These days social networking platforms are the most frequently and commonly used means of communication. Be it adults or youth, each of us has at least one account on social networking platforms, if not more, and this has made it very easy for people to connect even they have not spoken to each other or seen each other for years. However, while on one hand, increased use of social media has brought a lot of benefits, on the other hand, some harmful effects have been affecting people as well as societies and deteriorated our society in several ways.
It would not be wrong to say that social media has given birth to a new debate when it comes to communication and expression. We see people connecting after years or decades on Facebook or Twitter, sharing their joys and sorrows, making announcements, and being with likeminded people, but, on the other hand, it has given rise to too much use of technology in our lives. Even when we are sitting in one room, we are together as each of us is busy in our respective smartphones. Youth, especially students, have been most affected by this social media wave, and it has bought a lot of change in the way the students learned, developed relationships, and made friends, and even made life decisions. Experts of a dissertation writing service have explored the effects of social media on the behavior of students and discussed here how social media has brought some positive as well as some negative changes among the young leaners of today.
A research was carried out that assessed students concerning the use of Facebook, one of the most popular and highly used social media platforms. The participants were high school students from levels 9 to 12, and it was observed that they used Facebook for communication, entertainment, sharing news, pictures, and songs. It was found the most of the students felt happy with the nice comments they received when they posted something, and it increased their confidence. What was most surprising was that students’ Facebook use showed narcissism, and it was the direct result of the comments they received. Their friends were most polite on social media and did not say anything bad on a public forum that increased their feelings of vanity and self-love.
It was also found that most of the students believe the news and the content that they see on Facebook as they do not watch any other news, or read newspapers. As the students are in their formative years, the impact on social media is doubled by the fact that they are affected by what they hear from their friends at school or what influences them. It is not a good sign because if their thoughts ideas are impressed by others who also do not have much information and knowledge, it is affecting their ability to learn and develop as mature adults with rational thoughts.
Students also face the problem of cyberbullying on social media; bullying is no longer restricted to schools or colleges, but it is also making its way through mobile devices and laptops even in the privacy of their homes, and this affects their mindset. Sites like Instagram or Snapchat give students a chance to express themselves but, it also leaves them exposed to comments and messages from others that might not be so kind or helpful and gives rise to online trolling that can be pretty distressing for young minds.
Students develop a lack of focus on their lives and studies when they get too much involved in social media. They think about nothing else but either playing games online or talking to their friends, and this can cause a dip in their grades and school performance. If parents and teachers are not careful and keep an eye on students, they will see students’ grade dropping and their overall performance affected too. Students have been found suffering from mental health issues due to too much use of social media.