. Most adolescents are going to need some kind of limits or boundaries around how much and when they can use these platforms, the types of content they should be looking at, the way they should be conducting themselves online, and who they should be talking to.

Another key is modeling. Parents’ own use of social media actually plays a significant role in how their children use social media. As parents, modeling healthy social media habits that we want to see in our kids is important. This is something that parents are not only trying to navigate for their children, they’re trying to figure it out for themselves. A really good place to start is checking in on what your own relationship with social media is like and trying to set limits and boundaries for yourself.

I think you can name those things for your kids, as well. It can be really validating to be explicit about telling your children that it can be really hard for you to put away your devices or log off these platforms. Rather than you against your child when it comes to social media, it’s you and your child together against the draw of the technology.

One last key is setting some protected zones. This involves identifying times of day or locations where social media is not going to be part of the picture. In particular, it may be useful to do that around bedtime, so keeping devices outside of the bedroom and, if possible, limiting use prior to going to bed to make sure that sleep is being protected.

MA: The Surgeon General’s advisory explains that the onus should not be placed solely on the shoulders of parents and families. What actions should policymakers, technology companies, and researchers take to ensure that social media not only doesn’t harm adolescents, but contributes to their well-being? JN: One of the main things that is called out in these advisories is that the tech companies should be prioritizing kids’ safety and health when designing their products. That in itself is a major change from the way that things are operating right now.

Other recommendations that the advisory includes are making sure that children’s privacy is protected, like by having default settings that are set to the strongest levels for protecting privacy, and making sure that any age minimums are adhered to and enforced. Right now, most social media platforms have age 13 as their minimum age (and there is discussion about increasing that age), but we know that many kids under the age of 13 are using these platforms. 

The final recommendation is assessing the impact that their platforms are having on youth well-being, which involves proactively sharing any relevant data with independent parties, whether that’s researchers or the public, and then, of course, taking steps to mitigate any harm that is revealed. These recommendations are certainly a good start for making a big difference.


MA: Is there anything else you’d like to share about social media use in adolescence?

JN: I do think that social media is one very important factor for many teens’ mental health. But it’s definitely not the only thing when it comes to teens’ mental health. It’s important that we take some of these very necessary steps to make sure that teens and young people are safe and protected on social media and that we also don’t lose sight of the many other factors that we know are crucial for supporting mental health. Fixing social media, if we can, is an important step, but it’s not going to solve everything when it comes to mental health.

About the Author

Maryam Abdullah

Uc berkeley.

Maryam Abdullah, Ph.D., is the Parenting Program Director of the Greater Good Science Center. She is a developmental psychologist with expertise in parent-child relationships and children’s development of prosocial behaviors.

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Social Media Problems And Solutions

It’s no secret that social media has taken over our lives. We’ve all become addicted to checking our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages multiple times a day. But what happens when this addiction starts to take over our lives? When we begin to neglect our work, school, and family in favor of scrolling through our newsfeeds?

This is becoming an increasingly big problem in society today. More and more people are finding themselves unable to tear themselves away from their devices, even for just a few minutes. And while social media can be a great way to stay connected with friends and family, it can also be a major source of stress and anxiety.

If you find yourself spending too much time on social media, it’s important to take a step back and evaluate your usage. Are you using social media in a way that’s productive and positive, or are you just wasting time? If it’s the latter, then it’s time to cut back.

Here are a few tips for reducing your social media usage:

– Set limits for yourself. Decide how much time you want to spend on social media each day, and stick to it. Once you reach your limit, log off and do something else.

– Delete apps from your phone. This will help reduce the temptation to check your social media accounts every few minutes.

– Stay busy. The more time you have on your hands, the more likely you are to turn to social media to kill time. Find ways to stay busy, whether it’s taking up a new hobby or spending time with friends and family.

– Be aware of the way social media makes you feel. If scrolling through your newsfeed leaves you feeling angry, stressed, or jealous, it’s time to take a break. Social media should be enjoyable, not stressful.

If you find that you can’t cut back on your social media usage on your own, there are plenty of resources available to help you. There are many apps and websites that can track your social media usage and help you cut back. And if you feel like you’re really struggling, there’s no shame in seeking professional help. Remember, your mental health is more important than anything else.

In today’s society, social media has had a considerable impact. It has changed everything from how we interact with each other to where we get our news. It moved so swiftly that few people recognized how their lives had altered. Personal and professional communities are now interwoven, and they’re at your fingertips, much like in the old days when you could only imagine extending your reach by placing your hand out the window of a moving vehicle.

The way we interact with each other has been completely revolutionized by social media. It has made it possible for us to connect with people all over the world in a matter of seconds. We can communicate with them, share our thoughts and experiences with them, and even build relationships with them. Social media has also made it possible for us to connect with people we would never have had the opportunity to meet otherwise.

However, social media has not only had a positive impact on our lives; it has also had some negative consequences. One of the biggest problems that social media has created is that it has given rise to a lot of cyberbullying. With the anonymity that social media provides, people feel emboldened to say things that they would never say to someone’s face. This has led to a lot of harassment, bullying, and even cyberstalking.

Another problem that social media has created is the spread of fake news. With the ease of sharing information on social media, it has become very easy for false information to be spread around. This can lead to people believing things that are not true and can cause a lot of confusion and misunderstanding.

However, despite the problems that social media has caused, it is still an incredibly powerful tool that can be used for good. It can be used to connect with friends and family, to meet new people, and to stay up-to-date on what is happening in the world. It can also be used to share important and useful information. If used correctly, social media can be a force for good in the world.

Like any other revolution or period of growth, the world of social media has both positive and negative elements. The realm of social media is complicated, and it still has a long way to go. It’s fascinating to consider where we’ll be in the years ahead as a result of this innovation.

For the moment, let’s focus on the problems social media has brought to light in society today and some potential solutions.

The way we communicate has drastically changed since the introduction of social media. In some ways this is great, we are now able to connect with people all over the world with ease. The problem lies in the fact that we often take this connection for granted. We assume that because we are connected to someone online, that they are just an extension of our offline life and that there are no consequences to our actions.

This lack of consequence is one of the main problems with social media. Because there are no real world repercussions for our actions, we often say and do things online that we would never dream of doing in person. This can lead to a lot of hurt feelings and even cyber bullying.

A solution to this problem is to be more conscious of the way we communicate online. Just because there are no real world consequences, doesn’t mean there are no consequences at all. The words we use and the actions we take online can have a real and lasting impact on the people we interact with.

Another problem with social media is that it can be very addictive. We often find ourselves scrolling through our feeds for hours without really taking anything in. This can lead to us feeling like we are missing out on what’s happening in the world and can cause us to feel anxious and stressed.

To put it another way, since the advent of social media, our communication has accelerated significantly. It’s made keeping in touch with people all over the country or all over the world much easier. Social media has even made looking for love a little less difficult in certain respects by broadening our social networks. People with shared interests may connect and chat on social media.

However, social media has also had its fair share of problems. One such problem is cyberbullying. Cyberbullying can be defined as the use of electronic communication to bully a person, typically by sending messages of an intimidating or threatening nature. It is a serious problem that can have lasting effects on the victim.

Another problem with social media is that it can lead to addiction. A study conducted by the University of Chicago found that people who use Facebook are more likely than non-users to develop certain addictions. The study found that Facebook users were twice as likely to become addicted to the internet and three times as likely to become addicted to their cell phones.

Finally, another problem associated with social media is that it can be a distraction. A study conducted by the University of California found that students who use Facebook while studying scored 20% lower on their exams than students who did not use Facebook while studying.

So what can be done to solve these problems?

When it comes to cyberbullying, one solution is to report the bully to the social media platform. Most social media platforms have policies against cyberbullying and they will take action if you report the bully. Another solution is to block the bully. This will prevent them from being able to contact you or see your profile.

If you are addicted to social media, one solution is to delete your account. Another solution is to limit your time on social media. You can do this by setting a timer and only allowing yourself to be on social media for a certain amount of time each day.

If you find that social media is a distraction, one solution is to only use it when you have free time. For example, you can allow yourself to use social media for 30 minutes after you finish your homework. Another solution is to study with friends who don’t use social media so that you can stay focused.

Social media has its pros and cons but, overall, it’s a great way to stay connected with friends and family. Just be sure to use it in moderation and be aware of the potential problems that can come with it.

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Problem Solution Essay

Problem-Solution Essay - Writing Guide, Topics, & Examples!

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Feeling stuck when it comes to writing a solid problem-solution essay?

You're not alone—many students find it challenging. This essay type requires careful consideration and skillful execution, which isn’t always easy.

But fret not! This guide is your go-to solution. We've got all the crucial steps, structures, and examples to make essay writing a breeze for you.

So, keep reading!

• 1. What is a Problem-Solution Essay?
• 2. Problem Solution Essay Structure
• 3. How to Write a Problem-Solution Essay?
• 4. Problem-Solution Essay Example 
• 5. Problem Solution Essay Topics
• 6. Problem Solution Essay Checklist

What is a Problem-Solution Essay?

A problem-solution essay is a form of persuasive writing that delves into a specific issue, providing a detailed examination of the problem and proposing effective solutions. 

Unlike other essay types, it places a strong emphasis on presenting practical remedies to real-world problems. 

The main aim is not just to explain the problem but to get readers interested in practical solutions. This makes it a unique and impactful type of academic writing.

Why Write a Problem Solution Essay 

There are significant reasons to write a problem solution essay. First and foremost, this type of writing encourages the practical application of knowledge . You are required to address real-world issues and propose practical solutions. This helps develop a deeper sense of the problems around you.

Additionally, this process refines analytical skills , encourages you to approach problems with a solution-oriented mindset.

Also, working on a problem-solution essay helps you become better at communicating . You have to explain complicated problems and solutions in a way that's clear and easy to understand.

Writing problem solution essays is more than just an academic essay exercise. It serves as a platform for intellectual growth, developing a practical and impactful approach to societal challenges.

Problem Solution Essay Structure

In crafting a problem-solution essay, the structure plays a pivotal role in presenting ideas coherently and persuasively. 

Two commonly used structures for this type of essay are the block structure and the chain structure. Each has its unique approach to organizing information, offering writers flexibility in presenting their analysis and proposed solutions.

Block Structure

The block structure, also known as the whole-to-whole or one-side-at-a-time structure, is a straightforward organizational method. 

In this type of structure, the writer dedicates separate blocks of text to first presenting the problem comprehensively. The solutions to the problems are presented in the next sections subsequently. 

This structure allows for a clear separation between the problem and solution sections, providing a systematic and easy-to-follow presentation.

Here is an outline for block structure problem-solution essay:

Chain Structure

Contrasting the block structure, the chain structure takes an interconnected approach. 

In this format, the essay addresses a specific problem and promptly proposes a solution. 

The pattern repeats as each problem is introduced, followed immediately by its corresponding solution. This structure aims to maintain a continuous and engaging flow, presenting a transition between problems and solutions. 

Here is a chain structure template:

How to Write a Problem-Solution Essay?

A problem solution essay requires taking a systematic approach. Here are the basic steps for writing this type of essay:

Step 1 - Topic Selection

Choosing the right topic is the first crucial step in writing a problem-solution essay. Pick a real-world issue that genuinely interests you. 

Consider problems that have personal significance or affect your community. The goal is to engage with a problem that allows for meaningful discussion and exploration.

Step 2 - Understanding the Problem

Before diving into solutions, take the time to fully grasp the intricacies of the problem at hand. 

Research the issue thoroughly, aiming to comprehend its various aspects and implications. This step is essential for presenting a well-informed analysis in your essay, ensuring a solid foundation for proposing solutions.

Step 3 - Explore Viable Solutions

Once you've identified and understood the problem, brainstorm possible solutions. 

Think about practical, achievable, and effective ways to address the issue. Consider different angles and perspectives, aiming for solutions that are not only feasible but also have the potential to make a positive impact in real-world scenarios.

Step 4 - Create an Outline

Organize your thoughts and structure your essay by creating a clear outline. 

Allocate specific sections for introducing the problem, proposing solutions, and crafting a conclusion. A well-organized outline serves as a roadmap, guiding you through each step of the writing process.

Step 5 - Write the Introduction

Begin your essay with a captivating introduction . Start with an attention-grabbing hook that draws your reader in. 

Clearly state the problem, emphasizing its significance. Conclude the introduction with a concise thesis statement that outlines the solutions you will explore in the essay.

Step 6 - Craft Body Paragraph

Dedicate individual paragraphs to each problem and its corresponding solution. Elaborate on the details of the problem and present practical solutions. 

Support your ideas with examples, evidence, or real-life scenarios. This section forms the core of your essay, providing a comprehensive exploration of the issues at hand.

Step 7 - Address Possible Objections

Acknowledge and address potential counterarguments to your proposed solutions. 

Anticipating objections adds depth to your essay, showcasing a thorough consideration of alternative viewpoints. By addressing possible objections, you strengthen the overall persuasiveness of your solutions.

Step 8 - Conclude The Essay

Conclude your essay by summarizing the main points without introducing new information. Reinforce the importance of the proposed solutions and leave a lasting impression. 

Consider ending with a call to action or a thought-provoking statement that resonates with your reader. The conclusion should provide a sense of closure to your essay.

Problem-Solution Essay Example 

We know that writing this kind of essay could be a challenge. Here are some problem solution essay samples:

Problem Solution Essay Sample PDF

Financial Problem Solution Essay

Garbage Problem Solution Essay

Problem Solution Essay IELTS

Problem Solution Essay Topics

When picking a topic for your problem-solution essay, think about a few important things. 

Choose something that matters to your audience and is important in society right now. Pick issues that really affect people or communities and need attention. 

Make sure the problem can be realistically solved with practical solutions. Here is a list of problem solution essay topics you can use:

• Tobacco should be banned to control lung cancer. Discuss.
• Obesity is caused by genetically modified and processed food. Discuss the solution.
• Movie scripts should be censored to control violence in youth. Discuss.
• How to tackle the lack of resources in urban homeless shelters?
• Government should propose some policies to deal with illegal immigration. Discuss.
• How can we use social media to improve awareness?
• Propose some ways to keep your friends and family safe.
• College students in the United States are overburdened with homework.
• How to improve the quality of education in high school?
• Providing equal opportunities to under-privileged children is important. Discuss.

These are some good problem-solution topics that you can tweak to use as your own. 

Problem Solution Essay Checklist

Use this checklist to ensure your problem solution essay is well-crafted and effective:

So, wrapping up, with this guide and checklist, you can now write a problem-solution essay that fulfills its purpose. Just remember to be clear, practical, and interesting. 

But if you still feel unsure or want extra help, our professional essay writing service is here for you. 

Our experts know how to handle any type of essay, making sure it's top-notch. If you need that extra boost, don't hesitate to get in touch with us. We're here to make sure your essay shines and gets the job done.

So, why wait? Place your order today!

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Nova Allison is a Digital Content Strategist with over eight years of experience. Nova has also worked as a technical and scientific writer. She is majorly involved in developing and reviewing online content plans that engage and resonate with audiences. Nova has a passion for writing that engages and informs her readers.

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20 Social Media Problems and Solutions in Society Today

Table of Contents

Types of social media problems today, spending too much time on social media, getting addicted to social media, the update syndrome, neglecting family and responsibilities, dependence on online friends, managing social media time, wasting time on social media, reducing attention span, lack of focus and productivity, the fomo syndrome, wasting time playing games, seeking validation, relationship issues due to social media, infidelity on social media, disturbing privacy issues, falling for fake identities, getting duped on social media, health issues due to social media, negative impact on academics, dangers of cyber crime and bullying, wrapping it up.

Social media is a boon. Or, is it a bane? Though it has its many benefits and uses, there are plenty of social media problems that trouble us. What are these social media issues? And how do we deal with them? One of the major complaints with social media is the amount of time it consumes. Here are some insights into the problems with social media and suggested solutions that may help you use the social media networking sites in the right way and keep a healthy work-life balance in this updated post. ~ Ed.

Social media is both, good and bad. It has actually changed our lives in many ways since its inception.

Like everything else, it too has its cons , which seem to get an upper hand over the pros. So, most people face social media problems sometime or the other.

Social media issues are inevitable; you just need to find ways to deal with it, isn’t it?

Let’s talk about the problems with social media that you or others might be facing. Hopefully, also find the social media solutions too.

First let me make it clear; social media is a great place to promote your views and meet new people, aid communication, and find new job prospects, besides the many other advantages. However, it can at times do more harm than good. I hope you agree.

I’m not skeptical or negative about social media; in fact, I use it immensely on a daily basis. However, let’s face the facts and accept its drawbacks.

Perhaps the biggest problems that people face is the amount of time they spend on the social media networks. However, ironically, this is essential nowadays if you want a strong social media presence. You can’t forget the impact of  Social media signals  that is essential for bloggers, writers , and other professionals, isn’t it?

The resulting lack of time directly or indirectly leads to other problems in life.

So what do we do?

“Social media is your opportunity to reach a massive number of people with transparency, honesty, and integrity.” ~ Brian E. Boyd Sr.

Let’s move ahead and try to find the solutions to social media problems and make a combined effort to help those who in need in this regard.

I would be mainly talking about the social networking sites and the problems people face. If you have any such issues, come over and share it in the comments.

Social media has many benefits ; the social media sites are great places to build connections, for personal and professional work. But here we want to focus on the problems with social media.

Besides the usual problems with social media you face, especially on the social networking sites, there are a few other social media issues like –

• Plagiarism Issues in Social Media
• Social Media Legal and Ethical Problems
• Marketing Problems in Social Media

However, I’d not go into more details about the other kinds of problems with social media, but concentrate on the ones that affect most of us commonly – social networking site problems.

“Social media spark a revelation that we, the people, have a voice, and through the democratization of content and ideas we can once again unite around common passions, inspire movements, and ignite change.” ~ Brian Solis

20 Social Media Problems in Society and Their Solutions

These 20 social media problems and solutions aren’t the only issues people face. But they are the most common social media problems with their possible solutions.

Problem: As you have accounts on many social networking sites , do you spend time visiting each one too often?

Solution  – Yes! I know I do, but you need to find ways to overcome this issue. So, the ONLY thing that works on such social networking sites is limiting your time and running off!!

Believe me, nothing else really works – tried and tested!

Social networking can be addictive and overwhelming at the same time. You need to learn to filter out the ‘noise’ to find something specific.

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Problem: Do you get so lost in your social media networks that you can’t function if you aren’t connected the online world? You feel lost, isolated, and become dependent, which can be dangerous.

Solution  – I agree that people need a strong social media presence nowadays, and if you aren’t online the main social networking sites, you’re missing out on a LOT, but you need to know how to handle it all.

Don’t become dependent on such sites. Instead, find yourself some offline hobbies, friends, and ways to recreate so that you don’t become addicted to the Internet .

Problem: Do you keep updating your status and remain busy reading the updates of others?

Solution  – Chalk out a schedule and how much time you want to spend on such sites, visit them, share your update, quickly go through your notifications and messages, and move away.

The more you stay and check out what others have shared, or see the invitation to play games, or visit unnecessary pages, the more time you waste.

Problem: As you are online 24×7, are you neglecting your family, kids, siblings and friends ?

Solution  – Family and your relationships should always come first, and this is a reminder for me too! Thus when you need to be with them , you need to move away from the social media.

Don’t allow social media to interfere with your daily chores, responsibilities, nor your relationships with your family, friends, parents, kids, and spouse. Take out time for it, and move away after that!

“Social networking platforms drove man closer to those in neighboring continents, while driving him further apart from those in his neighborhood.” ~ Mokokoma Mokhonoana

Problem: Do you spend lots of time interacting with friends or strangers online to make new friends? As you are so used to working behind the scenes, perhaps when you meet offline people, do you feel awkward in conversing with them?

Solution  – You need to ask yourself does online friendship really work . Yes, and no – just as the link to this post describes, do read the interesting conversation that goes on about it in the post. 🙂

It all depends on how you build relationships with your online friends. Check their profiles before making friends with them, another point most people forget to do.

Also, don’t entirely depend or only have online friends. Move out and meet offline friends and be with them, so that the awkwardness doesn’t remain.

Problem: Get too many messages, notifications, tags that you find it tough to cope with once you are on these social media networks.

Solution  – I deal with this issue every single day! You just need to ignore them if they come in huge numbers, or if you feel they are important – take them up by visiting your account once a day.

Choose a time for your preferred social networking site to visit and reply to all the notifications, but don’t get stuck there. End it up within a set time period – and move away!

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Problem: Some people bore you and you don’t like to interact with them, yet you do because you are being polite. So do you waste time in talking to those who don’t matter to you over issues?

Solution  – If you are on the social networks just to waste time, you can never get anything worthwhile done. In case you have to deal with people who bore you, and you are one of the polite ones, you need to change!

After one or two replies, excuse yourself from the conversation and get away. If you continue talking, they will continue asking or talking. So, the choice is always in your hand.

Problem: Do you face short attention spans because of the time you spend on social networking sites – making it tough to cope with ALL the information because there is so much to read and learn and so little time?

Solution  – If you find your attention span shortening over the years – that’s perhaps due to the time spent online gathering or reading the vast information at a faster rate, as compared to earlier.

Keep taking frequent breaks when you work online. Your mind and body, including the overworked brain, need a BREAK! Chalk out a time for social media and the Internet, instead of being online all the time.

“Distracted from distraction by distraction.” ~ T.S. Eliot

Problem: Do you lack focus and think your productivity is taking a back seat due to these social media sites?

Solution  – When you are forever online working and visiting several social media and social networking websites in day, you tire your brain and lack the attention and focus.

Yes, if you have the free time, these social networks are good, or else, they can reduce your efficiency and productivity, besides harming your entire days work and routine.

Thus, time yourself and remain focused in what you need to do first – everything else can come up later. Setting your priorities is essential, which ensures you only work to achieve your target.

Problem: Perhaps you always want to listen to what everyone has to say, all the time. That’s called FOMO (fear of missing out), which makes you anxious and crazy. So, are you online and on these social media networks always ?

Solution  – You need to break this bad habit of being online ALL the time, as I know some of my blogging friends face this issue.

Just set a timer or go by the watch, and get away as soon as your time is up. I know it’s tough, but if you are determined, you can easily do it, just as I’ve learnt to do.

So, you hardly see me on Facebook and Twitter, except for the short time that I am online. 🙂

Remember, if you want to achieve something – you need to be very focused, or else it doesn’t work.

Problem: Do you waste time playing online games like Angry Birds, Zynga Poker, Facebook Scrabble etc, which are present on such social networking sites? Or do people tag and invite you to play such games?

Solution  – I get a LOT of such invitations to play online games . But I just do one thing – IGNORE such notifications! Sorry for doing that – but I don’t have the time to waste in playing games!

If you are free, by all means play such games and invite those who might like playing too. But don’t tag, bother, or trouble those you know wouldn’t be keen.

You can also check the settings of your account to stop getting the notifications for such games or apps, if you look it up.

Problem: Do you spend time clicking your pictures and sharing it on the social media and seeing what others share, or comment on them?

Solution  – You need to remember that all that you share on the social networks becomes public. So, be careful when you click your pictures and share them.

Or you can adjust the settings to share them with a group of close friends and family, though it’s better to email them or share it through other sites like Picasa etc., rather than social networking sites, where they can still be traced.

Besides, clicking your pictures, uploading the, and sharing it all over becomes an addiction, especially with young tweens and teens. Parents need to be careful because people can misuse such pictures too.

Problem: Do you feel your relationship is breaking up or broke up due to the amount you spent on these social network sites?

Solution  – Talking of relationship issues – who doesn’t have them? But if you have problems with your partner  because either of them is online for a long period, you need to make amends there.

Chalk out a fixed time when you are online or working, after which, devote time with your spouse or partner. They also need your undivided attention.

More the time you spend with them, better your relationship becomes.

Problem: Some people use such sites to hook up or indulge into extra-marital activities . Have you faced such issues where there are problems in your relationship or marriage?

Solution  – Be online for your work and get away soon after that, just as I’ve been saying all along. If you have issues in your marriage – resolve them. Running to social media and finding others there is not the way!

Better still, share your social media account profile with your spouse – no harm. This only builds the trust and they are sure of your activities. Otherwise, some people spend most of their time to find ways to catch a cheating spouse online .

Remember, anything outside your marriage is lust, and not love, just as I mentioned in my earlier post.

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Problem: Have you had privacy issues while being online these social networking sites?

Solution  – Online privacy is a serious issue , especially for kids, tweens and teens – so parents need to be very careful about spending time and teaching their kids about the pros and cons of social networking sites.

You need to keep a watch on the sites your kids are operating or opening and teach them the right from the wrong.

Even for adults, you need to be very careful about sharing your personal information online and your details too.

Problem: Was your account banned or hacked ? Have you come across people with fake accounts and false identities?

Solution  – You cannot say who the other person behind the screen really is or what his or her intention is. So be aware of such fake accounts and identities by checking out their profiles in detail.

Change your setting so that not everyone can read and know about you, till they are your friends. Things like your hobbies, birthdays, address, likes, dislikes, and other details needn’t be shared till required.

Cyber crime is something everyone needs to be careful about.

Problem: Have you come across scammers on social networking sites who trick you to download malicious software or visit certain sites?

Solution  – Beware of hackers and spammers! They often send links that can harm your computer, and once that gets infected; they can use your contacts to spread the malware further.

Don’t open any link that you feel suspicious about or if it’s from some unknown person, whether in your email or your social media accounts.

Problem: Do you face health issues , like sleep deprivation due to being on the social networks till late night? Even your teens could be busy texting or surfing online, are you aware?

Solution  – When you are always online, your health will suffer. Lack of sleep is an issue I deal with and the side effects are not good as they affect you, and your next days working.

Remember, your body needs at least 7-8 hours of sleep, so time your work and limit your online activities. Look after your health because that is your greatest wealth.

Your kids will follow you, so limit to the amount you allow them online. I’m glad we do that, so things are in control.

Problem: Do your kids spend endless hours online, especially on social media networking sites, which affects their studies and results in low academic grades?

Solution  – Studies indicate a fall in grades in students who spend endless hours on the social networking sites. Parents need to keep a check and allow them enough time to interact and work online if need be.

Not to mention that unlimited access has various drawbacks, which I’ll take up in a future post. 🙂

Problem: Are your kids facing social media problems? Perhaps stalking, cyber bullying and such things have occurred with them or their profiles – how did you handle that?

Solution  – When you allow your kids to be online, you need to keep a check on their social media profiles and educate them to use it the right way too. Sit with them and guide them on how to open an account.

Not to mention all that they are allowed to reveal about their personal self on such sites. Anything written – becomes public, so be aware of cyber bullies, texting, and stalkers.

You might like to read this post – Are Your Teens Cyber Safe  – a very important post for ALL parents. If things get out of hand, limiting the screen time also helps.

I’m sure you can relate with these issues, isn’t it? I know I can, though with time I’ve learnt how to handle these problems with social media. So, do you face any of these social media issues?

“Now we have so many more social outlets, so many ways to be stalked and bullied. If social media is too much for you to handle, then don’t have a Twitter or Facebook account. Just be yourself. Be who you want to be.” ~ Khloe Kardashian

As for the negative impacts mentioned above, I think when you know the social media problems; you also know the solutions to such problems, don’t you?

Such social media networks are great place to be on, especially if you work from home as you get to make so many new friends. More so, it’s a good way to use them for social causes , and also take a break from work!

Speaking of which, I know I’ve met all my blogging friends by visiting and blog commenting and social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Google Plus.

Besides, there are many other friends I’ve met on these social network sites who don’t visit my blog, but love to connect, talk, message, or just read my posts. So they too are listed as your online friends.

All of the above doesn’t mean you go ahead and delete your social media accounts! It’s just that you need to know how to use them, and how much time you need to spend on them. 🙂

If you can control the time you spend on the social media sites, and not let them control you, you can maintain a good work-life balance .

“Social networks aren’t about Web sites. They’re about experiences.” ~ Mike DiLorenzo

I hope by talking about the above-mentioned social media issues, I’ve managed to help you pin-point your problems. Remember, everything has a solution if you are ready.

So, get away from your social media networks if you find it overwhelming and take a break. 🙂

“Social media demands a lot of us on top of our already demanding lives. So let’s disconnect as we need to and renew our interest and ourselves.” ~ Simon Mainwaring

Over to you –

Do you have problems with social media? How do you cope with the social networking problems? Do you think you can add more to this list of social media problems? What suggestions would you give? Share in the comments.

• social media
• social network

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Thanks for the solutions. I had some of these problems

I’m trying to minimize my screen time, but even after uninstalling apps, I couldn’t stop myself from using the apps from the web version. Now, I feel how social media can harm our minds.

Hi Harleena you’re definitely right about social media Its time to bring change. Nice share Thank you

All the issues you talk about are worth concerning. New generation spending too much time on social media which is taking them away from the their family. Now a days, only thing that matters for teenagers is their social media influence. We need better controlled social medias.

its take me very long time to read your whole blog but its quite impressive and helpful .. as all of us know that technology helps a lot but it’s destroys also if we are not using it a good way .. so its upon us .. btw thaks for sharing

Yesterday I had something happen that made me realize a major issue in my life. My grandson got his drivers permit and acually “called” me to tell me. Being elderly and feeling the “I am a white elephant” syndrome of late, this call made tears come to my eyes as he told me. He actually loves me enough to HEAR my reaction to wonderful news! At the same moment of his calling me his stepmom was posting a photo of him and announcing it to the world. When you are family, immediate family, sometimes it’s just nice to know you have loving privledges the world does not have, like having milestone news shared with person to person interaction over being told as part of a crowd of people that may or may not KNOW that family member. We all need to feel special in our loved ones lives and social media mega posts, really rip that right off the table, you are just another name in the crowd. I don’t think this is just the elderly who have felt this let down but I know it is a very common causing factor in depession among grandparents and older family members.

Hello Harleena, Thanks for sharing great post with us. So informative post about social media. First of all i’d like to appreciate you on your clean blog design. Social media is a boon, if we use it in proper way, as you mentioned. If not it is curse. As a blogger, i’d like to say that social media helps me a lot to work on blog, understand new things, get connected with other bloggers. So it break downs to one final question: how much effective we are on social media? Thanks again for the deep information, keep writing!

Hi Harleena, insightful post about social media.

Social media is a two edged sword which can be used to make money, build your brand and grow your online reputation. On the other hand, it can kill your precious time, damage your reputation or make an internet troll. So it depends on how you use your time on social media. Thanks for the great post Harleena, keep rocking.

Well these are priceless pointers to overcome social media addiction. Many fake profiles exist on almost every social platform and unfortunately they are duping unsuspecting users in all parts of the world.

Sleep deprivation is another problem which is connected to social media but unfortunately most people fail to realise it. Thanks for highlighting these drawbacks of social media along with solutions to deal with them. I hope this post reaches as many people as possible.

Social media has become a place where people come to show their short term happiness. This short term happiness reflects the major amount of life on social media which creates insecurity in others mind and make them depressed. all the points you wrote have resonated with me and i will make sure that i follow the steps that you have said. Thank you for sharing the article.

Hi Harleena, informative post about social media.

First of all i’d like to appreciate you on your clean blog design

Social media is a boon, if we use it in proper way, as you mentioned. If not it is curse.

As a blogger, i’d like to say that social media helps me a lot to work on blog, understand new things, get connected with other bloggers.

So it break downs to one final question: how much effective we are on social media?

Thanks again for the deep information, keep writing!

Social media is a two edged sword which can be used to make money, build your brand and grow your online reputation. On the other hand, it can kill your precious time, damage your reputation or make an internet troll. So it depends on how you use your time on social media.

As a blogger, I can say it it’s really useful if you limit your time on spending on social media and you can network with other bloggers on sites like Facebook and twitter. You can also use social media to promote your blog posts to get more traffic to your sites.

So it really comes down to one thing: how effectively you’re managing your time on social media. Are you using it for wasting time or using it productively to network with other bloggers and use it to grow your online reputation.

Coming to your question: I never faced any issues with social media because I rarely spend time on it. I’m active on sites like twitter though but I use it connect with other bloggers and promote my blog posts.

Thanks for the great post Harleena, keep rocking.

Hello Harleena Mam,

This is my first comment on your blog. I love this post as it is very informative and have facts that resonate with our lives. Social Media is definitely important as we have to adapt ourselves with latest technology. Social Media sites are great place to connect with people online. But I think a self control and consciousness is very important to analyze what is right and what is Wrong? I am also using Social Media sites a lot but I always keep a balance between social sites and my daily life. Thanks for sharing these great insights.

Have a Great Weekend 🙂 Vishwajeet

Hi Harleena, you made some excellent points here! I try to keep my social sites shut down while I’m doing other work. As you say it is hard to focus if you see notifications coming up and dinging you. That was something I had trouble with when I started my blogging journey. I would be going back and forth all the time and not getting much writing done! I think it can make people feel anxious especially if you manage social media for others, etc. You wonder why isn’t that great post working and why is no one engaging on that one, etc. I love leaving my phone at home once in a while or going out for a walk with the ringer off. You have to unplug from time to time to not get yourself overwhelmed. Thanks for your tips and tricks here Harleena 🙂 Have a wonderful day!

Too much of anything is bad for you and social media is among one of the most toxic things in our lives today.

Although many livelihoods depend on it the number of bad elements avaiable online certainly makes us think.

Awesome article. Keep up the good work 🙂

There are both advantages and disadvantages of using social media. I love to see how much people are interacting. Same to Facebook, the engagement is way of the mark.

Facebook has many interesting features as well as irritating features. Among them I feel very irritating with tags. Yeah, I admire tagging is good to mention someone. But we can see on Facebook, there are many peoples who randomly tag friends without any reasons. So I feel that really disgusting. Though I’ve managed to handle it by changing tagging policy for my account.

Social media has that kind of magical attraction which couldn’t be denied. With its powers properly utilised and effectively managed, one can reap the benefits of growing your brand extensively and reaching out to an immense number of people. Thanks for this awesome post!

Very nice solution tips. Thank you very much for sharing with us.

Gosh! It’s the number seven “Some people bore you and you don’t like to interact with them, yet you do because you ar being polite. So do you waste time in talking to those who don’t matter to you over issues?”. There are lots of people whome ain’t there to add to you, alot of times i fall into a discussion with them just quiting won’t look nice to me so i just waste alot of time chatting with them, nice one here, hopefilly, I’ll start quiting irrilevant chat.

I have a love/hate relationship with social media. There is too much of it, but I like interacting with others. I sometimes get so sick of things that I just ignore is all completely, but then, when I return to it, I have to get caught up. It’s never a win-win situation. 🙁

I’m actually considering writing a post on how much I hate it.

Hi Lorraine,

I can understand that kind of feeling, and it does become overwhelming for some of us if we are online all the time, whether working or interacting with others. Yes, I tried that once or twice too when I’d made up my mind to just switch-off, but when I returned, there were numerous notifications, messages, tags, and loads of comments to take care of the next few days.

I guess striking a balance is tough, but if you want to avoid such social media problems you need to work your way about and see what fits in best with your schedule, isn’t it?

Thanks for stopping by and sharing your experiences with us 🙂

I don’t know if this will help with your love/hate relationship, but something I learned is that limiting my amount of time on social media is very beneficial to my health. I just designate thirty minutes here or there for time to interact on it and then I get off it. It is very easy to focus on it and spend so much time on it.

Doing this also helps me not waste so much time.

Hey Harleena,

Wow, what a detailed post and it sounds like there are a lot of people now have issues with social media. I’m really not surprised because I hear this a lot from people who find that time has gotten away with them and the next thing you know the day is gone.

Of course I don’t have this issue and I never really have because as you know I’m pretty organized. I think for most it should boil down to their priorities although it’s pretty obvious that people can definitely get carried away “chatting” with others online.

I would hate to start all over today just now coming online to build up my profiles. I mean it does take time to reach out and make those connections so I can see where people can easily lose track of time if they haven’t specifically set some kind of time limit on that.

I’m just glad I don’t have kids and have to worry about what they’re viewing, who they’re connecting with and privacy issues. They would probably hate me I’m sure because I would lock them out.

You’ve really covered some key points here and I hope those who have had some issues have found it very helpful. As always, thanks for sharing.

Hi Adrienne,

Glad you liked the post, and yes, there are SO many people who have such social media problems, though I know a lot more could be added to the list – but perhaps if we can handle these many, it’s good enough as a start 🙂

Oh yes…you plan to spend a few minutes or an hour and you land up staying up much longer than you expect, only to realize the amount of precious time you’ve really wasted.

I know how well organized you are and you truly work by the clock, don’t you? Perhaps one day you should write a post on time-management and how you manage your time so well in doing so much within the limited hours.

Priorities should always come first, and later, once your task in hand is over, you can spend your time chatting or being on the social networking sites doing what you like. At least you have a free heart and mind to do that then!

Yes indeed, you are lucky here with no kids to take care of because if you are a parent, your kids surely need guidance all along and need to be educated on how to use the social networks the right way. More so, you need to be a role model to your kids because they see ALL that you do. Luckily for us, our kids know they have only limited access to the Internet so do all that they want within that time frame and then back to their studies. They also know we know where all they are going, so keeping track is easy that ways for us.

Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts with us. Have a nice day ahead 🙂

This was a much needed subject to go over. There’s a lot of addictions out there, and social media falls on the top. To be honest with you, I thought I was bad since I’m on social media like facebook for about an hour a day at the most. The site I spend the most on is YouTube since I can also watch movies and learn some piano chords. But as you probably already know, I have some extracurricular activities I engage in and sometimes I hang out with friends.

Can you remember what we were doing before social media? I can remember some of the best times of my life was playing outside as a kid. Although I had Nintendo and Atari, I made time to play with friends. If I didn’t make time, my grandma use to make time for me LOL. But she saw early on the effect of just staying inside playing games and watching TV all day.

But yes, I do believe that social media can be addicting! It’s just amazing how much an hour can go by while you’re on social media, whether you’re on your computer or on your smart phone. I like the idea of SYPS and how you’re making your blog more of a community. I think it’s better to set it up like this because you can definitely meet people that’s going through the same things you’re going through. On top of that, whenever you overcome a problem, you can celebrate it with others that have been supporting you!

Thanks for sharing Harleena, and you have a great day!

Hi Sherman,

It sure was as I see so many people online, ALL the time and most of them are just wasting time and doing nothing productive. I don’t think spending an hour online is bad, I need to do that myself and perhaps they say 80% is promotion of your blog, while 20% is writing it, so how else does one do it, if not online such social media sites.

However, what matters is that we learn to limit our time online – do our work, and move away. That’s where most people get caught. I was there too once when I started long back, so I know the effect it has on you and your work.

Ah…YouTube is one place I rarely visit, except when I have to look up a video for my post or someone puts up a video post, but it’s certainly a great place to get lost, again never ending source of information. Yes, and I love those activities you engage in too 😉

That’s already a post idea on my mind since long and I would surely write about it one day – life without the social media! Yes, those were in-fact the best days of my life too – totally carefree with no strings attached. We would be more with our families and friends – at least much more bonding was there as compared to what it’s become now. I think nowadays we are just SO dependent on the social media, Internet, mobiles, and a lot of other tech stuff that leaving any one out makes you anxious, isn’t it?

Social networking sites are an addiction if we can’t manage our time on them. Yes, social media on the whole is a great source of information, but you need to set limits to the amount of time you want to spend on it and not let it rule your life.

I started with these SYPS 3-4 months back and I wanted it to be a platform free and open for everyone who faces problems, to come forth and share their issues, related to the talked of subject, and anyone coming up to answer the questions people had. But I soon learnt that I was the only one replying to people here too…lol…but that’s alright. I know those who have similar problems might like these solutions.

Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts with us. Have a nice day as well 🙂

I just love what you are doing for people! Social media is a big problem for folks. Recently I had my family over and wherever we went, from the beach to a restaurant, all the young adults were on their phones.

I told them to leave the phones home when we were going out. Oh they protested! They may miss a tweet, an important message, etc. But I told them that when family is together we must focus on one another or else, stay home.

What a great experiment! By the third day, they were noticing clouds in the sky like a little child would do. At dinner we all focused on one another and had such a good time. As we browsed around little shops, they were so focused and excited.

When we got back home, they rushed to their computers and phones. Came to find out, nothing was more important than the experience they had shared. Mission accomplished. By the fifth day, they didn’t need to be reminded. In fact, they enjoyed their time without social media.

Now, the only way I could have done this experiment is because I do discipline myself to turn things off! A long time ago I found myself hanging out too much on social media and had to put a stop to it.

Now I follow my DMO (Daily Method of Operation) whereby I do what I need to first, then spend 10 minutes three times a day on Social Media.

And guess what? The world didn’t end he he he!

Thank you so much for saying that, though I know so much more can be done – just wish had more hands and hours in a day at times to help out 🙂

That’s such wise advice – especially to the younger lots, something every family must focus on because family time means – no Internet, no mobiles, no work – nothing at all. I know I am SO guilty of all of these things, but it’s one decision I’ve finally made never to do when I go on a vacation. Certain things can take a back seat, it doesn’t really matter, especially when you are bonding with your loved ones, isn’t it?

I agree with you, there is SO much more to life than being online and such social media networks, which only one can see and notice when you leave it all and shift your focus on other things. I’m sure when they returned and checked on their accounts, they wouldn’t have been missed, just an odd message here or there.

People need to realize this that if they spend family time and don’t update their status or tweet for a few days, the world won’t stop! Everyone’s so busy in their own lives to hardly notice your absence, unless you are a real icon or something like that.

I love your DMO and it’s something that I do too, but my time online is twice a day and for a longer period of half to one hour each time because I share my posts on various groups and communities and I do take out time to thank each one of those people who like or comment on my posts, on the various networks. But once I do that, I just move away, or else I start getting tons of more messages from bloggers asking for help or wanting me to comment of like their posts.

Thanks for your lovely comment that’s surely added value to the post, and I’m sure the younger lots would learn a lot from what you mentioned here. Have a nice week ahead 🙂

Hi Harleena Here you again come up with a fabulous article. yes While using internet and social media websites we face so many problems to distract the user. All the common problems with their solution you have mentioned above will help lots of peoples to get rid from these type of problems. Thanks for sharing. keep posting.

Hi Addison,

Glad you liked the post 🙂

Absolutely! There are as a tis lots of distractions one faces in the day, and being online, especially the social networking sites does become distracting if one isn’t able to manage the time. I know most of us face these issues, so I just hope this post on social media problems and solutions helps those who need this information.

Thanks for stopping by and sharing your views with us 🙂

BTW – If possible, it would be nice if you would use a Gravatar so that we know who we are talking to – just a friendly suggestion 🙂

Hi Harleena,

You have explained this topic in a good way but I want to ask you something which doesn’t belong to this topic. May I know why people don’t want to index their sitemap in any search engine? What Is the reason behind it? I have searched at many blogs but didn’t get the answer. I hope you can tell me. I will wait for your reply. Rakesh

Welcome to my blog Rakesh!

Although I don’t answer off topic questions, but as you asked, I’d tell you frankly that I don’t have much of an idea as to why people don’t want to index their sitemap in the search engines. I guess the logical reasons are to avoid getting their site pages from being indexed, keeping them private, and not willing to share the information with the world. Many membership sites do that and perhaps those who run secret businesses running on their sites, who are not bothered with rankings and have no desire of getting organic traffic.

I’m sure you’ll find better answers if you Google your question- what place to find the answers to your questions than a search engine! However, you’re more than welcome to ask questions here related to this post’s topic.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great week ahead. 🙂

BTW – It would be nice if you would use a Gravatar so that we know who we are talking to – just a friendly suggestion 🙂

I think I strike a good balance. Of course, that is because I have help. But my day job is worth much more of my time, so I can hire out help with SM. Anyhow, I can do more than I am doing but hopefully my new hire will be just the ticket I need to building a better online presence!

Good to know that you have help and things are manageable for you, and I wish everyone was able to do that too 🙂

But for those who are dealing with many social media accounts all alone, it can become rather overwhelming to be all over and do it all. I guess with your day job, you certainly need additional help and I’m sure that would help you build a stronger online presence too.

Yes Harleena, these all are common problems that we have faced time to time. I am glad to read all the question and answers about social media. Yes, it is addictive but you have suggested the best way to deal with all these problems. Thanks for sharing this.

Welcome to my blog Allison!

Glad you agree with this list, though I know there’s a lot more we could add to it, but perhaps these are the common ones, aren’t they? Social media sites can be very addictive, but a lot depends on us and how we find ways to manage our time we spend on them, isn’t it?

Interesting topic for discussion! Well, until now I don’t have a problem with social media. I’m the kind of person who does not like asking for trouble, especially in social media. I think, foolish if we use social media to insult others. Instead, I prefer to use it to share useful knowledge 🙂

For my health, I am aware of my own health. Health is a great gift and I will not waste it, right?

Thanks for sharing this with us, Harleena. Nice share!

I think you are one of the lucky lots! It’s tough nowadays to keep away from the social media sites, especially the networking sites because there is so much happening there, and as you can see from the feedback from a few commenters, managing their time online such sites is an uphill task.

Yes indeed, if social media is used the right way, to gain and share information and knowledge, there can be nothing better, or else it can have an adverse effect. I agree about the health part too, and that should be on our priority list as well.

Thanks for stopping by and sharing your experiences with us. 🙂

Quite good case study. I personally think that everything regarding social media is simply – common sense, consistency and to be be social.

Welcome to my blog Kaloyan!

Glad you liked this post on the various social media problems most of us face. I agree with you, but for some people it isn’t as simple as that as once they start social networking, it’s tough for them to keep track of time or manage things.

Thanks for stopping by and sharing your views 🙂

Yes,there are lots of problem regarding social media sites like mental depression,break up,harmful for study,illegal activity even to loose your job but using it effectively can also bring you lots of happiness,popularity,money and many more.So like every other things there must be some positive and negative aspects but it totally depends upon you,how you’re going to use it.

Hi Deparpan,

I agree with you – there are a lot of pros and cons of social media, just as you mentioned. If used wisely and in a well-balanced way, social networking sites and the social media can work in your favor, or else result in lack of productivity due to wastage of time.

The pleasure is always mine to launch here and go through your awesome posts with the wonderful writing skills of your’s Harleena Mam 🙂

Glad you like my posts and writing style, Debarpan – appreciate your feedback. Thanks once again 🙂

Harleena, get on and off social sites fast! Love the tips. I limit time on each site to dissolve attachments. I boost my effectiveness by blogging, socializing and doing all online stuff against the clock.

Oh yes…that’s the only one that works perfectly for me too, just like for you. I guess limiting your time on doing your work and moving on to the next task is the key, without really wasting it on anything else.

Nicely put Harleena.

You are right on all aspects of the issues of social media. Things are changing rapidly and this requires one to change with it or face the consequences. No matter what you are doing, be it blogging, or online surfing, letting your children play games -changes are coming thick and thin. I like the way you have mentioned the issues and its solutions. You have covered most of it. I find the whole social media overwhelming and mind boggling sometimes.

Glad you liked these social media problems and solutions, though I know there’s a lot more you can add to this list 🙂

Things and even times have changed, and with so many people online, besides the safety and privacy issues, you just need to find your quiet time away or else you can just get so caught in it all, isn’t it? Kids are the ones who are at the maximum danger, if they are not guided well enough and I think every parent needs to pay attention to this fact. Yes, social media can be overwhelming, especially for those who are online ALL the time.

Is #12 actually a “problem”? (12 – Do you spend time clicking your pictures and sharing it on the social media and seeing what others share, or comment on them?) I thought that is what social media was sort of for no?

Welcome to my blog Troy!

Lol…I wish that was the case, but you need to be very careful about what all you share on social networking sites. Anything you share goes public, especially your pictures, which could be misused by anyone. I’m sure you’d love the video that explains this point further – check it out!

Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts with us 🙂

Hi Ma’am!

According to me, social media site are what making us less social in real life. Now a days, everyone use to spend their most time on social networking sites. Sometimes it seems total wastage of time so I like to schedule things. I spend some good time on Facebook and Twitter. Yes I have an account on so many sites but I use them only for profession purposes.An you know the only time I feel relaxed, when there is power-cut in my area and I loss push myself out of home.

Hi Tejwinder,

Yes, to a certain extent they are because we don’t know how to limit our time online 🙂

I see many youngsters spend hours on such social networking sites and waste their time and life, whereas this is the time they need to concentrate and focus on their career, isn’t it?

Scheduling the time you spend on each social media site is the only way things work, and like you, even I do that as I visit my various accounts, and if some work comes up, I have no problems even skipping a day or two of visiting such sites. They are not the start and end of it all, and there are a lot of things that are more important in life. Lol…yes, I can imagine the relaxed feeling when there is no power or when we aren’t connected to the online world 🙂

Hi Harleena You may already have an online presence. You may worry time spent on social media will distract your team from other important things. Your website needs SEO, for example. Tamara Weintraub, content marketing manager at ReachLocal, says there is no reason you can’t have both.

I agree with you, and yes, if you have work and need a strong online presence, you certainly need the power of social media. However, if you cannot manage the amount of time you spend on the social networking sites or other such places, it can result in lack of focus and productivity, isn’t it?

BTW – It would be nice if you can get a Gravatar so that we know who we are talking to – just a friendly suggestion 🙂

Hi Harleena Thanks for your suggestion.I also Recommend that,but i am unable to do that in my weebly account.Can You please help me out???

Hi Harleena!

Wow! You covered so much in this post. I agree that all of these can be a huge issue for many of us. I’m happy to say I believe I have most of it handled but need to constantly monitor myself to make sure I don’t get suck into the game of it. It’s like very rich candy that needs to be eaten in moderation. Luckily I have pretty good self-discipline so I catch myself when I’m getting a little too attached. And even reading posts like this help because they remind me of how NOT to be.

Thank you again for another great post. ~Kathy

Yes, I tried to, but I’m sure there’s lot more one could add 🙂

Good to know that, something we all need to do as well – monitor the time we spend on such social networking sites. More so, it’s always a never ending process if you don’t know how to limit yourself on such sites. Lol…I liked your example of eating the rich candy, but in moderation. I think you are already doing things the right way, and such reminders only assure you that you are on the right path.

Hi Harleena

I usually forget about going on to social media and not sharing as much as I should. Like you say one can spend far too much time on there. Now I don’t feel so guilty about ignoring it.

Some family members share far too much on Facebook and for that reason I am not connected to them. Being careful about the friends you have also matters. They maybe fine but it tells a lot about you if their profile picture is raunchy.

Anybody wanting a job should be very careful what they share on these sites. If I was looking to hire someone for an offline job, I would check out their social media site. You don’t have to be connected to them or even let them know you are checking them out. Bad language, bad relationships, etc. gets put on these sites. Funny that they let the whole world see who they are but not their own family, yet don’t they realize we can see what they say unless they have it private? It amazes me how stupid some smart people can be.

I personally am very vague on social media sites for that very reason. I am still pretty private on my site and even in comments as I feel that certain things should remain private. Sharing to a point is fine, but on the social media they (the weirdos)can find you, where as to find you on the websites and trace your life would require much more work that they would probably never do. Even so one should never be an open book anywhere on the network. Honesty has nothing to do with telling everything about yourself. There are somethings that never or ever needs to be shared.

Some very good points on the subject.

I think you are in real bliss if you do that! Honestly speaking, I wish I could just vanish from the social media at times, not because I spend a lot of time there, but because of the endless tags, notifications, and messages that I receive. Yes, ignoring them is one option I haven’t yet chosen, but if things become overwhelming, I might have to cut-off 🙂

Absolutely! Sharing more than required or putting up pictures where you or your family members might be there, something that you don’t like – can often lead to problems and misunderstandings. We need to be SO careful about our profiles and all that we share because everything you share becomes public, even though you might hide it from your timeline.

I agree with you about the jobs too, good point indeed. If people know the kind of person you are on these social networking sites, they might just change their mind of hiring you. Besides, even those who are looking for a suitable match to get married should be very careful about their social media profiles as those are always the first to be seen – I’ve seen many youngsters suffer due to all that they share on their profiles thinking it’s limited to their family and close friends, which isn’t the case.

That’s how it should be I would say, and comment only where need be or when it’s with a group of close friends, which again depends if you are in the same time zone and online at the same time. Because we need to make our profiles public, being professionals, we need to tweak it and have only the relevant matter online, without adding your birth dates, address, your family or other relations, town or city you reside in as all these can become a problem for those who want to trace you, nor is there any need I would add.

Thanks for stopping by and adding more value to the post 🙂

Hi Harleena, I love this format where you crowd source solutions to people’s problems. A problem shared is a problem halved, as you said in your first article in this series!

You’re right, Social Media certainly can cause problems and you’ve done a wonderful job of explaining what those are. Social Media is a tool and like any tool it must be used properly.

I have been very fortunate not to have issues with Social Media. I have reconnected with many friends using Social Media and made some new ones. But I also recognize the importance of treating Social Media with respect and not going overboard with it.

Hi Carolyn,

Glad you liked it and that was the aim of these series so that people can share their problems and find solutions. Yes indeed, when you share a problem, you certainly feel lighter and better, and it gives a chance to others also to learn from them.

Absolutely! We need to use social media as a tool and use it only when need be, and I know you do just that being the efficient person that you are. I think it’s a great place to connect and meet people, but again, all that interaction and socializing should be done when we end our chores or when we take out time away from work for it, isn’t it?

Thanks for stopping by and sharing your words of wisdom with us. 🙂

I follow just one rule till I work on social media. The rule is: “Do social media like you drive a car”. Keep looking straight and see in back mirror in case of urgent need. I never cast even a look at irrelevant sharings on social media and just stay to my niche. This saves my time and keeps me focused.

Do you think it is fine to open separate account of each social media for your each blog if you have multiple blogs and can you be able to maintain unity of your identity with different accounts. If someone does all SMO with one each account of all social media for all his blogs will it not be so contradictory because on Facebook there is no separate category of friends for different niche. Will it not be injustice to share a post of technology blog that will also appear on timelines of those friends who added you because of your another fitness blog. Did you get my point. If you have any solution do share it with me and for the guidance of all.

Lol…I like that way of looking at social media, perhaps very focused I would say 🙂

People mainly use the social media for leisure or pleasure and tend to get carried away, but as you mentioned, if you are able to manage the amount of time you spend online and just do your work and get away, you care on the right track.

I think it is good to open separate account of social media for your each blog. I had the same question in mind some time ago. I learned that each of your site should’ve its own identity. It’ll do good to your blog branding if you’ve a logo and separate social media accounts. Also this move will help create a provision for future, in case you need to sell your blog for whatsoever reasons. Then, you can include the social media accounts in the entire package, which would enhance its cost.

In my case, it’s a multi-niche blog, so people know and don’t mind variation in topics and niches, and I share them all in my social media accounts. Not to mention that now people invite me to their groups on FB or G+ communities, after knowing what all I share, so depends from person to person. But you’re right in that if you’ve different niche blogs, then promoting them through your one personal social media account might be bit confusing to some subscribers or followers for reasons that you mention.

Having said all that, it is not easy to maintain multiple social media accounts unless you outsource them. Perhaps what you can also do is to have your personal social media accounts too display on all your sites to create a common identity.

The best solution would be to make your blog multi-niche like mine if you can – I’m sure you’d benefit more in terms of easier management, saving of time and efforts, limit extra expenses, combine the readership and create more traffic as well as rise high in ranks.

However, if what you’ve are static niche sites, then you needn’t do anything else but have separate social media accounts for each and update them not so frequently. Hope this helped 🙂

Thanks for stopping by and sharing your social media problems with us 🙂

I feel my main problem with Social Media is not using it effectively!

I generally visit Facebook and Twitter without a goal in mind, which means that I spend a lot of time just looking at pointless stuff and not really connecting. This then sends me down a black hole!

I really would like to get strategic with my Social Media actions — connecting with specific people and adding value by answering questions! I’m going to need to spend some time working this out and getting a plan together!

Thanks for the kick in the butt! 🙂

Hi Jennifer,

That’s the most common problem faced by most of us I would say, though thankfully I’ve overcome it now 🙂

I can understand what you mean, but I think you must be doing that after you end your work, so that’s needed at times too. It’s a great way to connect with fellow bloggers, family, and friends, provided you complete all your tasks or you surely would get caught up if you don’t limit the time you spend there.

Yes, if you are online these sites for a specific task or building your business, then you need to work that ways and target those people through what you share, which again you need to do within a set time period, or it can get overwhelming. Planning would surely help in this regard, especially if you want to catch up with a specific group of people online such social networking sites.

Thanks for stopping by. Lol…not a kick, just a small reminder 😉

Actually The point you have described about get addicted to social media relates me in a better sense. When I started to use Facebook that time brought disaster for me. I was so much addicted to it. I started thinking about my friend’s list even when I worked. It was the crucial time for me. After some one of my friend asked me to get rid of it. But you know it is really hard to avoid such type of things.

When any newbie enters in the world of social media then with the attention of many strangers to become friend is such an unbelievable task happens. At that time beginners love to visit every hour to their account. All the points you have included are really helpful to every single person. I hope I will avoid such mistakes in my upcoming life.

Thanks for sharing. -Ravi

Welcome to my blog Ravi!

Glad I was able to finally welcome you, and sorry for the slight delay 🙂

I think most of us can relate to these social media problems as we face them in our daily lives. Yes, Facebook, Twitter, and even G+ can become very addictive if you don’t know how to limit your time on such social networks. I also see many newbies online – ALL the time, and it saddens my heart because this is their most productive time that they just waste.

It’s tough to get rid of your social media accounts, though some people do that but open up a new profile sooner or later. I guess the answer lies in learning to control yourself. Self-discipline might take time, but once you learn the way, things fall into place. Social media should be used when we are free or have ended our tasks, not otherwise.

I agree with you, for a newcomer it’s tough to decide the right from wrong, and just the fact that so many people want to become their friends and the new things they pick up can become overwhelming. I think they forget that just for small pleasures online, they are missing out on making their lives worthwhile, and when realization strikes, it’s often too late. I hope this post helps people in more ways than one. 🙂

As usual, you’ve delivered such an awesome post with a very detailed outlook of 20 prominently discussed problems due to social media.

Like everything in life, social media is just a tool to reach out to more people, with ease and from the comfort of our own home. The benefits of social media are simply stupendous!

However, with great power comes great responsibility and that is where problem begins, isn’t it?

Most of us do not like to take responsibility for our actions and blame it on someone or something else. Just like money is evil (usually those who don’t have it enough speak about money that way even more), now, social media is bad for many many people who don’t understand how to use it or who are unwilling to learn about it.

Yesterday, I was talking to a parent and he brought up the issue of drugs here in the US and how high school kids are susceptible to it. And he mentioned that certain types of drugs are being legalized in some states and that has brought down the revenue of drug mafia and brought down the population in jails drastically. Less of drug problems are being reported in those states and guess what? Doctors are now coming up with a constructive use of those drugs in curing diseases.

Social media, if we take time to get educated and like everything else, if we discipline ourselves to act maturely, there is no problem.

But, when we stay away from taking responsibility and keep the habit of blaming someone or something else for our own failures, it is a big problem.

Just my two cents 🙂 although you know I shared a few days ago about social media problem parents can help their kids with. You know, even there, I wanted to make parents responsible for what kids do and see and face.

Thank you for sharing!

Regards, Kumar

Glad you liked the post, and I loved your feedback 🙂

Yes indeed, social media is where we all meet each other, speaking of which, that’s how we connected, didn’t we? It’s the only place where people from all walks of life meet and learn so much from each other, besides the great resource of information it is. But just as everything has issues, even the social media problems are somethings we can’t ignore.

You are absolutely right about saying that we tend to blame others or things for our actions, which is the case with social media too, just because we don’t know how to handle or manage it in the right way. Talking of drugs as you mentioned – how can parents even think them to be ‘legal’ or allow their kids to take them? But perhaps after a certain stage things get out of their hand there. I’m glad in SO many ways I’m not staying there!! 🙂

I remember your wonderful post about the problems with social media where parents play a part because it all does come down to parenting and how they impart the right knowledge to their kids. Keeping a watch and guiding your kids is vital, even if your kids are grown up.

Thanks for stopping by and sharing your two cents with us – loved them 🙂

Wow, you certainly ask the hard questions! Great points. I agree that online activity can lead to neglecting real life responsibilities. It’s a struggle to keep balance in life in general and social media makes it even harder.

Welcome to my blog Meredith!

Yes, they might be hard but I think they are the common social media problems most of us face, aren’t they? 🙂

Absolutely! I’ve seen many parents neglect their responsibility of looking after their kids and family because they are always on the social networking sites, for whatever reasons. I agree it’s a struggle, especially for working moms, but family always comes first, and you need to balance things out so that they don’t suffer. Time management is an art we all need to learn that, isn’t it?

BTW – It would be nice if you use your Gravatar as I see you have a lovely picture on your blog, so that we know who we are talking to – just a friendly suggestion 🙂

Hello ma’am,

Points 8,9, and 10 are so connected to me!

Social media has brought in me FOMO,has given my productivity a back seat. I always have been active in social media specially google plus and Fb. Major problem is there are tonnes of new updates specially these days when I have hundreds of blogger friends updating thousands of posts. Each information is so interesting ( ok majority if not all) that i go read them and if I didnt know something I feel restless like am I missing something? All my friends know about such site or so and so facility on the net how come I don’t know etc. Then in an attempt to read and know all the stuff I loose my concentration and productivity.

Please guide me ma’am.

Hi Swadhin,

Glad you could relate the post, and you are certainly not the only one to feel the way you do because most bloggers and those who work online, feel the same way, especially those who are active on the social networking sites.

I can well understand about the feeling of not missing out the updates and all that others share, it’s a feeling of missing out on a lot, isn’t it? However, if you have work to do, you would certainly have to limit the work you spend on FB and G+. All I can suggest is that you could subscribe to the blogs you want to visit or add them to your RSS so that you don’t miss out anything, rather than waiting to check the updates as and when it comes online. That’s how I do it.

Of course, you must spend some time online and be with everyone too so that you don’t miss out on things, but limit your time. Perhaps time yourself and spend an hour in the morning and one hour in the evening – less or more depends on you I would say. But by doing so, you know you have all the other hours to work. Try this out, I’m sure it would work for you and increase your focus and productivity.

Thanks for stopping by and sharing your social media problems with us. Hope this little suggestion helped 🙂

Thank you for your really helpful tips to cope up with the problems. Subscribing to rss is the best option I think to read and keep track of favorite blogs.I remember you had mentioned such a thing on one of your interviews that you shared on Twitter recently. Email subscription is also a brilliant idea but as I live in my inbox I don’t want to clutter my living area.:)

You are most welcome, and yes, like you, I also subscribe to a very few important blogs and prefer to keep my inbox clutter free. Rest all of them are in my RSS, which you can visit, read, and comment whenever you get time.

I don’t remember the interview, but I know it’s something I do and if you make further folders in your Feedly you can manage your blogs very well and plan out which ones you want to visit when.

Thanks once again 🙂

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Facebook Marketplace is home to steals and deals — and serious trust issues

Love it or hate it, Facebook Marketplace is the largest online resale site today with more than one billion monthly users. A new study conducted by UBC researchers sheds light on the intricate web of trust, privacy and safety factors shaping users' experiences on this popular platform.

Researchers interviewed 42 Facebook Marketplace buyers and sellers in the U.S. and Canada to uncover the factors associated with trading decisions.

“Concerns for physical and financial safety, as well as well-being, were top of mind among users, reflecting the inherent risks associated with trading with strangers — particularly because goods are exchanged in person,” said Dr. Konstantin Beznosov , senior researcher on the study and a professor of electrical and computer engineering at UBC. 

“Many participants hesitated to rate sellers, citing physical safety concerns and the challenge of balancing feedback with anonymity.”

Participants were also uncomfortable with the inseparable link between the Marketplace and Facebook, raising privacy red flags as personal details became intertwined with trading activities.

Because of these reservations, users remained vigilant while trading on the site, closely monitoring transactional signals, such as negotiation conversations, location preferences and signs of trader authenticity: perceived impoliteness, flirtatious or patronizing language, or multiple grammatical errors suggesting a foreign scammer.

“Despite these persistent trust concerns, most participants continued to use the Marketplace because it’s simple to set up and offers wide audience reach, and it’s effective in facilitating sales,” said Beznosov.

In response to the study’s findings, the researchers proposed increasing user safety and privacy on the Marketplace, including enhancing user understanding of the implications of sharing personal information, and adding features that strike a balance between privacy and trust — for example, by implementing a profile verification process.

"Most participants continued to use the Marketplace because it’s simple to set up and offers wide audience reach, and it’s effective in facilitating sales."

Facebook, Beznosov added, should also offer more transparent communication channels for user feedback.

“At the end of the day, every market — even online platforms — carries an element of ‘buyer beware.’ But it’s always possible to create a safer, more trustworthy trading environment on Facebook Marketplace. 

“We should be helping users to make more informed choices about the tradeoffs between benefits and risks in any online marketplace, particularly those in which goods are exchanged in person.”

Results from the study will be presented today (May 13) at the Association of Computing Machinery’s CHI conference , the leading conference on human-computer interaction research.  

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Watch CBS News

How two high school students solved a 2,000-year-old math puzzle

By Bill Whitaker , Aliza Chasan , Sara Kuzmarov, Mariah Campbell

May 5, 2024 / 7:00 PM EDT / CBS News

A high school math teacher at St. Mary's Academy in New Orleans, Michelle Blouin Williams, was looking for ingenuity when she and her colleagues set a school-wide math contest with a challenging bonus question. That bonus question asked students to create a new proof for the Pythagorean Theorem, a fundamental principle of geometry, using trigonometry. The teachers weren't necessarily expecting anyone to solve it, as proofs of the Pythagorean Theorem using trigonometry were believed to be impossible for nearly 2,000 years.

But then, in December 2022, Calcea Johnson and Ne'Kiya Jackson, seniors at St. Mary's Academy, stepped up to the challenge. The $500 prize money was a motivating factor.

After months of work, they submitted their innovative proofs to their teachers. With the contest behind them, their teachers encouraged the students to present at a mathematics conference, and then to seek to publish their work. And even today, they're not done. Now in college, they've been working on further proofs of the Pythagorean Theorem and believe they have found five more proofs. Amazingly, despite their impressive achievements, they insist they're not math geniuses.

"I think that's a stretch," Calcea said.

The St. Mary's math contest

When the pair started working on the math contest they were familiar with the Pythagorean Theorem's equation: A² + B² = C², which explains that by knowing the length of two sides of a right triangle, it's possible to figure out the length of the third side.

When Calcea and Ne'Kiya set out to create a new Pythagorean Theorem proof, they didn't know that for thousands of years, one using trigonometry was thought to be impossible.  In 2009, mathematician Jason Zimba submitted one, and now Calcea and Ne'Kiya are adding to the canon.

Calcea and Ne'Kiya had studied geometry and some trigonometry when they started working on their proofs, but said they didn't feel math was easy. As the contest went on, they spent almost all their free time developing their ideas.

"The garbage can was full of papers, which she would, you know, work out the problems and if that didn't work, she would ball it up, throw it in the trash," Cal Johnson, Calcea's dad, said.

Neliska Jackson, Ne'Kiya's mother, says lightheartedly, that most of the time, her daughter's work was beyond her. 

To document Calcea and Ne'Kiya's work, math teachers at St. Mary's submitted their proofs to an American Mathematical Society conference in Atlanta in March 2023.

"Well, our teacher approached us and was like, 'Hey, you might be able to actually present this,'" Ne'Kiya said. "I was like, 'Are you joking?' But she wasn't. So we went. I got up there. We presented and it went well, and it blew up."

Why Calcea' and Ne'kiya's work "blew up"

The reaction was insane and unexpected, Calcea said. News of their accomplishment spread around the world. The pair got a write-up in South Korea and a shoutout from former first lady Michelle Obama. They got a commendation from the governor and keys to the city of New Orleans. 

Calcea and Ne'Kiya said they think there's several reasons why people found their work so impressive. 

"Probably because we're African American, one," Ne'Kiya said. "And we're also women. So I think-- oh, and our age. Of course our ages probably played a big part."

Ne'Kiya said she'd like their accomplishment to be celebrated for what it is: "a great mathematical achievement."

In spite of the community's celebration of the students' work, St. Mary's Academy president and interim principal Pamela Rogers said that with recognition came racist calls and comments. 

"[People said] 'they could not have done it. African Americans don't have the brains to do it.' Of course, we sheltered our girls from that," Rogers said. "But we absolutely did not expect it to come in the volume that it came."

Rogers said too often society has a vision of who can be successful.

"To some people, it is not always an African American female," Rogers said. "And to us, it's always an African American female."

Success at St. Marys 

St. Mary's, a private Catholic elementary and high school, was started for young Black women just after the Civil War. Ne'Kiya and Calcea follow a long line of barrier-breaking graduates. Leah Chase , the late queen of Creole cuisine, was an alum. So was Michelle Woodfork, the first African American female New Orleans police chief, and Dana Douglas, a judge for the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. 

Math teacher Michelle Blouin Williams, who initiated the math contest, said Calcea and Ne'Kiya are typical St. Mary's students. She said if they're "unicorns," then every student who's matriculated through the school is a "beautiful, Black unicorn."

Students hear that message from the moment they walk in the door, Rogers said. 

"We believe all students can succeed, all students can learn," the principal said. "It does not matter the environment that you live in."

About half the students at St. Mary's get scholarships, subsidized by fundraising to defray the $8,000 a year tuition. There's no test to get in, but expectations are high and rules are strict: cellphones are not allowed and modest skirts and hair in its natural color are required. 

Students said they appreciate the rules and rigor.

"Especially the standards that they set for us," junior Rayah Siddiq said. "They're very high. And I don't think that's ever going to change." 

What's next for Ne'Kiya and Calcea

Last year when Ne'Kiya and Calcea graduated, all their classmates were accepted into college and received scholarship offers. The school has had a 100% graduation rate and a 100% college acceptance rate for 17 years, according to Rogers.

Ne'Kiya got a full ride in the pharmacy department at Xavier University in New Orleans. Calcea, the class valedictorian, is studying environmental engineering at Louisiana State University. Neither one is pursuing a career in math, though Calcea said she may minor in math.

"People might expect too much out of me if I become a mathematician," Ne'Kiya said wryly. 

Bill Whitaker is an award-winning journalist and 60 Minutes correspondent who has covered major news stories, domestically and across the globe, for more than four decades with CBS News.

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2024 exams: Ofqual issues warning over cheating

Ofqual has warned of the risk of disqualification for students who take mobile phones into this summer’s GCSE and A-level exams.

Instances of students being found with mobile phones in exam rooms have almost doubled since 2018, and there were 2,180 penalties for this in 2023 compared with 1,825 in 2022.

The exams regulator also issued a reminder today about other rules on malpractice, such as not searching for exam papers on social media.

Ofqual chief regulator Sir Ian Bauckham said: “Students have been working hard to prepare for their exams, and nobody wants them to miss out on their grades and qualifications.

“Thankfully, most students are aware of the risks of malpractice and comply with the rules. It’s important that the rules are followed so that grades reflect what a student knows, understands and can do.

“Students should also be aware of the risks of exam papers on social media. Accounts claiming to sell this year’s exam papers are almost always scams. Students should report these accounts to teachers.”

Rise in GCSE and A-level exam cheating

Ofqual data, released in December last year, showed there were 4,895 cases of malpractice involving students during GCSE, AS- and A-level examinations in 2023, up from 4,105 in 2022.

Sir Ian added: “Students risk losing the qualification they’ve been studying for if they search for or communicate with social media accounts claiming to sell leaked exam papers.

“Sanctions can still apply even if the papers turn out to be fake. Buying papers is never worth the risk. 

“Students should focus on their revision and do their best in their exams. I want to wish them all the best.”

• GCSEs and A levels: How Ofqual plans to cope with AI
• GCSEs 2024: Concern over Year 11 absence as exams loom
• Malpractice: Mobile phone exam cheating up by 33 per cent

Ofqual has said previously that it will be requesting information from all awarding organisations about how they are managing malpractice risks from AI.

Eventually Ofqual plans to record when AI-related cheating occurs.

Tech misuse ‘a real headache’ for schools

Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: “We are sure that the vast majority of students taking exams will stick to the rules, but there are always some who do not do so, and unfortunately the misuse of digital technology is a real headache.

“Schools and colleges rigorously police exam rooms to ensure that devices are not brought in by candidates, and they warn students not to try to find exam papers on social media.

“These are generally fake papers being circulated as a scam, but in the rare event of a genuine paper being leaked, any student accessing that paper risks disqualification.

“It is really important that students take heed of these warnings.”

A spokesperson for the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ), which represents the UK’s major exam boards, said: “It is important students know to report fraudulent accounts claiming to sell exam papers on social media to their teachers.

“JCQ wishes all students well with their exams and assessments.”

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Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget

Analysis of the 2024 social security trustees’ report.

The Social Security and Medicare Trustees released their annual reports today on the financial status of the Social Security and Medicare programs over the next 75 years. The latest Social Security projections show that the program is quickly approaching insolvency and highlight the need for trust fund solutions sooner rather than later to prevent across-the-board benefit cuts or abrupt changes to tax or benefit levels. The Social Security Trustees project:

• Social Security is approaching insolvency. Under current law, Social Security cannot guarantee full benefits to current retirees. The Trustees project the Social Security Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) trust fund will deplete its reserves by 2033, when today’s 58-year-olds reach the full retirement age and today’s youngest retirees turn 71. Upon insolvency, all beneficiaries will face a 21 percent across-the-board benefit cut. Including the Disability Insurance (SSDI) trust fund, the theoretically combined trust funds will be insolvent by 2035 and beneficiaries would face a 17 percent cut.
• Social Security faces large and rising imbalances. According to the Trustees, Social Security will run cash deficits of $3 trillion over the next decade, the equivalent of 2.3 percent of taxable payroll or 0.8 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Annual deficits will grow to 3.4 percent of payroll (1.2 percent of GDP) by 2050 and 4.6 percent of payroll (1.6 percent of GDP) by 2098. Social Security’s 75-year actuarial imbalance totals 3.5 percent of payroll, which is over 1.2 percent of GDP or nearly $24 trillion in present value terms.
• Social Security’s finances have improved from last year but remain perilous. Social Security’s 75-year solvency gap was reduced from 3.61 to 3.50 percent of payroll as a result of stronger-than-expected economic performance and fewer expected disability applicants, partially offset by lower expected birth rates in future years.
• Time is running out to save Social Security. Policymakers have only a few years left to restore solvency to the program, and the longer they wait, the larger and more costly the necessary adjustments will be. Acting sooner allows more policy options to be considered, allows for more gradual phase in, and gives employees and employers time to plan.

With insolvency rapidly approaching, failing to address Social Security’s imbalances is an implicit endorsement of a 21 percent benefit cut imposed on all beneficiaries regardless of age, income, or need. Policymakers should implement pro-growth trust fund solutions sooner rather than later to ensure long-term solvency and give beneficiaries time to plan and adjust.

Social Security is Approaching Insolvency

Social Security’s retirement program is only nine years from insolvency, and action must be taken soon to prevent an across-the-board benefit cut for many current and future beneficiaries.

The Trustees project the Social Security Old-Age and Survivors’ Insurance (OASI) trust fund will deplete its reserves by 2033; the SSDI trust fund is in much stronger shape and will remain solvent over the next 75 years. On a theoretically combined basis – assuming revenue is reallocated between the trust funds – Social Security will become insolvent by 2035.

Upon insolvency of the OASI fund, all retirees – regardless of age, income, or need – will face a 21 percent across-the-board benefit cut, which will grow to 31 percent by the end of the 75-year projection window. We previously estimated that a typical couple retiring in the year of insolvency would face a $17,400 cut in their annual benefits. On a combined basis, insolvency would lead to a 17 percent initial cut, growing to 27 percent by the end of the window.

The year 2033 is only nine years away. That means the OASI trust fund is on course to run out of reserves when today’s 58-year-olds reach the normal retirement age and when today’s youngest retirees turn 71. Meanwhile, the Medicare Hospital Insurance (HI) trust fund will exhaust its reserves in 2036, when today’s 53-year-olds become eligible.

The Trustees’ findings are similar to recent estimates from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), which estimated the OASI trust fund would be exhausted by Fiscal Year (FY) 2033, the HI trust fund by FY 2035, and the theoretically combined Social Security trust funds by FY 2034.

Social Security Faces a Large and Growing Shortfall

The Trustees project that Social Security will run chronic deficits. They estimate the combined program will run a cash-flow deficit of $169 billion this year – which is 1.7 percent of taxable payroll or 0.6 percent of GDP. Social Security will run $3.0 trillion of deficits over the next decade.

Over the long term, the Trustees project Social Security’s cash shortfall (assuming full benefits are paid) will grow to 2.6 percent of taxable payroll (0.9 percent of GDP) by 2035, to 3.4 percent of payroll (1.2 percent of GDP) by 2050, and to a high of 5.1 percent of payroll (1.7 percent of GDP) by 2079. Costs will then decline to 4.6 percent of payroll (1.6 percent of GDP) by 2098.

Social Security’s growing long-term shortfall is the result of rising costs, mostly due to the aging of the population. Total Social Security costs have already risen from 11.0 percent of taxable payroll in 2003 to 14.5 percent of payroll in 2023 and are projected to rise further to 16.8 percent by 2050 and 18.1 percent of payroll by 2098. Revenue will fail to keep up with growing costs, rising only modestly from 13.0 percent of payroll today to 13.5 percent by 2098.

On a 75-years basis, the Social Security trust funds face an actuarial shortfall of 3.5 percent of taxable payroll, which is 1.2 percent of GDP or $23.8 trillion in present-value terms. A plan to restore sustainable solvency over the next 75 years would require the equivalent of increasing payroll taxes immediately by 27 percent or reducing spending by 21 percent for all current and future beneficiaries, or some combination. Actual reforms could be better targeted, rather than across the board, and phased in gradually.

Social Security’s Finances Have Improved Modestly But Time Has Run Short

Social Security’s long-term outlook has improved relative to last year’s projection, mainly on the disability side, but its financial challenges remain large. The 2023 Social Security Trustees’ Report estimated a 75-year actuarial imbalance of 3.61 percent of taxable payroll, which has declined to 3.50 percent in this year’s report. The insolvency date for the theoretically combined trust funds has been pushed back one year from 2034 to 2035 but is still only 11 years away. 

The most significant improvements from last year’s report are driven by changes in economic and disability assumptions. On the economic side, stronger near-term output, updated educational attainment, and greater covered employment led to a 0.13 percent of payroll improvement. Meanwhile, a significant reduction in expected disability applications – driven by recent experience – led to an additional 0.12 percent of payroll improvement.

Methodological and programmatic data changes improved the 75-year outlook by 0.08 percentage points of payroll mostly due to updates to the sample of newly eligible retired worker and disabled-worker beneficiaries used to project average benefit levels as well as updated post-entitlement benefit adjustment factors.

Partially offsetting these improvements, new demographic assumptions increased Social Security’s 75-year shortfall by 0.16 percentage points of payroll. Most significantly, the Trustees now expect lower fertility – at 1.9 children per woman instead of 2.0 percent. They also incorporated lower-than-projected actual fertility in 2023, higher mortality rates, and other updates to population, immigration, and marriage assumptions.

Legislative and regulatory changes had a negligible effect on Social Security’s 75-year shortfall. Since the 2023 report, there have been ongoing judicial developments related to immigration policy, including a ruling on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program that deferred full implementation of the program. While the 2023 report assumed the DACA program would be fully implemented by mid-2023, the Trustees now assume the program will not be fully implemented until mid-2024.

The remaining changes to the outlook come from the new projection window. Including the year 2098 in the Trustees’ 75-year solvency projections worsened Social Security’s 75-year actuarial imbalance by 0.06 percentage points of payroll.

Although the 75-year imbalance shrunk this year, it has generally been growing over the past 15 years. This year’s 3.50 percent of payroll imbalance is more than 80 percent larger than the 1.92 percent of payroll imbalance estimated in 2010.

Importantly, while Social Security’s finances have generally worsened overall, Social Security Disability Insurance’s finances have continued to improve. As recently as 2015, the SSDI program faced a 0.31 percent of payroll (17 percent of revenue) shortfall and was only one year from insolvency. A temporary reallocation of payroll taxes from the old-age program reduced that shortfall to 0.26 percent of payroll the next year.

Since that time, a combination of administrative reforms, strong labor markets, and other factors has eliminated that shortfall, turning it into a 0.14 percent of payroll surplus. Despite this improvement, policymakers should continue to support improvements to the disability program, which can improve fairness and administration of benefits while supporting individuals with disabilities who want to remain in or return to the workforce. Such reforms can also help grow the economy and improve the Social Security program’s combined finances.

Delaying Fixes to Social Security is Costly

The Trustees recommend that “lawmakers address the projected trust fund shortfalls in a timely way in order to phase in necessary changes gradually and give workers and beneficiaries time to adjust to them.” Quick action would also give policymakers choices in making targeted adjustments, enhancing benefits for vulnerable populations, and achieving pro-growth reforms.

According to the Trustees, lawmakers could restore 75-year solvency with the equivalent of a 27 percent (3.3 percentage point) payroll tax increase, a 21 percent reduction in all benefits, or a 25 percent reduction in benefits for new beneficiaries if they act today.

Delaying action until 2035 would increase the size of necessary adjustments by about one-fifth. In that year, taxes would need to be raised by 32 percent (4.0 percentage points) or benefits cut for all beneficiaries by 25 percent. It would be impossible to restore solvency from new beneficiaries alone – even eliminating all benefits would be insufficient.

Thoughtful trust fund solutions would not only prevent deep across-the-board benefit cuts, but could also support economic growth , reduce inflationary pressures, and improve the nation’s fiscal outlook . We have published ten options to improve Social Security solvency   – including a number of benefit and revenue changes. Other proposals can be designed with our Social Security Reformer tool . The closer we get to insolvency, the fewer of these options remain available.

The Social Security Trustees continue to warn that the Social Security retirement program is significantly out of balance and just nine years from insolvency. Absent reforms, Social Security will be unable to pay full benefits to many current beneficiaries, let alone today’s workers and future generations.  Taking no action to fix Social Security will be an implicit endorsement of a 21 percent across-the-board cut to all beneficiaries, regardless of age or need.

As policymakers delay necessary action, the program’s finances continue to deteriorate. The longer policymakers wait, the larger and more abrupt any adjustments will need to be. All options should be on the table including changes to revenue, spending and the retirement age.

Fortunately, many well-known options to fix Social Security’s finances exist and could be enacted and implemented with political will and bipartisanship. A number of comprehensive plans already exist to restore solvency, and our Social Security Reformer Tool allows anyone to design their own. Policymakers should also consider pursuing new, innovative solutions to promote economic growth and improve retirement security in concert with addressing the program’s finances.

Policymakers cannot wait much longer to enact thoughtful Social Security reforms.

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