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Thesis Statements about Social Media: 21 Examples and Tips

• by Judy Jeni
• January 27, 2024

A thesis statement is a sentence in the introduction paragraph of an essay that captures the purpose of the essay. Using thesis statements about social media as an example, I will guide you on how to write them well.

It can appear anywhere in the first paragraph of the essay but it is mostly preferred when it ends the introduction paragraph. learning how to write a thesis statement for your essay will keep you focused.

A thesis statement can be more than one sentence only when the essay is on complex topics and there is a need to break the statement into two. This means, a good thesis statement structures an essay and tells the reader what an essay is all about.

A good social media thesis statement should be about a specific aspect of social media and not just a broad view of the topic.

The statement should be on the last sentence of the first paragraph and should tell the reader about your stand on the social media issue you are presenting or arguing in the essay.

Reading an essay without a thesis statement is like solving a puzzle. Readers will have to read the conclusion to at least grasp what the essay is all about. It is therefore advisable to craft a thesis immediately after researching an essay.

Throughout your entire writing, every point in every paragraph should connect to the thesis.  In case it doesn’t then probably you have diverged from the main issue of the essay.

How to Write a Thesis Statement?

Writing a thesis statement is important when writing an essay on any topic, not just about social media. It is the key to holding your ideas and arguments together into just one sentence.

The following are tips on how to write a good thesis statement:

Start With a Question and Develop an Answer

If the question is not provided, come up with your own. Start by deciding the topic and what you would like to find out about it.

Secondly, after doing some initial research on the topic find the answers to the topic that will help and guide the process of researching and writing.

Consequently, if you write a thesis statement that does not provide information about your research topic, you need to construct it again.

Be Specific

The main idea of your essay should be specific. Therefore, the thesis statement of your essay should not be vague. When your thesis statement is too general, the essay will try to incorporate a lot of ideas that can contribute to the loss of focus on the main ideas.

Similarly, specific and narrow thesis statements help concentrate your focus on evidence that supports your essay. In like manner, a specific thesis statement tells the reader directly what to expect in the essay.

Make the Argument Clear

Usually, essays with less than one thousand words require the statement to be clearer. Remember, the length of a thesis statement should be a single sentence, which calls for clarity.

In these short essays, you do not have the freedom to write long paragraphs that provide more information on the topic of the essay.

Likewise, multiple arguments are not accommodated. This is why the thesis statement needs to be clear to inform the reader of what your essay is all about.

If you proofread your essay and notice that the thesis statement is contrary to the points you have focused on, then revise it and make sure that it incorporates the main idea of the essay. Alternatively, when the thesis statement is okay, you will have to rewrite the body of your essay.

Question your Assumptions

Before formulating a thesis statement, ask yourself the basis of the arguments presented in the thesis statement.

Assumptions are what your reader assumes to be true before accepting an argument. Before you start, it is important to be aware of the target audience of your essay.

Thinking about the ways your argument may not hold up to the people who do not subscribe to your viewpoint is crucial.

Alongside, revise the arguments that may not hold up with the people who do not subscribe to your viewpoint.

Take a Strong Stand

A thesis statement should put forward a unique perspective on what your essay is about. Avoid using observations as thesis statements.

In addition, true common facts should be avoided. Make sure that the stance you take can be supported with credible facts and valid reasons.

Equally, don’t provide a summary, make a valid argument. If the first response of the reader is “how” and “why” the thesis statement is too open-ended and not strong enough.

Make Your Thesis Statement Seen

The thesis statement should be what the reader reads at the end of the first paragraph before proceeding to the body of the essay. understanding how to write a thesis statement, leaves your objective summarized.

Positioning may sometimes vary depending on the length of the introduction that the essay requires. However, do not overthink the thesis statement. In addition, do not write it with a lot of clever twists.

Do not exaggerate the stage setting of your argument. Clever and exaggerated thesis statements are weak. Consequently, they are not clear and concise.

Good thesis statements should concentrate on one main idea. Mixing up ideas in a thesis statement makes it vague. Read on how to write an essay thesis as part of the steps to write good essays.

A reader may easily get confused about what the essay is all about if it focuses on a lot of ideas. When your ideas are related, the relation should come out more clearly.

21 Examples of Thesis Statements about Social Media

• Recently, social media is growing rapidly. Ironically, its use in remote areas has remained relatively low.
• Social media has revolutionized communication but it is evenly killing it by limiting face-to-face communication.
• Identically, social media has helped make work easier. However,at the same time it is promoting laziness and irresponsibility in society today.
• The widespread use of social media and its influence has increased desperation, anxiety, and pressure among young youths.
• Social media has made learning easier but its addiction can lead to bad grades among university students.
• As a matter of fact, social media is contributing to the downfall of mainstream media. Many advertisements and news are accessed on social media platforms today.
• Social media is a major promoter of immorality in society today with many platforms allowing sharing of inappropriate content.
• Significantly, social media promotes copycat syndrome that positively and negatively impacts the behavior adapted by different users.
• In this affluent era, social media has made life easy but consequently affects productivity and physical strength.
• The growth of social media and its ability to reach more people increases growth in today’s business world.
• The freedom on social media platforms is working against society with the recent increase in hate speech and racism.
• Lack of proper verification when signing up on social media platforms has increased the number of minors using social media exposing them to cyberbullying and inappropriate content.
• The freedom of posting anything on social media has landed many in trouble making the need to be cautious before posting anything important.
• The widespread use of social media has contributed to the rise of insecurity in urban centers
• Magazines and journals have spearheaded the appreciation of all body types but social media has increased the rate of body shaming in America.
• To stop abuse on Facebook and Twitter the owners of these social media platforms must track any abusive post and upload and ban the users from accessing the apps.
• Social media benefits marketing by creating brand recognition, increasing sales, and measuring success with analytics by tracking data.
• Social media connects people around the globe and fosters new relationships and the sharing of ideas that did not exist before its inception.
• The increased use of social media has led to the creation of business opportunities for people through social networking, particularly as social media influencers.
• Learning is convenient through social media as students can connect with education systems and learning groups that make learning convenient.
• With most people spending most of their free time glued to social media, quality time with family reduces leading to distance relationships and reduced love and closeness.

Social Media: Beneficial or Harmful? Essay

It is important to note that social media is a core element of the internet, and it reshaped how a modern human perceives information, communicates, socializes, and learns about the outside world. It became a primary lens through which one interacts with others, and thus, it is critical to properly evaluate whether or not such a state of affairs is beneficial or harmful to human wellbeing. The given assessment argues that social media, not the internet, is harmful to society and humanity in general because it reshapes the social fabric, causes loss of reason, logic, attentiveness, and memory, violates individual rights of all people as well as proliferates misinformation, which means that social media’s harms heavily outweigh its benefits.

Firstly, in order to fairly and properly assess the benefits or harms of social media, the latter should be distinguished from the internet. For example, it is stated that “the notion that the Internet is bad for you seems premised on the idea that the Internet is one thing—a monolith” (Goldsmith 597). In other words, the internet is not one thing but rather a collection of vastly different forms of communication, presentation, information exchange, entertainment, interactions, and other functions. Therefore, the internet is a source of many positive aspects of modernity because it not only brings more informational democracy but also prevents restriction and control of the free exchange of knowledge. However, the question is not about the internet as a whole but rather social media. Unlike the internet, which brings a number of benefits, which far outweigh the harms, social media does not bring a similar imbalance in favor of good. Social media was designed to simplify socialization and communication online, but the outcome is unchecked control of the flow of conversation in favor of a specific agenda, profit, and violation of individual rights.

Secondly, not all internet elements utilize artificial intelligence as extensively as social media platforms. The use of AI allows such companies to fine-tune one typology of information consumed, which means that it is social media that makes decisions for its users. While the internet is a library of knowledge, where a person makes a clear choice on what to read, watch, listen to, or interact with, social media uses AI and complex algorithms to influence its user. The underlying business model of all social media platforms is to learn about its user as much as possible and profit from them in a targeted manner. Such a design is not an inherent feature of the internet, which is not constrained to be profitable in this manner since many websites operate through subscriptions, direct sales, or other means. When it comes to such dangers, AI itself can also be a problem. It is stated that “there are indeed concerns about the near-term future of AI —algorithmic traders crashing the economy, or sensitive power grids overreacting to fluctuations and shutting down electricity for large swaths of the population” (Littman 314). In other words, social media’s extensive use of AI in combination with its problematic business model creates a host of issues that are not attributable to the internet.

Thirdly, in addition to social media-specific problems, they are also linked to harms associated with both devices and the internet in general. As stated before, the internet has its harms and benefits, but the latter usually outweighs the former. Similarly, devices come with harms as well as benefits, where the balance is tilted towards the positive aspects. However, not only social media has its inherent design flaws, but it also has problems with devices and the internet in general, which makes their harms far more abundant than benefits. For example, it is stated that “while our phones offer convenience and diversion, they also breed anxiety” (Carr 582). In addition, “as the brain grows dependent on the technology, the research suggests, the intellect weakens,” and “the division of attention impedes reasoning and performance” (Carr 583). Therefore, these device-related problems are multiplied a hundredfold by the fact that social media amplifies distraction and attention division through notifications. Social media is not a highly intellect-strengthening medium either, which further complicates the dependence factor.

Fourthly, social media companies are not properly regulated, and the nature of the business heavily favors oligopoly rather than a proper competitive environment because people want to have a unified platform for communication and audience-building. Therefore, the industry generates highly powerful companies with unchecked capabilities, where the national and even international discourse takes place exclusively on such mediums. For example, one cannot deny the influence of Twitter or Facebook as drivers of political or social discourse. Therefore, there is a conflict of interest among such big tech companies in regards to providing an open and fair platform versus making a profit, and the decision is clearly made in favor of the latter. The very structure of the business model of social media is to influence users to buy the advertisers’ products or services, and thus, it cannot be a just and fair place for discussion on important subjects by definition. Such a state of affairs threatens the fabric of society whether or not these companies intend to do so.

Fifthly, the conflict of interest described in the previous section brings its biggest harm when it comes to the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, where private enterprises are not obliged to protect the freedom of speech and expression. Since the national and international discourse and communication are taking the place of social media, where the First Amendment is mandatory to have, these platforms are unable, unwilling, and not obliged to provide it. One can easily observe how such companies can become politically tilted towards one agenda over the other, where accounts of even the most influential individuals can be banned because they violated the terms of service of the company. In other words, a company’s rules override the Constitutional rules. It is important to note that only a better speech can be an answer to a bad speech and not a removal of that voice.

Sixthly, social media platforms are heavily engaged in data collection and privacy violations, which was demonstrated by well-known scandals and criticisms. Once again, the business model of social media companies is structured in such a manner that their primary customers are not users but advertisers. A former group is a form of product or service being sold to advertisers, which means that social media advances surveillance capitalism at its core. In a century where the right to privacy is constantly becoming a problem due to governmental antiterrorism interests, social media further threatens these fundamental rights. The problem is even more dangerous when one considers the ever-increasing cyber threat proliferation, which means a breach of security in a social media company endangers all of its users.

Seventhly, social media does not have a well-structured method of combatting misinformation since its primary incentive is to promote engagement and grab attention. Social media companies are conflicted between ensuring the accuracy of the information on their platform and boosting the interactivity with their users. Such companies want to have interesting pieces of information, which are better provided by misinformation since the truth is always more complex and intricate. Therefore, one can see how social media can become a breeding ground for people with agenda of public deception. In addition, these platforms would not have the capability to ensure the accuracy of information even if they were incentivized somehow. Public panic and political polarization are other phenomena that accompany social networks, and the catalyst for these occurrences is information received both directly by the subject and disseminated using modern social communication technologies.

In conclusion, social media is not the internet, and its harms are far more extensive than the latter because it affects memory, attention, and reason and violates individual rights for privacy, free expression, and fairness in discourse, as well as proliferates misinformation. In addition, social media inherits inherent problems associated with modern devices and the internet in general, which further compounds its harm. Therefore, the effects of social media hurt the social fabric by pretending that it serves its users while its actual customers are advertisers. It also pretends to provide an open and free platform for communication while its very business model implies targeted influence on the user’s preferences. The use of AI also adds to all of the concerns related to artificial intelligence safety.

Works Cited

Carr, Nicholas. “How Smartphones Hijack Our Minds.” They Say/I Say , edited by Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein, W.W. Norton & Norton Company, 2021, pp. 582-596.

Goldsmith, Kenneth. “Go Ahead: Waste Time on the Internet.” They Say/I Say , edited by Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein, W.W. Norton & Norton Company, 2021, pp. 597-602.

Littman, Michael. “Rise of the Machines” Is Not a Likely Future.” They Say/I Say , edited by Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein, W.W. Norton & Norton Company, 2021, pp. 311-314.

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Crafting A Thesis Statement About Social Media: Tips And Tricks

With the rise of online platforms and thesis statement social media in our lives, students and teachers alike are increasingly asking questions about whether or not this technology is beneficial to academic performance. While it can be argued that there are both pros and cons to using social media. Many studies now show how integrating different forms of social media into classroom-based teaching can have tremendous positive benefits such as promoting greater collaboration between peers.

Asynchronous learning opportunities for a wider variety of topics, increased engagement among students to participate in activities related to areas of study, improved access to resources outside the textbook, as well as an overall boost in communication with all stakeholders involved within any given educational setting. In this blog post, we will explore these topics and provide a thesis statement about the impacts that social media has today on modern education.

How To Write a Thesis Statement About Social Media?

1. understand the topic:.

Before attempting to write a thesis statement on social media, it is important to understand the topic. In this case, you need to familiarize yourself with what social media is and what aspects are associated with it. Researching different sources such as news articles, blogs, and academic papers can help provide insight into the topic.

2. Brainstorm Potential Ideas:

After gaining an understanding of the topic, you should brainstorm potential ideas for your thesis statement. Think about what information you found during your research and develop a few statements that capture the essence of it. It is also useful to consider any questions or opinions you have on the subject matter.

3. Refine the Ideas:

Once you have a few potential ideas for your thesis statement, it is time to narrow them down. Evaluate each idea and determine which one best encapsulates the points you want to make about social media. Re-write this statement in its strongest form and consider how it can be further refined.

4. Finalize Your Thesis Statement:

After you have thoroughly examined each idea, you can finalize your thesis statement. Make sure it accurately reflects the points you want to make about social media and that it is written in a clear and concise manner. Once this is done, your thesis statement on social media will be complete.

5. Support Your Thesis Statement:

To make your thesis statement even stronger, it is important to provide evidence and support for your claims. This may involve conducting additional research or gathering statistics that back up what you are saying. Doing this will create a well-rounded argument and help communicate the message of the thesis statement more effectively.

6. Revise and Edit:

The final step in writing your thesis statement is to revise and edit it. Read through the statement several times, paying attention to spelling, grammar, and syntax. You can also ask someone else to read over it as well to ensure that it is clear and accurate. Once everything has been checked, your thesis statement on social media is ready to be presented.

What Is a Social Media Thesis Statement?

A Social Media Thesis Statement is a statement that expresses the key idea of an argument about the influence of social media platforms on modern society. It could be argued that social media has had both positive and negative impacts on people, from creating new opportunities for communication and connection to contributing to issues like cyberbullying, addiction, and data security.

The overall effect of social media on our lives is still unclear and needs further exploration. This thesis statement serves as a starting point for further research into the role of social media in today’s society. Through exploring the effects of social media on individuals, communities, and even global society, we can gain insight into how these platforms are shaping the world we live in.

What Are Social Networks On The Internet?

Social networks on the Internet are online platforms that allow individuals to connect and interact with one another in a virtual space. These networks often involve user profiles, friends lists, and other features that allow users to post content such as photos, text, and videos. Many social networks allow users to comment on others’ posts, join groups, and join conversations.

The use of social networks has become a popular part of everyday life, providing users with a convenient way to stay connected and share information. From personal connections to professional opportunities, these networks offer various benefits that can be utilized by both individuals and businesses.

Do We Know Where Social Networks Originate?

Social networks have become an increasingly popular way of connecting with people all over the world, allowing us to communicate with friends, family, and acquaintances. However, it can be difficult to determine the exact origin of these networks.

The first concept resembling a social network was Six Degrees, which was created by Andrew Weinreich in 1996. This website allowed users to create a profile and connect with other users, as well as find people from around the world. It was successful for a while but eventually failed due to legal issues and a lack of funding.

In 1997, Classmates.com was launched, allowing users to search for former classmates and make connections with them. This was the beginning of social networks becoming an integral part of our lives. Soon after, other popular networks emerged such as Friendster in 2002, LinkedIn in 2003, and MySpace in 2004. 

Advantages and Disadvantages of Social Networks On The Internet

Advantages of social networks on the internet.

1. Social networks on the internet provide unprecedented levels of connectivity, allowing users to easily interact with each other regardless of geographical location.

2. Social networks can be used to build communities and create conversations around particular topics or ideas.

3. Many social networks have also opened up their platforms to entrepreneurs, allowing small businesses to have the opportunity to market their products and services more effectively.

4. While social networks do offer many benefits, it is important that users remain cautious when using them.

5. Social networks can provide many opportunities for people to make connections, learn about new topics, and gain insight into different perspectives.

Disadvantages of Social Networks On The Internet

1. Excessive personal information sharing can lead to identity theft and fraud.

2. Unregulated content can be misleading or inappropriate for younger viewers.

3. Connecting with strangers online can put users at risk for cyberbullying, scams, and other malicious acts.

4. Increased distractions from social media use can negatively impact school performance and work productivity.

5. Addiction to social networking sites is common among users, leading to a lack of balance between online/offline relationships and activities.

How To Write A Good Social Media Essay?

1. Choose a topic that interests you and your audience

2. Do extensive research to understand the subject better

3. Brainstorm ideas

4. Outline the essay structure

5. Write an attention-grabbing introduction

6. Create well-structured paragraphs with clear arguments supported by evidence

7. Incorporate visuals (e.g., images, videos, gifs) where appropriate to keep readers engaged

8. Make sure your content is relevant and up-to-date according to social media trends

9. End with a strong conclusion summarizing the main points

10. Proofread for grammar and formatting errors before posting.

Social Media Essay Outline

1. introduction:.

The introduction should provide a brief overview of the topic, explaining what social media is and why it is important in our lives today. It should also introduce the main points to be discussed in the essay and provide an overview of relevant research that has been done. The Introduction should conclude with a clearly defined thesis statement.

2. Thesis Statement:

The purpose of this essay is to explore the effects that social media has had on our lives, both positive and negative, and to provide insight into how we can use it in constructive ways.

The body of the essay should begin by looking at the positives of social media, such as its ability to connect people across the globe and how it can be used to share ideas. It should discuss how social media has created new opportunities for businesses and organizations to reach a wider audience and how it can be used to raise awareness about important issues.

4. Conclusion:

In conclusion, although there are both positives and negatives associated with social media, it is clear that used in the right way it can be an incredibly useful and powerful tool for communication. With a few simple steps, such as using proper caution when consuming information and taking breaks from constant use, anyone can enjoy the benefits of this technology without many of its potential drawbacks.

21 Examples of Thesis Statements About Social Media

1. For individuals, social media can be both a blessing and a curse; it provides a platform for increased connectivity, but can also create or exacerbate feelings of loneliness and depression.

2. Social media has been associated with the rise of “echo chambers” that limit the diversity of perspectives people encounter.

3. Social media can also have a serious impact on mental health, as users are exposed to a barrage of both positive and negative information all at once.

4. It is important for individuals to be conscious of their own use of social media, as well as that of others in order to minimize any potential risks associated with it.

5. Setting limits on time spent online, engaging in meaningful conversations, and taking a break from social media can help to reduce any potential negative effects of its use.

6. It is also important to remember that the content posted on social media does not always reflect the reality of people’s lives.

7. It is crucial to remain mindful of what we see on social media and understand its potential impact on our own mental health.

8. We can ensure a safe and healthy online environment for ourselves and those around us.

9. Social media can be an amazing tool to maintain relationships and foster meaningful dialogue, but it is important to keep in mind the potential pitfalls associated with its use.

10. We can make sure that our experiences on social media are both positive and productive.

11. By understanding the potential risks and actively managing our own use of social media, we can ensure that it remains a force for good in our lives.

12. Through increased self-awareness and mindfulness, we can make sure to get the most out of our interactions on social media while avoiding any potential negative effects.

13. It is important to remember that social media should use in moderation and with care so that it can continue to have a positive impact on the lives of its users.

14. By remaining aware of our own use and encouraging others to do the same, we can ensure that social media remains a safe and healthy space for all.

15. It is important to remember the potential benefits and pitfalls of social media and make sure to use it responsibly.

16. We can ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone who uses it

17. Social media can also be a powerful tool for spreading awareness and promoting positive change in the world.

18. Social media can use to advocate for causes that matter and amplify the voices of those who are often unheard.

19. Through thoughtful engagement and meaningful conversations, we can use social media as a platform to create positive change in the world.

20. When used responsibly, social media can be an invaluable tool to help us build better communities and create a more just and equitable world.

21. By understanding the potential impacts of using social media and taking steps to ensure responsible use, we can make sure that it remains a force for good in our lives.

Related Article: Term Paper: Structure And Tips For Writing A Successful Paper

Conclusion:

As we can see from this study, students who use social media in an educational setting perform better than those who don’t. This is likely because social media provides a more engaging and interactive learning environment. While there are many potential benefits to incorporating social media into instruction, such as promoting collaboration and interaction among students.

There are also some challenges that need to take into account, such as managing student screen time and ensuring online safety. If you’re a teacher, consider incorporating social media into your lesson plans. And if you’re a student, be sure to take advantage of the resources that social media has to offer.

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How to Write a Thesis Statement About Social Media

Writing a thesis statement requires good research and creating a concise yet very informative point. Writing one about social media is no different. Due to the scope of the study, the information to gather and discuss is even more expansive.

• What is a Social Media Thesis Statement?

Social Media Essay Outline

Social media essay titles, thesis on social media, argumentative essay on social media, social networking thesis statement, summing up the thesis statement.

Social media uses mobile technologies that are Internet-based to run communication across different parts of the world. It gives  people  worldwide the opportunity to communicate and socialize, unlike past means of communication which were only one-way.

The evolution of technology has made social media more efficient and prevalent than any other form of communication today. With technology’s continued evolution, social media will continue to evolve, and so will topics and thesis statements about it. A good  thesis statement about social media  must meet some requirements, and we will look through most of them.

What is a Social Media Thesis Statement Supposed to Look Like?

Before understanding how a  thesis statement on social media  should look like, we should familiarize ourselves with what thesis statements properly entail. A thesis statement is typically written in the introductory portion of a paper.

It provides an apt and rapid summary of the main point or aim of the research paper or thesis. As the name implies, it is a statement, mainly written in just one sentence.

A thesis statement briefly combines the topic and the main ideas of the paper. Usually, there are two types of thesis statements: indirect and direct. The indirect thesis statements do not mention the core areas or reason of the thesis like the direct statement does.

A direct statement mentions the main topic and discusses the reasons for the paper, while an indirect statement mentions the statement and points out three reasons for it.

For instance, an indirect  social media thesis  statement could go like this; “Effects of social media on youth and the reasons for its abuse.” Here the topic is clearly stated, along with the central claim of the thesis paper.

Thesis statements are created, backed up, and expatiated in the remaining parts of the paper by citing examples and bringing up other related topics that support their claim. Through this, the thesis statement then goes to help structure and develop the entire body of the writing piece.

A  thesis about social media  should contain a good thesis statement that would  impact  and organize the body of the thesis work. Thesis statements do not necessarily control the entire essay but complement it in numerous aspects.

In writing a social media essay, there is a wide variety of topics to talk about. The points are nearly endless, from information collection to technology, its impacts, and adverse effects to its evolution. Nevertheless, there is always a basic outline for an essay, and it will be structured to follow the same format.

Here is an outline for a social media essay;

• Introduction 

Here, you begin with the topic, state its objective, provide reasons to support its claims and finalize with a precise and accurate thesis statement.

• Thesis statement

This statement should support and complement your main topic of discussion. It should provide a concise and cut-out message of the essay.

This section systematically lays out the arguments to support your topic while splitting them into paragraphs. This will gradually develop your points in a structured manner.

Each paragraph in this section must start with the topic sentence which relates directly to the thesis statement. Naturally, a paragraph should focus on one idea and be connected to the essay’s central argument.

Students must also conduct research and provide evidence to support the claims presented in the topic sentence. They can achieve this by using proper explanation methods to merge all their findings carefully.

In the conclusion  of the social media essay ,   you restate your statement in a way that completely complements and brings all your previous arguments together. It must have a concluding paragraph that reiterates the main point discussed in the body of the content. It should also add a call to action to bring the essay into a logical closure that effortlessly lays bare all the ideas previously presented.

The social media field is continuously expanding, and there are various variations to how it can be operated and observed. Choosing a topic is easy, but choosing the right one may not be as unchallenging.

Before you begin writing an essay, the correct approach will be to review as many samples as you can. This way, you can easily understand the general concept and the adequate writing flow required to outline or develop your arguments carefully.

Picking the wrong titles can go on to make your  thesis for a social media essay  unnecessarily tricky to write. This can occur when you pick a topic too complex or choose one too vaguely and undervalued. This could make you get stuck when writing, so you should always pick titles that are easy to research, analyze and expand upon.

With all these in view, here are some social media essay titles;

• Impact of social media on general education
• Effects of using social media on businesses
• Adverse effects of social media on personal relationships
• The effect of government on social media and their potential restrictions
• How a  thesis about the effects of social media can  positively impact society.

A thesis on social media should easily resemble other academic papers and concentrate on various topics in various subjects. Papers like this should take social media as their primary focus.

Keeping that in mind, a compelling social media thesis should contain specific parts like an introduction, thesis statement, body, and conclusion. Each part is essential and has its contribution and functions to the entire content of the thesis. Some students may find writing a thesis statement about social media difficult, so you can always ask our professional writers to “ write my thesis ” and we will be happy to help you.

The introduction usually contains a hook, a summary of the core points, and a concise thesis statement. The body section must carefully develop each argument and idea in a paragraph, while the conclusion should completely close all the arguments.

The tone, style, and approach to each argument should be precise and well laid out to quickly understand the general idea the thesis is trying to build upon. Depending on the level of education you are writing your thesis, you may need to conduct specific direct research on some points and be required to portray them in an encompassing manner.

Generally, thesis writing on any topic requires hard work, extensive research periods, and a good understanding of writing methods. Hence it should be approached with determination and passion. As a student in higher education, you should learn how to improve your writing skills.

An argumentative essay on social media is typically more engaging with active points of discussion and analysis. Communication is an integral aspect of human life when connecting and moving society as a whole forward. Now technology has upgraded communication to a social media age, which has become an advantage and disadvantage in many aspects of life.

An argumentative social media essay generally possesses a strong argument. The essay’s topic must be designed to prompt a person to pick a side or a discussion and provide the necessary support to back up their decision. This type of essay also requires one to research accurate facts for proper argumentative purposes.

Social media   argumentative essays  target the harmful effects of this brilliant innovation in communication and its uses worldwide. It is only natural as negative discussions might elicit a sense of debate and argumentation. Some examples of argumentative essay topics on social media include;

• The negative effects of social media on education in different nations
• Effects of social media and its impacts on the older and younger generation
• How social media has taken over people
• The adverse effects of social media and the digital space on our  mental health
• The pros and cons of social media in this society.

Social networking is an integral aspect of social media. It uses Internet-based social media sites to create connections and stay connected with friends, customers, family, and even business partners.

Social networking usually performs a primary purpose in communication with actual avenues like Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. These sites and applications enable people to connect to develop relationships and share messages, ideas, and information.

Most social networking forms entail developing and maintaining relationships using communication technology, whether it is the relationship between clients, business partners, or even students.

For example, with the development of the Internet, most students can easily find services to help write dissertations on media space, or social media marketing. All you have to do is invite me to write my dissertation and they will immediately find the best service to solve their problem.

Writing is  a social networking thesis statement  similar to that of a social media thesis statement. They essentially involve rational discussion, and they can be approached in the same manner. The only slight difference will be the particular attention to social media relationships. How they are developed, what it takes to maintain them, and the various merits they could provide. These would typically form the structure of a  social networking thesis statement.

Writing a good thesis statement on social media involves a good understanding of the topic chosen and an accurate idea of the reasons, factors, and discussions that impact the main idea of the thesis. With all these discussed, you should be well on your way to writing good thesis statements on social media.

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Social Media & Society is a captivating and relevant research area, encompassing various aspects from interpersonal relations to global communication dynamics. A well-defined thesis statement is pivotal for delineating your research parameters and objectives in this expansive field. Below, you’ll find insightful examples of both good and bad thesis statements on Social Media & Society, accompanied by comprehensive explanations.

Good Thesis Statement Examples

Good: “This thesis evaluates the correlation between prolonged social media usage and increased levels of anxiety and depression among teenagers in the United States.” Bad: “Social media affects teenagers’ mental health.”

The good statement presents a specific correlation, target demographic (teenagers in the U.S.), and identified outcomes (anxiety and depression levels). The bad example, while correct, is vague and lacks defined variables and demographic focus.

Good: “The proliferation of fake news on social media platforms has discernibly influenced political elections, swaying public opinion and voter behavior.” Bad: “Fake news on social media impacts elections.”

The good statement provides a clear, arguable claim regarding fake news, public opinion, and voter behavior on social media. Conversely, the bad example states a general fact without depth or a specific area of impact.

Good: “Implementing educational programs that promote critical digital literacy can mitigate the negative effects of cyberbullying among middle school students.” Bad: “Education can help reduce cyberbullying.”

The good example is researchable and offers specific solutions (critical digital literacy programs), target demographic (middle school students), and defined problem (cyberbullying). The bad statement lacks detail, specific solutions, and target groups.

Bad Thesis Statement Examples

Overly Broad: “Social media has changed the way people communicate.”

Although true, this statement is excessively general and does not specify which aspect of communication or which demographic is being explored.

Lack of Clear Argument: “Social media is popular among young people.”

While factual, this statement lacks a clear argument or specific research focus, rendering it ineffective as a research guide.

Unmeasurable and Unresearchable: “Life is unimaginable without social media today.”

Although many might agree, this statement is not easily measurable or researchable and does not provide clear directions for academic exploration.

Crafting a compelling thesis statement for research in social media and society is crucial for delineating your investigation and elucidating your academic endeavor’s aims and scope. A good thesis statement should be specific, debatable, and researchable, acting as a sturdy foundation for scholarly inquiry. In contrast, a bad thesis statement is often too general, lacks a clear argument, and is not conducive to empirical exploration. The examples and analyses provided in this guide furnish students with valuable insights for developing thesis statements that are academically rigorous and insightful for exploring the intricate relationship between social media and society.

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Social media use can be positive for mental health and well-being

January 6, 2020— Mesfin Awoke Bekalu , research scientist in the Lee Kum Sheung Center for Health and Happiness at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, discusses a new study he co-authored on associations between social media use and mental health and well-being.

What is healthy vs. potentially problematic social media use?

Our study has brought preliminary evidence to answer this question. Using a nationally representative sample, we assessed the association of two dimensions of social media use—how much it’s routinely used and how emotionally connected users are to the platforms—with three health-related outcomes: social well-being, positive mental health, and self-rated health.

We found that routine social media use—for example, using social media as part of everyday routine and responding to content that others share—is positively associated with all three health outcomes. Emotional connection to social media—for example, checking apps excessively out of fear of missing out, being disappointed about or feeling disconnected from friends when not logged into social media—is negatively associated with all three outcomes.

In more general terms, these findings suggest that as long as we are mindful users, routine use may not in itself be a problem. Indeed, it could be beneficial.

For those with unhealthy social media use, behavioral interventions may help. For example, programs that develop “effortful control” skills—the ability to self-regulate behavior—have been widely shown to be useful in dealing with problematic Internet and social media use.

We’re used to hearing that social media use is harmful to mental health and well-being, particularly for young people. Did it surprise you to find that it can have positive effects?

The findings go against what some might expect, which is intriguing. We know that having a strong social network is associated with positive mental health and well-being. Routine social media use may compensate for diminishing face-to-face social interactions in people’s busy lives. Social media may provide individuals with a platform that overcomes barriers of distance and time, allowing them to connect and reconnect with others and thereby expand and strengthen their in-person networks and interactions. Indeed, there is some empirical evidence supporting this.

On the other hand, a growing body of research has demonstrated that social media use is negatively associated with mental health and well-being, particularly among young people—for example, it may contribute to increased risk of depression and anxiety symptoms.

Our findings suggest that the ways that people are using social media may have more of an impact on their mental health and well-being than just the frequency and duration of their use.

What disparities did you find in the ways that social media use benefits and harms certain populations? What concerns does this raise?

My co-authors Rachel McCloud , Vish Viswanath , and I found that the benefits and harms associated with social media use varied across demographic, socioeconomic, and racial population sub-groups. Specifically, while the benefits were generally associated with younger age, better education, and being white, the harms were associated with older age, less education, and being a racial minority. Indeed, these findings are consistent with the body of work on communication inequalities and health disparities that our lab, the Viswanath lab , has documented over the past 15 or so years. We know that education, income, race, and ethnicity influence people’s access to, and ability to act on, health information from media, including the Internet. The concern is that social media may perpetuate those differences.

— Amy Roeder

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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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Home — Essay Samples — Sociology — Sociology of Media and Communication — Social Media

Argumentative Essays About Social Media

This is a comprehensive resource to help you find the perfect social media essay topic. Whether you're navigating the complexities of digital communication, exploring the impact of social media on society, or examining its effects on personal identity, the right topic can transform your essay into a captivating and insightful exploration. Remember, selecting a topic that resonates with your personal interests and academic goals not only makes the writing process more enjoyable but also enriches your learning experience. Let's dive into a world of creativity and critical thinking!

Essay Types and Topics

Below, you'll find a curated list of essay topics organized by type. Each section includes diverse topics that touch on technology, society, personal growth, and academic interests, along with introduction and conclusion paragraph examples to get you started.

Argumentative Essays

Introduction Example: "In the digital age, social media platforms have become central to our daily interactions and self-perception, particularly among teenagers. This essay explores the impact of social media on teen self-esteem, arguing that while it offers a space for expression and connection, it also presents significant challenges to self-image. "

Conclusion Example: "Having delved into the complex relationship between social media and teen self-esteem, it is clear that the digital landscape holds profound effects on individual self-perception. This essay reaffirms the thesis that social media can both uplift and undermine teen self-esteem, calling for a balanced approach to digital engagement."

Introduction Example: "As political landscapes evolve, social media has emerged as a powerful tool for political mobilization and engagement. This essay investigates the role of social media in shaping political movements, positing that it significantly enhances communication and organizational capabilities, yet raises questions about information authenticity. "

Conclusion Example: "Through examining the dual facets of social media in political mobilization, the essay concludes that while social media is a pivotal tool for engagement, it necessitates critical scrutiny of information to ensure a well-informed public discourse."

Compare and Contrast Essays

Introduction Example: "In the competitive realm of digital marketing, Instagram and Twitter stand out as leading platforms for brand promotion. This essay compares and contrasts their effectiveness, revealing that each platform caters to unique marketing strengths due to its specific user engagement and content dissemination strategies. "

Conclusion Example: "The comparative analysis of Instagram and Twitter highlights distinct advantages for brands, with Instagram excelling in visual storytelling and Twitter in real-time engagement, underscoring the importance of strategic platform selection in digital marketing."

Descriptive Essays

Introduction Example: "Today's social media landscape is a vibrant tapestry of platforms, each contributing to the digital era's social fabric. This essay describes the characteristics and cultural significance of current social media trends, illustrating that they reflect and shape our societal values and interactions. "

Conclusion Example: "In portraying the dynamic and diverse nature of today's social media landscape, this essay underscores its role in molding contemporary cultural and social paradigms, inviting readers to reflect on their digital footprints."

Persuasive Essays

Introduction Example: "In an era where digital presence is ubiquitous, fostering positive social media habits is essential for mental and emotional well-being. This essay advocates for mindful social media use, arguing that intentional engagement can enhance our life experiences rather than detract from them. "

Conclusion Example: "This essay has championed the cause for positive social media habits, reinforcing the thesis that through mindful engagement, individuals can navigate the digital world in a way that promotes personal growth and well-being."

Narrative Essays

Introduction Example: "Embarking on a personal journey with social media has been both enlightening and challenging. This narrative essay delves into my experiences, highlighting how social media has influenced my perception of self and community. "

Conclusion Example: "Reflecting on my social media journey, this essay concludes that while it has significantly shaped my interactions and self-view, it has also offered invaluable lessons on connectivity and self-awareness, affirming the nuanced role of digital platforms in our lives."

Engagement and Creativity

As you explore these topics, remember to approach your essay with an open mind and creative spirit. The purpose of academic writing is not just to inform but to engage and provoke thought. Use this opportunity to delve deep into your topic, analyze different perspectives, and articulate your own insights.

Educational Value

Each essay type offers unique learning outcomes. Argumentative essays enhance your analytical thinking and ability to construct well-founded arguments. Compare and contrast essays develop your skills in identifying similarities and differences. Descriptive essays improve your ability to paint vivid pictures through words, while persuasive essays refine your ability to influence and convince. Finally, narrative essays offer a platform for personal expression and storytelling. Embrace these opportunities to grow academically and personally.

Some Easy Argumentative Essay Topics on Social Media

• The Impact of Social Media: Advantages and Disadvantages
• Is Social Media Enhancing or Eroding Our Real-Life Social Skills?
• Should There Be Stricter Regulations on Social Media Content to Protect Youth?
• Social Media's Role in Relationships: Communication Enhancer or Barrier
• Does Social Media Contribute to Political Polarization?
• The Role of Social Media in Shaping Perceptions of Divorce
• The Impact of Social Media on Mental Health: Benefit or Harm?
• Can Social Media Be Considered a Reliable Source of News and Information?
• Is Social Media Responsible for the Rise in Cyberbullying?
• Impact of Social Media on Mental Health
• Does Social Media Promote Narcissism and Self-Centered Behaviors?
• The Role of Social Media in Business Marketing: Is It Indispensable?

The Ethical and Health Implications of Social Media

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Social Media is Harmful to Society

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Pros and Cons of Social Media: Social Networking

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Social Media Cons and Prons: Evaluating Its Advantages and Disadvantage

The importance of staying safe on social media, impact of social media on our lives, social media: negative effects and addiction, discussion on whether is social media beneficial or harmful for society, negative effects of social media: relationships and communication, social media pros and cons, social media - good and bad sides, a study of the role of social media concerning confidentiality of personal data, how social media causes stereotyping, social media addiction: consequences and strategies for recovery, the role of social media in making us more narcissistic, the effect social media is having on today's society and political atmosphere, digital/social media, censorship in social media, why teenagers are addicted to social media and how it affects them, advantages and disadvantages of social media for society, enormous impact of mass media on children, the role of social media in the current business world, social media is the reason for many of the world’s problems and solutions.

Social media refers to dynamic online platforms that enable individuals to actively engage in the generation and dissemination of various forms of content, including information, ideas, and personal interests. These interactive digital channels foster virtual communities and networks, allowing users to connect, communicate, and express themselves. By harnessing the power of technology, social media platforms provide a space for individuals to share and exchange content, fostering connections and facilitating the flow of information in an increasingly digital world.

In a peculiar manner, the inception of social media can be traced back to May 24, 1844, when a sequence of electronic dots and dashes was manually tapped on a telegraph machine. Although the origins of digital communication have deep historical roots, most contemporary narratives regarding the modern beginnings of the internet and social media often point to the emergence of the Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET) in 1969. The year 1987 witnessed the establishment of the direct precursor to today's internet, as the National Science Foundation introduced the more robust and expansive NSFNET, a nationwide digital network. A significant milestone occurred in 1997 when Six Degrees, the first genuine social media platform, was launched.

Mark Zuckerberg is a notable figure in the realm of social media as the co-founder and CEO of Facebook. Zuckerberg played a pivotal role in transforming Facebook from a small networking platform for college students into a global social media giant with billions of users. His innovative ideas and strategic decisions have reshaped the way people connect and share information online, making him one of the most influential individuals in the digital age. Jack Dorsey is recognized as one of the key pioneers of social media, notably for co-founding Twitter. Dorsey's creation revolutionized online communication by introducing the concept of microblogging, allowing users to share short messages in real-time. Twitter quickly gained popularity, becoming a powerful platform for news dissemination, public conversations, and social movements. Dorsey's entrepreneurial spirit and vision have contributed significantly to the evolution of social media and its impact on society. Sheryl Sandberg is a prominent figure in the social media landscape, known for her influential role as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Facebook.Sandberg played a crucial part in scaling and monetizing Facebook's operations, transforming it into a global advertising powerhouse. She is also recognized for her advocacy of women's empowerment and leadership in the tech industry, inspiring countless individuals and promoting diversity and inclusion within the social media sphere. Sandberg's contributions have left an indelible mark on the growth and development of social media platforms worldwide.

Social Networking Sites: Facebook, LinkedIn, and MySpace. Microblogging Platforms: Twitter. Media Sharing Networks: Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat. Discussion Forums and Community-Based Platforms: Reddit and Quora. Blogging Platforms: WordPress and Blogger. Social Bookmarking and Content Curation Platforms: Pinterest and Flipboard. Messaging Apps: WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and WeChat.

Facebook (2004), Reddit (2005), Twitter (2006), Instagram (2010), Pinterest (2010), Snapchat (2011), TikTok (2016)

1. Increased Connectivity 2. Information Sharing and Awareness 3. Networking and Professional Opportunities 4. Creativity and Self-Expression 5. Supportive Communities and Causes

1. Privacy Concerns 2. Cyberbullying and Online Harassment 3. Information Overload and Misinformation 4. Time and Productivity Drain 5. Comparison and Self-Esteem Issues

The topic of social media holds significant importance for students as it plays a prominent role in their lives, both academically and socially. Social media platforms provide students with opportunities to connect, collaborate, and share knowledge with peers, expanding their learning networks beyond the confines of the classroom. It facilitates communication and access to educational resources, allowing students to stay updated on academic trends and research. Additionally, social media enhances digital literacy and prepares students for the realities of the digital age. However, it is crucial for students to develop critical thinking skills to navigate the potential pitfalls of social media, such as misinformation and online safety, ensuring a responsible and balanced use of these platforms.

The topic of social media is worthy of being explored in an essay due to its profound impact on various aspects of society. Writing an essay on social media allows for an in-depth examination of its influence on communication, relationships, information sharing, and societal dynamics. It offers an opportunity to analyze the advantages and disadvantages, exploring topics such as privacy, online identities, social activism, and the role of social media in shaping cultural norms. Additionally, studying social media enables a critical evaluation of its effects on mental health, politics, and business. By delving into this subject, one can gain a comprehensive understanding of the complex and ever-evolving digital landscape we inhabit.

1. Social media users spend an average of 2 hours and 25 minutes per day on social networking platforms. This amounts to over 7 years of an individual's lifetime spent on social media, highlighting its significant presence in our daily lives. 2. Instagram has over 1 billion monthly active users, with more than 500 million of them using the platform on a daily basis. 3. YouTube has over 2 billion logged-in monthly active users. On average, users spend over 1 billion hours watching YouTube videos every day, emphasizing the platform's extensive reach and the power of video content. 4. Social media has become a major news source, with 48% of people getting their news from social media platforms. This shift in news consumption highlights the role of social media in shaping public opinion and disseminating information in real-time. 5. Influencer marketing has grown exponentially, with 63% of marketers planning to increase their influencer marketing budget in the coming year. This showcases the effectiveness of influencers in reaching and engaging with target audiences, and the value brands place on leveraging social media personalities to promote their products or services.

1. Schober, M. F., Pasek, J., Guggenheim, L., Lampe, C., & Conrad, F. G. (2016). Social media analyses for social measurement. Public opinion quarterly, 80(1), 180-211. (https://academic.oup.com/poq/article-abstract/80/1/180/2593846) 2. Appel, G., Grewal, L., Hadi, R., & Stephen, A. T. (2020). The future of social media in marketing. Journal of the Academy of Marketing science, 48(1), 79-95. (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11747-019-00695-1?error=cookies_not_support) 3. Aichner, T., Grünfelder, M., Maurer, O., & Jegeni, D. (2021). Twenty-five years of social media: a review of social media applications and definitions from 1994 to 2019. Cyberpsychology, behavior, and social networking, 24(4), 215-222. (https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/cyber.2020.0134) 4. Ruths, D., & Pfeffer, J. (2014). Social media for large studies of behavior. Science, 346(6213), 1063-1064. (https://www.science.org/doi/abs/10.1126/science.346.6213.1063) 5. Hou, Y., Xiong, D., Jiang, T., Song, L., & Wang, Q. (2019). Social media addiction: Its impact, mediation, and intervention. Cyberpsychology: Journal of psychosocial research on cyberspace, 13(1). (https://cyberpsychology.eu/article/view/11562) 6. Auxier, B., & Anderson, M. (2021). Social media use in 2021. Pew Research Center, 1, 1-4. (https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2021/04/PI_2021.04.07_Social-Media-Use_FINAL.pdf) 7. Al-Samarraie, H., Bello, K. A., Alzahrani, A. I., Smith, A. P., & Emele, C. (2021). Young users' social media addiction: causes, consequences and preventions. Information Technology & People, 35(7), 2314-2343. (https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/ITP-11-2020-0753/full/html) 8. Bhargava, V. R., & Velasquez, M. (2021). Ethics of the attention economy: The problem of social media addiction. Business Ethics Quarterly, 31(3), 321-359. (https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/business-ethics-quarterly/article/ethics-of-the-attention-economy-the-problem-of-social-mediaaddiction/1CC67609A12E9A912BB8A291FDFFE799)

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Pros & cons: impacts of social media on mental health

• Ágnes Zsila 1 , 2 &
• Marc Eric S. Reyes   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-5280-1315 3  

BMC Psychology volume  11 , Article number:  201 ( 2023 ) Cite this article

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The use of social media significantly impacts mental health. It can enhance connection, increase self-esteem, and improve a sense of belonging. But it can also lead to tremendous stress, pressure to compare oneself to others, and increased sadness and isolation. Mindful use is essential to social media consumption.

Social media has become integral to our daily routines: we interact with family members and friends, accept invitations to public events, and join online communities to meet people who share similar preferences using these platforms. Social media has opened a new avenue for social experiences since the early 2000s, extending the possibilities for communication. According to recent research [ 1 ], people spend 2.3 h daily on social media. YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat have become increasingly popular among youth in 2022, and one-third think they spend too much time on these platforms [ 2 ]. The considerable time people spend on social media worldwide has directed researchers’ attention toward the potential benefits and risks. Research shows excessive use is mainly associated with lower psychological well-being [ 3 ]. However, findings also suggest that the quality rather than the quantity of social media use can determine whether the experience will enhance or deteriorate the user’s mental health [ 4 ]. In this collection, we will explore the impact of social media use on mental health by providing comprehensive research perspectives on positive and negative effects.

Social media can provide opportunities to enhance the mental health of users by facilitating social connections and peer support [ 5 ]. Indeed, online communities can provide a space for discussions regarding health conditions, adverse life events, or everyday challenges, which may decrease the sense of stigmatization and increase belongingness and perceived emotional support. Mutual friendships, rewarding social interactions, and humor on social media also reduced stress during the COVID-19 pandemic [ 4 ].

On the other hand, several studies have pointed out the potentially detrimental effects of social media use on mental health. Concerns have been raised that social media may lead to body image dissatisfaction [ 6 ], increase the risk of addiction and cyberbullying involvement [ 5 ], contribute to phubbing behaviors [ 7 ], and negatively affects mood [ 8 ]. Excessive use has increased loneliness, fear of missing out, and decreased subjective well-being and life satisfaction [ 8 ]. Users at risk of social media addiction often report depressive symptoms and lower self-esteem [ 9 ].

Overall, findings regarding the impact of social media on mental health pointed out some essential resources for psychological well-being through rewarding online social interactions. However, there is a need to raise awareness about the possible risks associated with excessive use, which can negatively affect mental health and everyday functioning [ 9 ]. There is neither a negative nor positive consensus regarding the effects of social media on people. However, by teaching people social media literacy, we can maximize their chances of having balanced, safe, and meaningful experiences on these platforms [ 10 ].

We encourage researchers to submit their research articles and contribute to a more differentiated overview of the impact of social media on mental health. BMC Psychology welcomes submissions to its new collection, which promises to present the latest findings in the emerging field of social media research. We seek research papers using qualitative and quantitative methods, focusing on social media users’ positive and negative aspects. We believe this collection will provide a more comprehensive picture of social media’s positive and negative effects on users’ mental health.

Data Availability

Not applicable.

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Acknowledgements

Ágnes Zsila was supported by the ÚNKP-22-4 New National Excellence Program of the Ministry for Culture and Innovation from the source of the National Research, Development and Innovation Fund.

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Ágnes Zsila

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Zsila, Á., Reyes, M.E.S. Pros & cons: impacts of social media on mental health. BMC Psychol 11 , 201 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-023-01243-x

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Benefits and harms of social media use: A latent profile analysis of emerging adults

Brian taehyuk keum.

1 Department of Social Welfare, University of California Los Angeles, 337 Charles E. Young Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90095 USA

Yu-Wei Wang

2 University of Maryland, College Park, MD USA

Julia Callaway

3 University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark

Israel Abebe

Seini o’connor.

4 Refugees As Survivors New Zealand, Auckland, New Zealand

Associated Data

The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are not publicly available due to confidentiality and privacy reasons set forth by the Institutional Review Board.

Not applicable.

The rise in social media use among emerging adults in the United States has been well-documented, but researchers are still working on identifying how the type—not just the frequency—of use impacts psychological well-being. We identified “profiles” of social media use among young adults based on the frequency and purposes of use, and examined their associations with benefits and harms to psychosocial well-being, using data from 2828 incoming undergraduate students ( M age  = 18.29 years; age range: 17 to 25 years). Using Latent Profile Analysis, we identified three unique profiles of individuals who used social media with varying levels of intensity across different purposes: Active Users (32.4%), Passive Users (25.3%), and Average Users (42.4%). Each profile was associated with varying levels of beneficial and harmful psychosocial outcomes. Compared to Average Users, (a) Active Users reported significantly better psychosocial well-being, but also more harmful outcomes; and (b) Passive Users experienced significantly lower levels of perceived social media benefits and social connectedness, while also reporting less problematic social media use and social media stress. Implications of these findings for research and practice are discussed.

Emerging adulthood—defined broadly as the period of time from the late teens through the 20s, with a particular focus on ages 18-25 (Arnett, 2000 )—represents an important stage for the continuation of identity and psychological development. With the ubiquitous presence of social media in young adults’ lives (Pew Research Center, 2018 ), a growing body of research has documented the influence of social media on this developmental process (Mazalin & Moore, 2004 ; Subrahmanyam et al., 2008 ). Researchers have identified broad patterns of social media use—such as active, passive, and problematic use (Marino et al., 2018 ; Verduyn et al., 2017 )—and both harms and benefits associated with using social media (e.g., Verduyn et al., 2017 ). Others have uncovered specific patterns of social media use among adolescents (e.g., Bányai et al., 2017 ; Kurek et al., 2017 ) to identify groups of individuals that seem to be at greater mental health risk.

However, questions remain about the patterns of social media use among emerging adults that may lead to benefits or vulnerability to harmful psychological effects. Also, it is unclear whether the mixed research findings related to patterns of social media use and psychosocial outcomes were associated with “what” people use social media for. The majority of research on social media use has focused on frequency and amount of use and negative psychosocial outcomes (e.g., loneliness, distress), with less attention paid to the purpose of use and beneficial outcomes (e.g., social connection, meaning in life). To address this gap and to examine both the quantity and type of social media use in a comprehensive way, we used a novel approach to examine social media use patterns (“profiles”) of emerging adults based on the frequency and purpose of social media use and their differential associations with psychosocial benefits and harms.

Benefits and Patterns of Social Media Use

The Uses and Gratifications Theory on social media use (Katz et al., 1973 ; Ruggiero, 2000 ) suggest people use social media to fulfill their needs and motivation for gratification.

According to this theory, one major motivator for use and gratification is to connect with others online efficiently, selectively, and meaningfully, in order to fulfill their social needs and approval (Urista et al., 2009 ). There are a plethora of social media platforms that help individuals form their social capital, and their social media use is largely dictated by this process. Given the importance of social connection in the survival of human beings (Holt-Lunstad et al., 2010 ), social media has been noted as an important tool for social bonding and network building. For example, studies have found that online-mediated social connections promoted benefits and well-being among cybervictims (McLouglin et al., 2018 ) and buffered anxiety and isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic (Stuart et al., 2021 ).

In fact, research has identified a range of social, developmental, and emotional benefits associated with social media use (Anderson & Jiang, 2018 ; Duggan et al., 2015 ; GLSEN et al., 2013 ). A recent study by the Pew Research Center on teenagers’ habits and experiences of using social media indicated that a majority felt more connected to their friends, interacted with a more diverse group of people, and felt supported when they used social media (Anderson & Jiang, 2018 ). Gender Minority groups (e.g., lesbians, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth) may particularly benefit from the use of social media and other online resources that provide information, support, and feelings of meaningfulness, as well as those social media outlets that may assist in identity development and civic connectedness (GLSEN et al., 2013 ). Additionally, researchers have noted the potential of social media platforms to provide a prompt for reminiscence and increased meaning in life and have demonstrated how deeper engagement with personal social media content can facilitate connections with others, enhance self-knowledge, and increase a sense of connection between present and past selves (Thomas & Briggs, 2016 ). Research with young adults in Australia identified “Facebook connectedness” to be distinct from other forms of social connectedness, and to be significantly associated with lower depression and anxiety and greater life satisfaction (Grieve et al., 2013 ).

On the contrary, some researchers have linked social media use to harmful and deleterious effects on mental health (e.g., Marino et al., 2018 ; Twenge et al., 2018 ). While the Uses and Gratifications Theory (Katz et al., 1973 ; Ruggiero, 2000 ) suggests that social connection may be a major motivator of social media use, those who use social media for connection may also experience social isolation and comparison, which can in turn yield harmful outcomes such as loneliness and self-negativity (Primack et al., 2017 ). Comprehensive reviews of the literature documented the negative associations between social media use and various measures of psychological well-being (Frost & Rickwood, 2017 ; Verduyn et al., 2017 ). Specifically, across dozens of cross-sectional and longitudinal studies, researchers identified a pattern of small to medium positive associations between higher levels of social media use and harmful psychological outcomes (i.e., anxiety, depression, and distorted body image), and negative relationships between levels of social media use and subjective well-being.

These seemingly conflicting findings may be explained by psychosocial variables associated with more passive or active forms of engagement. The association between social media use and well-being appears to vary with the pattern or type of social media use. Some studies suggested that passive patterns of using social media (such as browsing others’ profiles or scrolling through feeds) were associated more consistently with harmful outcomes, whereas active patterns of social media use (such as self-disclosing online, engaging with others, and sharing links) were more consistently related to beneficial outcomes (Frost & Rickwood, 2017 ; Verduyn et al., 2017 ). Other studies suggested that harmful outcomes were associated with more intense patterns of social media use that promote upward social comparison, envy, brooding, and more negative and emotional self-disclosures (which may be more likely when users are only “looking” at others’ lives and not interacting with them), whereas beneficial outcomes were associated with patterns of use that promote perceived social support, social capital, and social connectedness (Frost & Rickwood, 2017 ; for a summary, see Verduyn et al., 2017 ). Marino et al. ( 2018 ) further proposed that “problematic” patterns of use—characterized not only by a high frequency of social media use but also addiction-like symptoms and struggles with self-regulation—led to poor psychological outcomes. These researchers found that psychological distress was significantly higher among young adults across 23 independent samples who exhibited “problematic” patterns of Facebook use.

Groups of Individuals with Distinct Patterns of Social Media Use

Noting the importance of differentiating between types of social media use, a growing number of studies examined psychosocial factors associated with different levels and patterns of use among individuals. For example, Wilson et al. ( 2010 ) examined whether social media use among 201 university students was predicted by their scores on the NEO Five-Factor Personality Inventory. They found that extroverted and less conscientious students reported significantly greater social media use and addictive inclinations. Another study showed that individuals with greater social comparison tendencies reported greater social media use (Tandoc et al., 2015 ). Additionally, one study demonstrated that negative collective self-esteem was associated with online social compensation among first-year college students—those who felt negatively about their social group used social media to connect with other group members and to feel better about themselves (Barker, 2009 ). As for other psychosocial factors, Caplan ( 2007 ) found that both self-reported loneliness and social anxiety among 343 undergraduate students were significantly associated with a preference for online interactions. In this study, they also found that social anxiety explained more variance in predicting preference for online interactions, which in turn significantly predicted greater problems in keeping up with their school, work, and social engagements. Overall, a wide range of personal characteristics and individual tendencies seem to differentiate individuals’ social media use patterns.

Against this backdrop, researchers have employed statistical analyses to identify different clusters of internet and social media use behaviors and examine whether certain patterns are associated with greater benefits or harms. For example, Eynon and Malmberg ( 2011 ) conducted Latent Profile Analysis on 1069 children and teenagers in the United Kingdom (ages 8-19) and found that, based on internet use, individuals clustered into peripheral, normative, and all-rounder/active participator groups. Using a latent segmentation approach, Alarcón-del-Amo et al. ( 2011 ) found four groups (introvert, novel, versatile, and expert-communicator) that differed in the frequency of social media use among 399 internet users (ages 16-74). Both studies found nuanced patterns of social media use that seem to be distinguished by the activities performed on social media and frequency of use. While these patterns are informative in understanding different themes of social media behaviors, they do not account for the purpose or motivation behind these behaviors that could further provide greater nuance in profiling social media use.

Beyond the level of use, other studies have examined contextual patterns of use or patterns in relation to psychological outcomes. For example, Bányai et al. ( 2017 ) used Latent Profile Analysis on data from 5961 adolescents in Europe regarding their social media addiction and found that about 4.5% were at risk for social media addiction, while 17.2% and 78.3% were at low- and no-risk, respectively. Using a similar methodology, Kurek et al. ( 2017 ) found four clusters of information and communication technology use among 933 adolescents: average use, elevated use (of all forms of technology), high video game-low social media use, and high social media and internet use. As expected, they found that adolescents in the elevated and high video game groups reported poorer identity such as false self-perception and lower self-image satisfaction, compared with the average use group. Kurek et al. ( 2017 ) also found significant relationships between the elevated and the high social media/internet use groups and self-reported problem behaviors (e.g., with friends), relative to the average group. Using a similar approach, Ilakkuvan et al. ( 2019 ) conducted a Latent Profile Analysis with 1062 young adults who used social media and found five classes: low users (lower use of social media compared to full sample), high users (higher use of social media compared to full sample), professional users (high use of professional social media such as Linkedin, low use of creative social media such as Vine), creative users (high use of vine and Tumblr, low use of Linkedin), and mainstream users (high use of Facebook and YouTube, and average use of other social media). Compared to high users, creative users had higher odds of using substances and lower odds of depressive symptoms, mainstream users had higher odds of using substances socially (alcohol and hookah), professional users had higher odds of using alcohol, cigarettes, and cigars, and low users had higher odds of using other drugs (e.g., cocaine and heroin). Altogether, findings in these studies suggested that certain patterns of use may be more likely to be associated with harmful outcomes.

The Present Study

Based on our review, we aimed to fill two gaps in the literature. First, whereas most studies have examined social media use patterns based on the frequency of use of different social media platforms (e.g., Fardouly & Vartanian, 2015 ; Manago et al., 2015 ), we developed and employed more comprehensive social media use items differentiating patterns of use by frequency and purpose (e.g., staying connected with friends and family; networking; meeting new people; expressing ideas). Building on the Uses and Gratifications Theory (Katz et al., 1973 ; Ruggiero, 2000 ), this approach allows for a reflection of the driving forces behind certain social media activities and provides context for explaining the profiles that emerge from our study. Secondly, while most studies have focused on the psychological harms in relation to patterns of social media use, we also tested different social media patterns in relation to psychological benefits . As reviewed above and based on the Uses and Gratifications Theory that suggests motivation for social media use to fulfill social needs (Katz et al., 1973 ; Ruggiero, 2000 ), social media use presents a plethora of potential benefits in terms of social connectedness, online support, life satisfaction, and the development of one’s identity and sense of self. Therefore, we believe it is equally important to understand, promote, and capitalize on these beneficial outcomes.

We conducted Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) to uncover different types of social media users among emerging adults based on items regarding purposes of social media use. We then examined whether there may be significant differences among the groups regarding the benefits and harms associated with social media use. Beneficial outcomes include factors such as perceived social media-related benefits, satisfaction with life, social connectedness, and a sense of meaning in life. Harmful outcomes include factors that indicate poorer psychological well-being, such as social media-related stress, problematic social media use, and lack of social comfort on social media. Our hypotheses on these associations were contingent on the different profiles that emerged from our sample. However, based on previous research on adolescents and adults, we hypothesized that there would be higher levels of both harmful and beneficial outcomes associated with more active users, while the reverse may be true for passive users.

Participants and Procedure

The study received Institutional Review Board approval (#316599-15). Data for the current study was drawn from archival data consisting of 2828 undergraduates (mean age = 18.3 years; age range: 17 to 25 years) who were newly entering a large Mid-Atlantic public university. The data were collected as part of an incoming student survey administered in August of 2018. We arrived at the sample size of 2828 from the original 4321 by removing cases who failed both attention-check questions (one appearing halfway and one at the end of the survey), indicated that they do not use social media, reported ages older than 25, and were missing data on the primary study variables. Because the LPA analysis strategy requires large sample sizes (Nylund-Gibson & Choi, 2018 ), we maximized the sample size possible.

Participants identified racially/ethnically as White (55.3%), Asian/Asian American (21.8%), Black/African American (6.9%), Chicano/Hispanic/Latino/a (4.2%), Middle Eastern/North African (1.6%), and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (0.1%). One in 10 (10%) identified as bi- or multi-racial, selecting more than one of these racial backgrounds. Over half identified as female (53.1%), and 46% as male, while 0.9% identified as transgender, gender non-conforming, or having a different gender identity.

Social Media Use

We developed items to capture students’ frequency and type of social media use. First, we asked students to rank-order social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Tumblr, Twitter, and Other—please specify) based on how much they used these social media platforms. Second, we asked students to identify their frequency of use of social media across all of these platforms, on a 1 ( never ) to 5 ( very often ) scale, for each of the 16 different purposes represented by the following categories: social connection (e.g., “staying connected with friends and family”), support and help (e.g., “seeking advice, help, or support from others”), tangible benefits (e.g., “getting income”), entertainment (e.g., following sports/fitness), and casual use (e.g., “passing time without a particular purpose;” see Fig.  1 for all 16 purposes). Third, we asked students on a scale of 1 ( never ) to 10 ( all the time ) how often they: a) “Check your social media account(s)”, b) “Actively use your social media account(s) (e.g., posting status updates, sharing links, reacting and commenting on friends’ walls, or sending messages),” and c) “Passively use your social media account(s) (e.g., scrolling through your newsfeed, looking at friends’ pages, pictures, and status updates).” We then (a) examined the total number of distinct social media platforms they engaged with and the order of the platforms based on the frequency of use, (b) calculated the average frequency for each of the 16 purposes of social media use items, and (c) calculated a mean score for their overall, active, and passive social media use.

Plot of mean responses to 16 Purpose of Use variables, overall and by class

Benefits of Social Media Use

One-item social media benefits.

We developed a stand-alone item asking students to rate their agreement to the statement “I get the benefit, support, and help I need from social media.” Students indicated their response on a six-point Likert-type scale (1 =  “strongly disagree” to 6 =  “strongly agree” ).

Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS; Diener et al., 1985 )

This measure has five items presenting statements that respondents are invited to agree or disagree with (on a 7-point Likert-type scale ranging from 1 = “ strongly disagree” to “ strongly agree” ). Example items include “In most ways my life is close to my ideal” and “I am satisfied with my life.” Scores on each item are averaged to produce an overall score, with higher scores indicating higher life satisfaction. It shows convergent validity with other measures of subjective well-being across two samples (Diener et al., 1985 ), such as other measures of life satisfaction ( r  = .62 to .66), single-item measures of life satisfaction as a whole ( r  = .62 to .68), semantic-differential measurements of present life ( r  = .59 to.75), and affect balance including relationships with positive affect ( r  = .50 to .51) and negative affect ( r  = −.32 to −.37). Additionally, in their review of the literature, Diener et al. ( 2013 ) reported a relationship between satisfaction with life scales, including the SWLS, and non-self-report measures of life satisfaction, such as ratings made by trained raters based on interviews conducted with the participants (Diener et al., 2013 ). Reliability estimates in past studies have been reported to be.80 or higher (Diener et al., 2013 ). For our sample, α = .87.

Social Connectedness Scale – Revised 15 Item Version (SC-15; Lee et al., 2008 )

This scale measures individuals’ sense of belonging to and being in connection with their social world. It was shortened from the 20-item Social Connectedness Scale-Revised (SCS; Lee et al., 2001 ) to remove items cross-loading across social connectedness and extraversion. Respondents are asked to rate their agreement to statements such as “I am able to relate to my peers” and “Even around people I know, I don’t feel that I really belong” (reverse scored) on a scale from 1 (“strongly disagree”) to 6 (“strongly agree”). Both versions of the scale have convergent validity and are significantly correlated with—but conceptually distinct from—extraversion; r  = .62 ( p  < .01) for the 20-item version and r  = .55 ( p  < .01) for the 15-item version (Lee et al., 2008 ). Additionally, Lee et al. ( 2008 ) found the SC-15 to be significantly correlated with life satisfaction ( r  = .50, p  < .01), affect balance ( r  = .52, p  < .01), positive affect ( r  = .40, p  < .01), and negative affect ( r  = −.41, p  < .01). They also reported good reliability in a general college sample (α = .93). For our sample, α = .94.

Meaning in Life Measure (MILM; Hill et al., 2018 )

This 8-item measure has two subscales, assessing agreement on a 1 (“ extremely disagree ”) to 9 (“ extremely agree ”) scale with items related to Experience of meaning in life (e.g., “I have something I want to accomplish in my life”) and Reflectivity about meaning in life (e.g., “There are times in my life when I think about what it all means”). Hill et al. ( 2018 ) found the measure to have good construct and concurrent validity, showing positive relationships with other measures of meaning in life ( r  = .69, p  < .001), subjective well-being ( r  = .56-.67, p  < .001), extraversion ( r  = .26, p  < .001), agreeableness ( r  = .42, p  < .001), conscientiousness ( r  = .35, p  < .001), and openness ( r  = .36, p  < .001). Hill and colleagues also reported high test-retest reliability, and good internal consistency across the total scale (α = .85) and each of the subscales (α = .82 for Experience and α = .86 for Reflectivity). For our sample, α = .87 for the full scale, α = .79 for the Experience subscale, and α = .88 for the Reflectivity subscale.

Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ-Search; Steger et al., 2006 )

This measure contains 10 items assessing perceived meaning in life across two subscales: Presence and Search. For this study, we used the five-item Search subscale, which asks participants to rate a series of statements (e.g., “I am always looking for something that makes my life feel meaningful”) on a scale of 1 (absolutely untrue) to 10 (absolutely true). The “Presence” subscale overlaps with the “Experience” subscale in the MILM, and therefore was not included in the survey. Steger and colleagues reported good convergent validity for the Search subscale, showing significant correlations with fear ( r  = .25, p  < .005), shame ( r  = .19, p  < .05), sadness ( r  = .26, p  < .005), neuroticism ( r  = .20, p  < .05), and depression ( r  = .36, p  < .005). They also reported good test-retest reliability and high internal consistency of the Search subscale (α = .87) in their undergraduate student samples. For our sample, α = .94.

Harms of Social Media Use

One-item social media stress.

We developed a stand-alone item asking students to rate their agreement to the statement “social media brings additional stress to my life.” Students indicated their response on a six-point Likert-type scale (1 = “strongly disagree” to 6 = “strongly agree”).

Emotional Thermometers (Mitchell, 2007 ; Mitchell et al., 2010 )

This measure asked participants to indicate their level of depression, distress, anxiety, and anger on visual thermometers with “temperature” levels ranging from 0 to 10, where 0 = “none” and 10 = “extreme.” Participants marked the number that best described how much emotional upset they had been experiencing in the week prior to taking the survey, including the day they completed the survey. The thermometers have been validated against other diagnostic measures in a clinical sample and found to have adequate specificity and sensitivity. Specifically, Mitchell ( 2007 ) reported in a meta-analysis the pooled sensitivity (77%) and specificity (66%) of the Distress thermometer against various validated measures in ten different studies. Additionally, Mitchell and colleageus (Mitchell et al., 2010 ) reported that as compared to the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) total score (Zigmond & Snaith, 1983 ), the Anger thermometer was optimal with 61% sensitivity and 92% specificity. As compared to the HADS anxiety scale, the Anxiety thermometer was optimal with 92% sensitivity and 61% specificity. As compared to the HADS depression scale (60% sensitivity and 78% specificity) and the DSM-IV screening for major depression (80% sensitivity and 79% specificity), the Depression thermometer was optimal.

Three Item Loneliness Scale (Hughes et al., 2004 )

This measure was developed as a shortened form of the Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale (R-UCLA; Russell et al., 1980 ) suitable for inclusion in longer surveys. The three items assess how often respondents lack companionship, feel left out, and feel isolated, measured on a 3-point Likert-type scale (1 = “hardly ever” to 3 = “often”). The average score across the three items is calculated, with higher scores indicating greater loneliness. Hughes et al. ( 2004 ) reported that the scale had acceptable internal reliability (α = .72) in older adult samples and was highly correlated with scores on the original R-UCLA scale (r = .82, p < .001) and with scores on loneliness-related items in the Center for Epidemiologic Studies–Depression Scale (CES-D; Turvey et al., 1999 ), demonstrating convergent validity. For our sample, α = .82.

Problematic Social Media Use

This measure is an adaptation of the short-form of the Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire (PIUQ-9; Koronczai et al., 2011 ), which was developed from the longer 18-item PIUQ (Demetrovics et al., 2008 ). For the purposes of our study, we changed PIUQ items referring to “the Internet” to refer to “social media.” Respondents were asked to indicate on a scale from 1 (“never”) to 5 (“always”) how frequently they engaged in problematic behaviors on three subscales: Obsession (e.g., “How often do you feel tense, irritated, or stressed if you cannot be on social media for as long as you want to?”), Neglect (e.g., “How often do you neglect household chores to spend more time on social media?”) or Lack of Control (e.g., “How often does it happen to you that you wish to decrease the amount of time spent on social media but you do not succeed?”).

In initially developing the scale through testing with an online community sample of young adults, Demetrovics et al. ( 2008 ) reported acceptable/good internal consistency across the three subscales (α ranging from .74 to .87), and high test-retest reliability (r = .903, p < .001). For the briefer version, Koronczai et al. ( 2011 ) reported good whole-scale reliability in both adolescent (α = .87) and adult (α = .84) samples. Neither scale has been clinically validated for the diagnosis of internet addiction, although Demetrovics et al. ( 2008 ) found that higher PIUQ scores were positively associated with other addictive behaviors, such as the use of slots ( F  = .131, p  = .011) and other gaming machines ( F  = 4.501, p  = .025). They also provided support for the validity of the PIUQ as a tool for assessing patterns of use by collecting corresponding data on participants’ internet habits and demographic data. For our sample, α = .86.

Online Cognition Scale-Social Comfort Subscale (Davis et al., 2004 )

The Online Cognition Scale is a 36-item questionnaire designed to measure problematic Internet use. The full OCS has four subscales (Loneliness/depression, Lack of Impulse Control, Social Comfort, and Distraction). We used only the 13-item Social Comfort subscale for this study, replacing the reference to “online” with reference to “on social media.” Higher Social Comfort is regarded in this study as a further indicator of problematic social media use. Respondents rate their agreement on a 1 (“Strongly disagree”) to 7 (“Strongly agree”) scale for items such as “I say or do things on social media that I could never do in person” and “I wish my friends and family knew how people regard me on social media,” from which an average Social Comfort score is calculated. Davis et al. ( 2004 ) reported that the Social Comfort subscale showed (a) convergent validity with related measures of rejection sensitivity ( r  = .41, p  < .001), procrastination ( r  = .23, p  < .001), loneliness ( r  = .37, p  < .001), and feelings of competency online ( r  = .62, p  < .001), and (b) good reliability (α = .87) in their sample of undergraduate students. For our sample, α = .86.

Our overall aims were to understand the distinct class profiles of social media use among college students based on the purpose of use, and to quantify how these profiles were associated with beneficial and harmful outcomes. We used LPA, which serves as a person-centered statistical tool. LPA was conducted with Mplus version 8.2 using estimation of robust standard errors to account for non-normality. Akaike (AIC) and Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC) were assessed to select the best-fitting class solution. Lower values of AIC and BIC by at least 10 units suggest an empirically significant better fit. In conjunction, entropy values and significance tests of the Lo-Mendell-Rubin adjusted Likelihood Ratio Test (aLRT) were examined to support empirical identification of a best fitting class solution. Higher entropy values indicate a greater distinction of classes within a solution and a significant LRT indicates that an n number of classes is significantly better than an n-1 model. Interpretability of the fit was also based on significant class membership probabilities. Solutions with class membership probabilities less than 5% were not considered.

Based on the 16 items indicating the purposes of social media use, one to five-class solutions were considered. Model fit comparisons, parsimony, and class membership probabilities were all considered in selecting the best-fitting class solution. Table  1 presents the sequential class solutions. The three-class solution was identified as the best-fitting class solution, primarily using the aLRT tests. Both the AIC and BIC sequentially decreased from one to four-class solutions, and increased in the five-class model, but the aLRT test was not significant for the four-class model. This indicated that the four-class solution did not significantly fit the data better than the three-class model, and that a fourth cluster did not necessarily represent a meaningful class beyond a three-class solution. The entropy for the three-class solution was 0.79, indicating that there was a meaningful distinction between the classes. All class membership probabilities were greater than 5%, with the smallest class representing 25.3% of the sample.

Sequential class solutions for latent profile analysis

LL Log Likelihood, AIC Akaike Information Criteria, BIC Bayesian

Information Criteria, aBIC Adjusted Bayesian Information Criteria, aLRT

Lo-Mendell-Rubin adjusted Likelihood Ratio Test

We examined the following results to develop appropriate labels for each class: (a) summary statistics across each profile for each of the 16 purposes of the social media use variable, (b) the number of platforms the respondents used, and (c) the frequency of social media use. The three profiles varied in the level of engagement in each of the social media activities. Figure  1 displays the overall mean responses as well as the means by class across the 16 social media use purposes. Table  2 includes the frequencies of checking social media in general, as well as active and passive use, among the full sample and three groups.

Means and standard deviations of the types of social media use

*Items were rated on a scale of 1 ( never ) to 10 ( all the time )

Uses of Social Media

Overall, the participants primarily (i.e., “ sometimes ” to “ very ofte n” on a scale of 1 = “ never ” to 5 = “ very often” ) used social media for nine purposes: entertainment, passing time without a particular purpose, browsing, staying connected with friends and family members, sharing good or interesting things with friends, casually looking at what other people are doing or posting about, seeking information, keeping up with trends, and following sports/fitness (see Fig. ​ Fig.1). 1 ). On average, the participants used three to four social media platforms (μ = 3.73, SD = 1.24). On a scale of 1 (“ never” ) to 10 (“ all the time” ), on average, participants checked their social media accounts between several times a day and once an hour (μ = 7.50, SD = 1.64), actively updated their social media accounts between once a week and several times a week (μ = 4.92, SD = 2.44), and passively used social media between several times a day and once an hour (μ = 7.26, SD = 1.89).

Types of Users

When looking at the characteristics of the three-class profiles, an “Active User” group emerged, which represented 32.4% of the sample. Students in this group primarily (at least “sometimes”) used social media platforms for all but three (i.e., seeking advice, venting, and getting income) of the 16 purposes and used them at a higher frequency for these reasons, compared to Average and Passive Users (see Fig. ​ Fig.1). 1 ). On average, students in this group used more than four different social media platforms—the only group to do so. The “Active Users” checked social media more frequently than the other two groups – between once an hour and several times an hour (μ = 8.32, SD = 1.34) and actively engaged with social media about once a day (μ = 6.00, SD = 2.40), while also passively using social media between once an hour and several times an hour (μ = 8.18, SD = 1.64). In sum, Active Users used more social media outlets for more varying purposes and visited these platforms more frequently than Average and Passive Users (see Table ​ Table1 1 ).

The second group that emerged was the “Passive Users” group. This group represented 25.3% of the study sample, and primarily used social media for five purposes: to be entertained, pass time, browse, stay connected with friends/family, and casually looking at what other people are doing or posting about. It is important to note that Passive Users used social media for these purposes at frequency levels that were much lower than the overall study sample. They used around 3 different social media platforms (μ = 3.08, SD = 1.26). Students in this group checked social media less frequently than the other two groups – between once a day and several times a day (μ = 6.53, SD = 1.92), actively used social media less frequently – between several times a month to once a week (μ = 3.50, SD = 2.16), and passively used social media less frequently – between once a day to several times a day (μ = 6.29, SD = 2.17).

Lastly, an “Average User” group emerged between the Active Users and Passive Users. This group represented 42.4% of the sample, making it the largest group. This group primarily used social media for nine purposes (all purposes, except for networking, meeting new people, expressing ideas, venting, seeking advice, getting income, and help with school). They reported using between three and four social media platforms (μ = 3.79, SD = 1.15). Overall, Average Users’ patterns of use are less frequent than Active Users’ and more frequent than Passive Users’. They checked social media several times a day to once an hour (μ = 7.44, SD = 1.33), actively used social media close to several times a week (μ = 4.94, SD = 2.19), and passively used social media between several times a day to once an hour (μ = 7.14, SD = 1.53).

Social Media Use Profile Membership and Psychosocial Outcomes

Once we identified the most appropriate number of class profiles, we used categorical regressions to build models to investigate the relationship between class (the independent variable) and each of the “benefits” and “harms” outcome variables, using the Average Users as the reference group. This allows examination of whether the Active and Passive Users generally scored significantly higher or lower in the outcome variables in relation to Average Users. The “benefits” outcome variables were: perceived social media benefits, life satisfaction, and social connectedness, as well as experience, reflection, and search for the meaning of life. The “harms” outcome variables were: perceived social media stress, distress, anxiety, anger, depression, loneliness, problematic social media use, and social comfort on social media. We used RStudio version 1.1.463 to conduct the categorical regression analyses. To avoid the risk of Type I error in interpreting the regression results, we adopted a conservative alpha of 0.01 to determine significance.

Compared to the Average Users, on average, Active Users had significantly higher levels of all beneficial outcomes, except for satisfaction with life, and higher levels of all the harmful outcomes listed, except for distress and loneliness. Relative to the Average Users, on average, Passive Users reported significantly lower levels of beneficial outcomes on two measures (perceived social media benefits and social connectedness), and lower levels of harmful outcomes on three measures (lower levels of social media stress, problematic social media use, social comfort on social media). Tables  3 and ​ and4 4 show the complete results of the categorical regression models.

Categorical regression coefficients of “Beneficial” psychosocial outcomes

Referent group is Average Users

Categorical regression coefficients of “Harmful” psychosocial outcomes

The current study examined the social media use patterns among emerging adults (18-25) based on their frequency of social media use for different purposes. As with previous studies that found multiple groups of distinct use (e.g., Bányai et al., 2017 ; Ilakkuvan et al., 2019 ; Kurek et al., 2017 ), we found three unique profiles of individuals who used social media for different purposes: Active, Passive, and Average Users. We also found associations between these profiles and beneficial/harmful psychosocial outcomes. Notably, our study appears to be the first to examine differences in perceived benefits and harms associated with social media use profiles among emerging adults. These associations provide important nuances to understanding how individuals with varying purposes and levels of social media use may reap benefits, while also incurring some psychological costs.

One major trend observed in our findings is that regardless of which profile of social media use individuals fit within, it appeared that students who participated in our study experienced a combination of both beneficial and harmful outcomes associated with social media use. There was no one particular profile that experienced only beneficial or only harmful outcomes. As expected, the Active Users reported significantly higher benefits (except for satisfaction with life) and more harmful psychosocial outcomes (except for distress and loneliness) than the Average Users. The results explain the “double-edged sword” effect of social media, in which the benefits reaped by the Active Users came with psychological costs. In line with previous literature (e.g., Bányai et al., 2017 ), the Active profile resembled an “at-risk” group for experiencing harmful outcomes. However, our findings on the perceived benefits provided additional insight: perhaps the motive for individuals in this group to continue to actively engage in social media may be from the high level of benefits and sense of connectedness they gained from it, although they also suffered and faced stress from social media use.

Whereas most previous studies on social media use patterns found that passive users were usually associated with harmful outcomes (Frost & Rickwood, 2017 ; Verduyn et al., 2017 ), we found nuanced context to understand their experiences by exploring both beneficial and harmful outcomes among emerging adults. As with the Active Users, the Passive Users also reported beneficial and harmful outcomes associated with social media use, but this group appeared to experience significantly lower levels of both sets of outcomes than the Average Users. These individuals reported significantly lower social media stress, problematic social media use, and social comfort on social media. Thus, one might speculate that this group resembles a “low-risk” group. However, our findings also suggest that they experienced fewer benefits associated with social media use—such as lower social connectedness. It appears that Passive Users may experience fewer harmful psychological outcomes, but they may be “missing out” on potential benefits that may be helpful in building relationships and networks.

Of note, meaning in life was a potential outcome of social media use in our study. Despite social media’s potential for facilitating a search for meaning in life (Thomas & Briggs, 2016 ), no studies have directly examined this process. Given the plethora of information available and the different types of social connections that can be made on social media, it is reasonable to anticipate that individuals may develop greater insight into their meaning in life or use social media to search for meaning. In fact, we found that the Active Users scored significantly higher on the presence of, reflection on, and search for meaning when compared to Average Users. No previous research appeared to connect meaning in life with social media use, but we can speculate as to why this pattern of results emerged. In line with the Uses and Gratifications Theory (Ruggiero, 2000 ), it is possible that Active Users were more likely to frequently seek information or to form social connections that helped with the development of their own meaning in life. Indeed, Active Users reported the most social connectedness among the three groups. Active Users may depend heavily on online relationships within which they formed their insights about their meaning in life in relation to others in the world. Collectively, our results provide evidence of nuanced processes of social media use that may contribute to emerging adults’ meaning in life and well-being.

Limitations

We acknowledged that there are several limitations to our study. First, our results were based on a college sample from a university in the Mid-Atlantic region and thus we are not able to generalize our findings to college students in other geographical regions and to non-college populations. Second, although we developed new items that reflect purposes of social media use across multiple domains of use (e.g., social network, information seeking, entertainment), participants may have used social media for other purposes that were not captured in the current set of items. Furthermore, future research would need to examine the psychometric validity of these measures and test to see if our findings may be replicated. Third, given the self-report nature of these items (as well as our outcome measures), we may have captured more subjective, rather than objective, experiences of social media use and its relation to harms and benefits. Therefore, responses may have been subject to self-perception and recall bias. Lastly, causal relations between the variables of interest may not be inferred from our cross-sectional research design.

Implications for Practice

Despite these limitations, we believe our approach and results have important implications for future practice and research. First, the social media use items we developed and the profile types we identified showed potential as a tool for clinicians and other mental health professionals. Because the current study drew data from a single cross-sectional university student sample, future studies can further validate the social media use items with diverse populations so that it can be used as a tool to assess different dimensions of maladaptive social media use. The three profiles may be used to conceptualize people’s patterns of social media use and identify related psychological risks and protective factors. Second, to date, most studies on social media use patterns have examined primarily harmful outcomes. The most salient contribution of our study is that we examined the benefits as well as the costs associated with social media use. This enabled us to identify a “double-edged sword” effect of experiencing both harms and benefits, which has important implications. Our results suggest that while Active Users experienced “costs” from their social media use, they also perceived that they were benefiting from their social media use, which may have motivated them to actively use social media more. It is important for clinicians, educators, and other professionals to understand these perceived benefits, while being wary of the harmful effects of problematic or frequent social media use.

Implications for Future Research

For future research, we believe it is important to examine the mechanisms for social media harms and benefits, and to test potential interventions to minimize the harms, while maintaining or enhancing the benefits. Additionally, it would be important to conduct research on approaches that can promote the benefits more effectively, especially among Passive Users that seem to be “missing out” on the benefits of social media use, while also helping Active Users to understand the concurring costs of social media. Moreover, future studies should consider predictors of the different patterns of social media use. Although we have identified three descriptive clusters of social media use, we are limited in what we can say about the factors that lead to such patterns. Many factors may differentiate adults’ social media use, including individual differences (e.g., personality differences), group factors (e.g., collective self-esteem, group social identity), and offline social contextual variables such as relationship satisfaction and sense of belongingness. For example, it would be important for future researchers to assess how the benefits and harms fof social media use may be contextualized among underrepresented and marginalized youth and emerging adults (e.g., racial minority individuals, LGBTQ individuals). As Dari et al. ( 2021 ) suggested, community-based participatory research could be used to explore ecologically valid and relevant lived experiences of social media use that can inform how the harms may involve experiences such as online racism (Keum & Miller, 2017 , 2018 ) and benefits can include culturally-relevant social support networks (Keum, 2017 ). Another opportunity for future research would be to examine differences in psychosocial outcomes based on social media platforms. There is evidence from social media marketing research that social media users may engage with social media platforms differently, which could lead to different psychosocial outcomes (Goodrich & de Mooij, 2013 ). In addition to quantitative methods, researchers can consider innovative qualitative approaches such as the Online Photovoice method which gives participants opportunities to express their own lived experiences online with as little bias and influence from the researchers (Tanhan & Strack, 2020 ). Finally, our data were collected prior to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is unclear how the reliance on internet connections during the pandemic may have influenced young adults’ social media use and its relationship with psychosocial well-being. The interaction between COVID-19-related psychosocial implications and social media use would need to be studied.

In conclusion, with the ever-growing presence and influence of social media on the day-to-day lives of emerging adults, who are going through a critical developmental stage, it is crucial that the full extent of the effects on users’ psychological and overall well-being are thoroughly investigated and understood. The knowledge base that our study has added can inform educational and other interventions aiming to optimize the benefits and minimize the harms associated with social media, and help emerging adults navigate the right balance in this digital world.

Acknowledgements

Portions of the research findings were presented at the 2020 American Psychological Association Annual Meeting.

Authors’ Contribution

Brian TaeHyuk Keum: Conceptualization, Methodology, Software, Formal analysis, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing, Visualization, Supervision, Project Administration.

Yu-Wei Wang: Conceptualization, Methodology, Investigation, Resources, Writing – review & editing, Supervision, Project administration, Funding acquisition.

Julia Callaway: Software, Validation, Formal analyses, Writing – review & editing, Visualization.

Israel Abebe: Validation, Formal analyses, Writing – review & editing.

Tiana Cruz: Investigation, Data Curation, Writing – review & editing.

Seini O’Connor: Writing – review & editing, Visualization.

Data Availability

Code availability, declarations.

The study received Institutional Review Board approval (#316599-15).

All participants were provided informed consent and consented to participated in the study.

All participants were provided informed consent that data will be used for publication.

On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest.

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

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Does social media support or worsen mental well-being well, it depends.

• Info Sci Colloquium

Munmun De Choudhury is an associate professor of Interactive Computing at Georgia Tech. Dr. De Choudhury is best known for laying the foundation of a new line of research that develops computational techniques towards understanding and improving mental health outcomes, through ethical analysis of social media data. To do this work, she adopts a highly interdisciplinary approach, combining social computing, machine learning, and natural language analysis with insights and theories from the social, behavioral, and health sciences. Dr. De Choudhury has been recognized with the 2023 SIGCHI Societal Impact Award, the 2023 AAAI ICWSM Test-of-Time Award, the 2022 Web Science Trust Test-of-Time Award, the 2021 ACM-W Rising Star Award, the 2019 Complex Systems Society – Junior Scientific Award, over a dozen best paper and honorable mention awards from the ACM and AAAI, and features and coverage in popular press like the New York Times, the NPR, and the BBC. Dr. De Choudhury serves on the Board of Directors of the International Society for Computational Social Science. She is also an appointed member of a committee by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine that is examining research on the impact of social media on the wellbeing of young people, and has contributed to the Office of U.S. Surgeon General's Advisory on The Healing Effects of Social Connection.

Talk: Does Social Media Support or Worsen Mental Well-Being? Well, It Depends

Attend this talk via Zoom

Abstract: Social media platforms continue to shape our identities, accruing important roles in our lives as they pertain to connecting with loved ones, finding like-minded peers, or finding an outlet to vent and broadcast small and big happenings around us. Much has been written in the media about these uses, but importantly, about the impacts of social media on a variety of personal and societal outcomes. Is social media good or bad when it comes to mental well-being? This talk will present some critical evidence towards answering this question through a series of interlinked studies. In a first study, a large-scale observational study will situate how social support received online can help to reduce suicidal thoughts. Turning to negative impacts, a second study, using a computational causal approach, will describe the alarming ways experiences of online harassment can aggravate mental health of young people. Beyond these examples, finally, I will discuss how, eventually, in many cases, the answer to this question depends on the context. Specifically, anchoring on two studies that adopt a human-centered mixed methods approach, I will highlight the potential benefits and risks of social media use related to substance misuse disclosures, and to patients' social reintegration efforts following a major psychiatric episode. Ultimately,  online social technologies are here to stay, and I will conclude by reflecting on possible implications that amplify the positive uses and those that seek to mitigate the harmful effects of social media on mental well-being.

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Just How Harmful Is Social Media? Our Experts Weigh-In.

A recent investigation by the Wall Street Journal revealed that Facebook was aware of mental health risks linked to the use of its Instagram app but kept those findings secret. Internal research by the social media giant found that Instagram worsened body image issues for one in three teenage girls, and all teenage users of the app linked it to experiences of anxiety and depression. It isn’t the first evidence of social media’s harms. Watchdog groups have identified Facebook and Instagram as avenues for cyberbullying , and reports have linked TikTok to dangerous and antisocial behavior, including a recent spate of school vandalism .

As social media has proliferated worldwide—Facebook has 2.85 billion users—so too have concerns over how the platforms are affecting individual and collective wellbeing. Social media is criticized for being addictive by design and for its role in the spread of misinformation on critical issues from vaccine safety to election integrity, as well as the rise of right-wing extremism. Social media companies, and many users, defend the platforms as avenues for promoting creativity and community-building. And some research has pushed back against the idea that social media raises the risk for depression in teens . So just how healthy or unhealthy is social media?

Two experts from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and Columbia Psychiatry share their insights into one crucial aspect of social media’s influence—its effect on the mental health of young people and adults. Deborah Glasofer , associate professor of psychology in psychiatry, conducts psychotherapy development research for adults with eating disorders and teaches about cognitive behavioral therapy. She is the co-author of the book Eating Disorders: What Everyone Needs to Know. Claude Mellins , Professor of medical psychology in the Departments of Psychiatry and Sociomedical Sciences, studies wellbeing among college and graduate students, among other topics, and serves as program director of CopeColumbia, a peer support program for Columbia faculty and staff whose mental health has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. She co-led the SHIFT research study to reduce sexual violence among undergraduates. Both use social media.

What do we know about the mental health risks of social media use?

Mellins : Facebook and Instagram and other social media platforms are important sources of socialization and relationship-building for many young people. Although there are important benefits, social media can also provide platforms for bullying and exclusion, unrealistic expectations about body image and sources of popularity, normalization of risk-taking behaviors, and can be detrimental to mental health. Girls and young people who identify as sexual and gender minorities can be especially vulnerable as targets. Young people’s brains are still developing, and as individuals, young people are developing their own identities. What they see on social media can define what is expected in ways that is not accurate and that can be destructive to identity development and self-image. Adolescence is a time of risk-taking, which is both a strength and a vulnerability. Social media can exacerbate risks, as we have seen played out in the news. 

Although there are important benefits, social media can also provide platforms for bullying and exclusion, unrealistic expectations about body image and sources of popularity, normalization of risk-taking behaviors, and can be detrimental to mental health. – Claude Mellins

Glasofer : For those vulnerable to developing an eating disorder, social media may be especially unhelpful because it allows people to easily compare their appearance to their friends, to celebrities, even older images of themselves. Research tells us that how much someone engages with photo-related activities like posting and sharing photos on Facebook or Instagram is associated with less body acceptance and more obsessing about appearance. For adolescent girls in particular, the more time they spend on social media directly relates to how much they absorb the idea that being thin is ideal, are driven to try to become thin, and/or overly scrutinize their own bodies. Also, if someone is vulnerable to an eating disorder, they may be especially attracted to seeking out unhelpful information—which is all too easy to find on social media.

Are there any upsides to social media?

Mellins : For young people, social media provides a platform to help them figure out who they are. For very shy or introverted young people, it can be a way to meet others with similar interests. During the pandemic, social media made it possible for people to connect in ways when in-person socialization was not possible.  Social support and socializing are critical influences on coping and resilience. Friends we couldn’t see in person were available online and allowed us important points of connection. On the other hand, fewer opportunities for in-person interactions with friends and family meant less of a real-world check on some of the negative influences of social media.

Whether it’s social media or in person, a good peer group makes the difference. A group of friends that connects over shared interests like art or music, and is balanced in their outlook on eating and appearance, is a positive. – Deborah Glasofer

Glasofer : Whether it’s social media or in person, a good peer group makes the difference. A group of friends that connects over shared interests like art or music, and is balanced in their outlook on eating and appearance, is a positive. In fact, a good peer group online may be protective against negative in-person influences. For those with a history of eating disorders, there are body-positive and recovery groups on social media. Some people find these groups to be supportive; for others, it’s more beneficial to move on and pursue other interests.

Is there a healthy way to be on social media?

Mellins : If you feel social media is a negative experience, you might need a break. Disengaging with social media permanently is more difficult­—especially for young people. These platforms are powerful tools for connecting and staying up-to-date with friends and family. Social events, too. If you’re not on social media then you’re reliant on your friends to reach out to you personally, which doesn’t always happen. It’s complicated.

Glasofer : When you find yourself feeling badly about yourself in relation to what other people are posting about themselves, then social media is not doing you any favors. If there is anything on social media that is negatively affecting your actions or your choices­—for example, if you’re starting to eat restrictively or exercise excessively—then it’s time to reassess. Parents should check-in with their kids about their lives on social media. In general, I recommend limiting social media— creating boundaries that are reasonable and work for you—so you can be present with people in your life. I also recommend social media vacations. It’s good to take the time to notice the difference between the virtual world and the real world.

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Regions & Countries

2. views of social media and its impacts on society.

When asked whether social media is a good or bad thing for democracy in their country, a median of 57% across 19 countries say that it is a good thing. In almost every country, close to half or more say this, with the sentiment most common in Singapore, where roughly three-quarters believe social media is a good thing for democracy in their country. However, in the Netherlands and France, about four-in-ten agree. And in the U.S., only around a third think social media is positive for democracy – the smallest share among all 19 countries surveyed.

In eight countries, those who believe that the political system in their country allows them to have an influence on politics are also more likely to say that social media is a good thing for democracy. This gap is most evident in Belgium, where 62% of those who feel their political system allows them to have a say in politics also say that social media is a good thing for democracy in their country, compared with 44% among those who say that their political system does not allow them much influence on politics.

Those who view the spread of false information online as a major threat to their country are less likely to say that social media is a good thing for democracy, compared with those who view the spread of misinformation online as either a minor threat or not a threat at all. This is most clearly observed in the Netherlands, where only four-in-ten (39%) among those who see the spread of false information online as a major threat say that social media has been a good thing for democracy in their country, as opposed to the nearly six-in-ten (57%) among those who do not consider the spread of misinformation online to be a threat who say the same. This pattern is evident in eight other countries as well.

Views also vary by age. Older adults in 12 countries are less likely to say that social media is a good thing for democracy in their country when compared to their younger counterparts. In Japan, France, Israel, Hungary, the UK and Australia, the gap between the youngest and oldest age groups is at least 20 percentage points and ranges as high as 41 points in Poland, where nearly nine-in-ten (87%) younger adults say that social media has been a good thing for democracy in the country and only 46% of adults over 50 say the same.

The perceived impacts of the internet and social media on society

The publics surveyed believe the internet and social media are affecting societies. Across the six issues tested, few tend to say they see no changes due to increased connectivity – instead seeing things changing both positively and negatively – and often both at the same time. 

A median of 84% say technological connectivity has made people easier to manipulate with false information and rumors – the most among the six issues tested. Despite this, medians of 73% describe people being more informed about both current events in other countries and about events in their own country. Indeed, in most countries, those who think social media has made it easier to manipulate people with misinformation and rumors are also more likely to think that social media has made people more informed.

When it comes to politics, the internet and social media are generally seen as disruptive, with a median of 65% saying that people are now more divided in their political opinions. Some of this may be due to the sense – shared by a median of 44% across the 19 countries – that access to the internet and social media has led people to be less civil in the way they talk about politics. Despite this, slightly more people (a median of 45%) still say connectivity has made people more accepting of people from different ethnic groups, religions and races than say it has made people less accepting (22%) or had no effect (29%). 

There is widespread concern over misinformation – and a sense that people are more susceptible to manipulation

Previously reported results indicate that a median of 70% across the 19 countries surveyed believe that the spread of false information online is a major threat to their country. In places like Canada, Germany and Malaysia, more people name this as a threat than say the same of any of the other issues asked about. 

This sense of threat is related to the widespread belief that people today are now easier to manipulate with false information and rumors thanks to the internet and social media. Around half or more in every country surveyed shares this view. And in places like the Netherlands, Australia and the UK, around nine-in-ten see people as more manipulable.

In many places, younger people – who tend to be more likely to use social media (for more on usage, see Chapter 3 ) – are also more likely to say it makes people easier to manipulate with false information and rumors. For example, in South Korea, 90% of those under age 30 say social media makes people easier to manipulate, compared with 65% of those 50 and older. (Interestingly, U.S.-focused research has found older adults are more likely to share misinformation than younger ones.) People with more education are also often more likely than those with less education to say that social media has led to people being easier to manipulate.

In 2018, when Pew Research Center asked a similar question about whether access to mobile phones, the internet and social media has made people easier to manipulate with false information and rumors, the results were largely similar. Across the 11 emerging economies surveyed as part of that project , at least half in every country thought this was the case and in many places, around three-quarters or more saw this as an issue. Large shares in many places were also specifically concerned that people in their country might be manipulated by domestic politicians. For more on how the two surveys compare, see “ In advanced and emerging economies, similar views on how social media affects democracy and society .”

Spotlight on the U.S.: Attitudes and experiences with misinformation

Misinformation has long been seen as a source of concern for Americans. In 2016 , for example, in the wake of the U.S. presidential election, 64% of U.S. adults thought completely made-up news had caused a great deal of confusion about the basic facts of current events. At the time, around a third felt that they often encountered political news online that was completely made up and another half said they often encountered news that was not fully accurate. Moreover, about a quarter (23%) said they had shared such stories – whether knowingly or not.

When asked in 2019 who was the cause of made-up news, Americans largely singled out two groups of people: political leaders (57%) and activists (53%). Fewer placed blame on journalists (36%), foreign actors (35%) or the public (26%). A large majority of Americans that year (82%) also described themselves as either “very” or “somewhat” concerned about the potential impact of made-up news on the 2020 presidential election. People who followed political and election news more closely and those with higher levels of political knowledge also tended to be more concerned.

Among adult American Twitter users in 2021, in particular, there was widespread concern about misinformation: 53% said inaccurate or misleading information is a major problem on the platform and 33% reported seeing a lot of that type of content when using the site. 

As of 2021 , around half (48%) of Americans thought the government should take steps to restrict false information, even if it meant losing freedom to access and publish content – a share that had increased somewhat substantially since 2018, when 39% felt the same.

Most say people are more informed about current events – foreign and domestic – thanks to social media and the internet

A majority in every country surveyed thinks that access to the internet and social media has made people in their country more informed about domestic current events. In Sweden, Japan, Greece and the Netherlands, around eight-in-ten or more share this view, while in Malaysia, a smaller majority (56%) says the same.

Younger adults tend to see social media making people more informed than older adults do. Older adults, for their part, don’t necessarily see the internet and social media making people less informed about what’s happening in their country; rather, they’re somewhat more likely to describe these platforms as having little effect on people’s information levels. In the case of the U.S., for example, 71% of adults under 30 say social media has made people more informed about current events in the U.S., compared with 60% of those ages 50 and older. But those ages 50 and older are about twice as likely to say social media has not had much impact on how informed people are compared with those under 30: 19% vs. 11%, respectively.

In seven of the surveyed countries, people with higher levels of education are more likely than those with lower levels to see social media informing the public on current events in their own country.

Majorities in every country also agree that the internet and social media are making people more informed about current events happening in other countries. The two questions are extremely highly correlated ( r = 0.94), meaning that in most places where people say social media is making people more informed about domestic events, they also say the same of international events. (See the topline for detailed results for both questions, by country.)

In the 2018 survey of emerging economies , results of a slightly different question also found that a majority in every country – and around seven-in-ten or more in most places – said people were more informed thanks to social media, the internet and smartphones, rather than less. 

In some countries, those who think social media has made it easier to manipulate people with misinformation and rumors are also more likely to think that social media has made people more informed. This finding, too, was similar in the 2018 11-country study of emerging economies: Generally speaking, individuals who are most attuned to the potential benefits technology can bring to the political domain are also the ones most anxious about the possible harms. 

Spotlight on the U.S.: Social media use and news consumption

In the U.S. , around half of adults say they either get news often (17%) or sometimes (33%) from social media. When it comes to where Americans regularly get news on social media, Facebook outpaces all other social media sites. Roughly a third of U.S. adults (31%) say they regularly get news from Facebook. While Twitter is only used by about three-in-ten U.S. adults (27%), about half of its users (53%) turn to the site to regularly get news there. And a quarter of U.S. adults regularly get news from YouTube, while smaller shares get news from Instagram (13%), TikTok (10%) or Reddit (8%). Notably, TikTok has seen rapid growth as a source of news among younger Americans in recent years.

On several social media sites asked about, adults under 30 make up the largest share of those who regularly get news on the site. For example, half or more of regular news consumers on Snapchat (67%), TikTok (52%) or Reddit (50%) are ages 18 to 29. 

While this survey finds that 64% of Americans think the public has become more informed thanks to social media, results of Center analyses do show that Americans who mainly got election and political information on social media during the 2020 election were less knowledgeable and less engaged than those who primarily got their news through other methods (like cable TV, print, etc.).

Majorities or pluralities tend to see social media leading to more political divisions

Around half or more in almost every country surveyed think social media has made people more divided in their political opinions. The U.S., South Korea and the Netherlands are particularly likely to hold this view. As a separate analysis shows, the former two also stand out for being the countries where people are most likely to report conflicts between people who support different political parties . While perceived political division in the Netherlands is somewhat lower, it, too, stands apart: Between 2021 and 2022, the share who said there were conflicts increased by 23 percentage points – among the highest year-on-year shifts evident in the survey.

More broadly, across each of the countries surveyed, people who see social division between people who support different political parties, are, in general, more likely to see social media leading people to be more divided in their political opinions.

In a number of countries, younger people are somewhat more likely to see social media enlarging political differences than older people. More educated people, too, often see social media exacerbating political divisions more than those with less education. 

Similarly, in the survey of 11 emerging economies conducted in 2018, results of a slightly different question indicated that around four-in-ten or more in every country – and a majority in most places – thought social media had made people more divided.

Publics diverge over whether social media has made people more accepting of differences

There is less consensus over what role social media has played when it comes to tolerance: A 19-country median of 45% say it has made people more accepting of people from different ethnic backgrounds, religions and races, while a median of 22% say it has made them less so, and 29% say that it has not had much impact either way.

South Korea, Singapore, Italy and Japan are the most likely to see social media making people more tolerant. On the flip side, the Netherlands and Hungary stand out as the two countries where a plurality says the internet and social media have made people less accepting of people with racial or religious differences. Most other societies are somewhat divided, as in the case of the U.S., where around a third of the public falls into each of the three groups.

Younger people are more likely than older ones in most countries to say that social media has increased tolerance. This is the case, for example, in Canada, where 54% of adults under 30 say social media has contributed to people being more accepting of people from different ethnic groups, religions and races, compared with a third of those ages 50 and older. In some places – and in Canada – older people are more likely to see social media leading to less tolerance, though in other places, older people are simply less likely to see much impact from the technology.

In most countries, people who see social media leading to more divisions between people with different political opinions are more likely to say social media has made people less accepting of those racially and religiously different from them than those who say social media is having no effect on political division. People who see more conflicts between partisans in their society are also more likely than those who see fewer divisions to place some of the blame on social media, describing it as making people less accepting of differences.  

Results of an analysis of the 11-country poll did find that people who used smartphones and social media were more likely to regularly interact with people from diverse backgrounds – though the question did not ask about acceptance , just about interactions. The publics in these emerging economies were also somewhat divided when it came to their opinions on how social media has led to people being more or less accepting of those with different viewpoints.

Mixed views on whether social media has made people discuss politics civilly

Across the countries surveyed, a median of 46% say access to the internet and social media has made people less civil when they talk about politics. This is more than the 23% who say it has made them more civil – though a median of 26% see little impact either way.

In the U.S., the Netherlands and Australia, a majority sees the internet and social media making people less civil. Roughly seven-in-ten Americans say this. Singapore stands out as the only country where around half see these technologies increasing civility. All other countries surveyed are somewhat divided.

People with higher levels of education tend to see less civility thanks to social media relative to those with lower levels of education.

In most places surveyed, those who think social media has made people more divided politically, compared with those who say it has had no impact on divisions, are also more likely to say social media has made people less civil in how they talk about politics.

Majorities view social media as a way to raise awareness among the public and elected officials

Across advanced economies, people generally recognize social media as useful for bringing the public’s and elected officials’ attention to certain issues, for changing people’s minds and for influencing policy choices. A median of 77% across the 19 countries surveyed say social media is an effective way to raise public awareness about sociopolitical issues. Those in the UK are particularly optimistic about social media as a way of bringing public attention to a topic, with about nine-in-ten holding this belief. People in France and Belgium are the least convinced about social media’s role in raising public awareness, but majorities in both countries still say it’s effective for highlighting certain issues among the public.

Many also consider social media effective for changing people’s minds on social or political issues (65% median). Confidence in social media’s effect on changing people’s minds is strongest in South Korea, Singapore and Malaysia. Germans, Belgians, Israelis and French adults are more skeptical, with no more than about half seeing social media as effective for changing people’s minds on sociopolitical issues.

Views on social media as a way to bring the attention of elected officials to certain issues are similar. A median of 64% consider social media effective for directing elected officials’ attention to issues, and this view is especially prevalent in South Korea, Singapore and Malaysia. People in Belgium, Hungary and France are less convinced.

Somewhat fewer consider social media effective for influencing policy decisions (61% median). Israelis are particularly doubtful of social media as a way for affecting policy change: A majority of Israelis say social media is an ineffective way of influencing policy decisions, and about half in France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany agree. About a fifth in Poland also did not provide an answer.

An additional question was asked in the U.S. about social media’s role in creating sustained social movements; roughly seven-in-ten Americans say social media is effective for this. Younger Americans, as well as those with more education or higher incomes, are more likely than others to hold this view. Social media users and those who say social media has been generally good for U.S. democracy are also more likely to believe social media is effective at creating sustained social movements.

Age plays a role in how people in many of the 19 nations surveyed view social media’s role in public discourse. Those ages 18 to 29 are especially likely to see social media as effective for raising public awareness. For example, in France, 70% of those ages 18 to 29 see social media as an effective way of raising public awareness. Only 48% of those 50 and older share this view, a difference of 22 percentage points.

Similarly, younger adults are also more likely to consider social media an effective way for changing people’s minds on issues. The difference is greatest in Poland and Germany, where younger adults are 24 points more likely than their older counterparts to see social media this way. There are fewer differences between younger and older adults when it comes to social media’s effectiveness for directing elected officials’ attention and influencing policy decisions. Younger adults are also generally more likely to be social media users and provide answers to these questions.

Education and income are other demographic characteristics related to people’s view of social media as a way to influence public discourse. In 11 countries, those with incomes higher than the median income are more likely than those with lower incomes to consider social media effective for raising public awareness about sociopolitical issues. Those with more education are similarly more likely to consider social media effective for elevating sociopolitical issues in the public consciousness in eight countries. People with lower levels of education and income are somewhat less likely than others to provide answers to questions about social media’s effectiveness for influencing policies, changing minds and bringing attention to issues.

Social media usage is also connected to how people evaluate these platforms as a way to affect public discourse and policy choices. In nearly all countries, social media users are more likely than those who are not on social media to say social media is effective for raising public awareness, and social media users are also more likely to consider social media useful for changing people’s minds in 11 of 19 countries. The differences are greatest in Israel in both cases. Israeli social media users are 47 points more likely than non-users to say social media is effective for raising awareness and 38 points more likely to consider it effective for changing people’s minds on sociopolitical issues. Different views between social media users and non-users are less common when it comes to social media as an effective way for bringing elected officials’ attention to issues or influencing policy decisions. Social media users are also more likely than non-users to answer these questions.

Among social media users, those who are more active are more likely to consider social media an effective avenue for shaping people’s views and attention. Those who post about political or social issues at least sometimes on social media have a greater chance of seeing social media as effective for raising awareness for sociopolitical issues than those who post rarely or never in 16 countries. For example, in Spain, 84% of social media users who post sometimes or often see social media as an effective way to bring awareness to issues, compared to 71% of users who never or rarely post. Similarly, social media users who post more frequently are more likely to see social media as effective for changing minds in 13 countries, for influencing policy decisions in 15 countries, and bringing elected officials’ attention to issues in 12 nations.

People’s views of social media as a way to spread awareness or affect change are additionally related to how they see democracy. The beliefs that social media is effective for influencing policy decisions and for bringing issues to the attention of elected officials or the public are especially common among people who also believe they have a say in politics. For example, in Germany, 60% of people who say people like them have at least a fair amount of influence on politics also say social media is effective for affecting policy choices. In comparison, 43% of Germans who do not think they have a say in politics also think social media can influence policy decisions.

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About Pew Research Center Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts .

Does Social Media Do More Harm Than Good for Society?

Social media has both positive and negative effects on society. But is it doing more harm than good?

Media has always had the power to influence our society, but it wasn't until the social media boom that we saw it on this scale and magnitude. While it has the potential for good, social media has been also been harmful to society because of how we use it.

Here's how social media is harming our mental health, self-image, communication skills, and society at large—potentially causing more harm than good overall.

Social Media Can Lead to Depression, Anxiety, and Loneliness

The uncontrollable urge to share everyday life with others on social media is starting to have long-term effects. Studies have shown that increased use of social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok is leading to depression, anxiety, and loneliness.

The COVID-19 pandemic not only pushed more people to the platforms but also caused people to spend unusual amounts of time cruising their feeds. According to Statista , as of 2022, people spend an average of 147 minutes on social media daily. That's more than two hours.

More importantly, science has found that social media can make you sad . Social media platforms have become aware of how to manipulate your brain's reward response to increase engagement and time spent on apps. When you receive positive feedback on a post you made or a picture you uploaded, it releases endorphins. This is what keeps people on the platforms for hours. But it can also lead to increased feelings of anxiety, depression, and loneliness.

Casinos use the same types of tactics to get people to spend more time, and money, on their business. Giving out small wins to keep people coming back but never being able to fulfill their needs. If everyone had a full understanding of this concept, it could lead to healthier social media habits. Problem is, not very many people know how to create a healthy balance.

Communication on Social Media Has a Dark Side

While not everyone on the internet has a hard time communicating in real life, there is still a good portion of introverts who have an easier time talking online. Social media makes it easier for those people to connect with others and learn social cues that could have been missed. This can be especially helpful for people who live in smaller towns and have a deep desire to broaden their horizons.

While you can't exactly remain anonymous on social media without creating a fake profile, you can create a whole new persona. This can help people who have a hard time socializing to break out of their shells.

Where social media has gotten into trouble is when these personas get pulled to the dark side. According to Help Guide , about 10 percent of teens report being bullied on social media, and even more claim they have been the recipient of offensive remarks. Being on the receiving end can lead to lower self-esteem and self-image.

It's also hard to express clear and concise communication when only using a keyboard. Language gets lost in translation without more communication clues to give context, like body language. What could have been intended as an innocent remark could be taken personally. This could lead to an argument that could have been avoided if it had been made in person.

Communication on social media still has some maturing to do before it becomes a force for good.

Social Media's Divisive Effect

At no other time in the history of the world has it been easier to connect with someone from around the world as it is today. Social media has had a large part in getting more people in contact with each other. These connections have fostered a whole world of communities that wouldn't have existed without the invention of the internet and social media. To be fair, social media has some positive effects on society .

But at the same time, the ease of finding like-minded people through social media has shown to be just as dangerous as it has been positive. Since its inception, the public has become increasingly aware of just what types of groups were forming in the dark corners of social media. Groups that would threaten the well-being of others were allowed to assemble online.

The 2016 election was controversial for the use of foreign interference through Facebook ads to swing the opinions of the public. The continued disparity between political opinions is a big reason why Americans feel social media is doing more harm than good these days.

The power of social media to influence entire nations has come under the microscope with recent events and other forms of media, like movies. Documentaries like The Social Dilemma have shown exactly what kind of manipulation social media is capable of.

Our dependence on social media is causing large consequences on how we live our lives. Although, the same could potentially be said about any form of media. The only difference is the scale that social media operates on and the instantaneous effect of that power. As a result, we face a dilemma of disinformation, social division spurred by bad-faith actors, and massive influence campaigns driven by social media.

Self-Image Suffers Due to Social Media

We have all gone through periods of comparing ourselves to others, whether it be in school or work. Social media has taken that concept to a whole other level by putting the haves and the have-nots front and center. What started as an honest way to connect with like-minded communities and friends has become a way to sell and buy happiness. Social media has, essentially, turned into a marketing platform.

Facebook, Instagram, and even LinkedIn have all drastically reduced the organic reach of posts with algorithmic timelines. This means fewer and fewer people get to see what you post unless you want to pay for advertising. Only a handful of people, known as influencers, have a massive audience.

And many of them have financial reasons for their posts. They sell products by filling their social feeds with good experiences and amazing places. This leads to a majority of people on the platform trying to make their lives seem just as good. That, in turn, can lead to severe loneliness and pressure from always comparing your life to others without knowing the context behind the pictures.

The Future of Social Media in Society

Social media, in and of itself, is not bad or harmful to society. What makes it harmful is how we use it and how we feel about ourselves while using it.

Right now, that pendulum is swinging in the wrong direction, but all it takes is enough people choosing to use it for the right reasons.