The Analysis of the Social Media - Research Paper Example

CYBERBULLYING: An Outcome of Social Media Due INTRODUCTION We live in a modern world where information comes as fast as the blink of an eye and the click of a button. From the communication freedom offered by cell phones and the efficiency of email messages, there is nothing that has become a faster and more all consuming trend than social media. There are a number of sites that fall under that category; some of the most popular would be MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter. These are just a few, there are many more. Just about everyone have an account and a profile on one of these sites. For the most part it is a fun, fast, and simple way to communicate jokes, photographs, it can help families and friends separated by great distances to keep in-touch in ways that was not always possible in the past; unfortunately, the effects of social media are not entirely positive. In fact, there are some negative side-effects of our modern social media obsessed society today, which includes, issues of privacy, hacking and “witch-hunting,” as well as, other societal effects and concerns, However ,the predominant issue caused that has evolved on social media is cyberbullying. This unpleasant phenomenon is affecting 1000s upon 1000s of children in the United States and all over the world. The nature and trends in today’s social media facilitates cyberbullying and effective changes must be made. HISTORY Social media was intended to be entertainment and was established as an opportunity to communicate with friends and family far away, make new friends in other states, and all over the world. Unfortunately while many may approach social media sites with reserve and responsibility as an entertainment form, that behavior is not universal. However, the side effects of social media’s potential positives are becoming more and more serious. People are becoming too involved with the “cyber” life and less involved in their actual lives. Addiction to technology and social media is being acknowledged and those instances appear to be increasing. The excessive or overuse of technology, like social media, can have some serious psychological, social, and even physical repercussions. However, as cyberbullying began to manifest all too often on internet sites the dangers of social media began to effect the youth in horrific ways (The Movement Against Bullying). Cyber bullying is the direct offspring of social media. Bullying, unfortunately, is a long-lived reality of children, tweens, and teens throughout their years of schooling. These instances can be horrific for the victims, embarrassing, hurtful, and, sometimes, physically damaging. However, the light at the end of the tunnel for schoolyard bullying was that these victims would go home at the end of the school day and could escape the teasing, name calling, and physical abuses. However, social media has allowed the bullies to leave the schoolyard and locker rooms and follow the victims to their homes, into their bedrooms, and right on their social media sites where the world can see them. This inescapable nature is how social media is exacerbating an already traumatic and psychology damaging event like bullying. The consequences are unbelievably serious and the behavior must be stopped because it is costing many young people their lives (Patchin & Hinduja 615-616). DISCUSSION Amanda Todd age 16, Tyler Clementi age 19, Jessica Logan age 18, Megan Meier age 14, Ryan Halligan age 14, and Hope Witsell age 13 are all differing ages, genders, and lived in different places. So what do they all have in common? All of these individuals are dead (The Movement Against Bullying). Each and everyone found themselves being cyberbullied for different reasons; the experiences were so bad that these teens simply could no longer take the continuous and inescapable abuse and took their own lives. It was not until after their deaths that the nature of the offensive emails, instant messages, and social media posts detailing the kind of comments that were used to victimize these teens. Some of the messages were mocking of their appearances, teasing them for their shortcomings academically, and one message stated boldly. “…the world would be a better place without you.” (The Movement Against Bullying). Unfortunately, these teens came to a point where they believed that those words may be true. Many people are questioning if this cyberbullying is such a serious and, potentially, life threatening extremes then why is not more being done to intercede, intervene, or eliminate the opportunities for bullies to commit the abuses online? The problem is not as easy as stopping cyberbullying. Again cyberbullying is a child of this social media age; but it is the developed attitudes, behaviors, and perspective on social media and overall technology use that has allowed cyberbullying to increase and remain unaddressed (Ahn 1444). First it is important to acknowledge that social media is having some very negative effects on the overall attitudes, behaviors, and psychological health, including privacy issues, the oversimplification of communication, crating superficial relationships, and loss of sensitivity and empathy for what is going on within social media and within the real world. Privacy Social media encourages people to place a lot of personal data, likes and dislikes, favorite places, and closest friends on a forum that is often available to strangers. We also are much more likely to “friend” an acquaintance and allow them more access to our personal lives than most people would have ever have done in the past. We hear people say all the time that all that once something is on the internet it is forever; it’s like a digital tattoo; you better be comfortable with everybody knowing about it and its meaning to you. The issues of privacy do not just extend to frivolous “friending” but, also, to the possibility of invasions of your privacy in illegal ways (Schullich 5-6). “Hacking” is the infamous term to define the illegal activities of individuals using computer technology and programming to invade people’s personal accounts, steal their identities, and have access to your personal life, like your location. There have been a number of people whose homes were robbed because their Facebook page identified that she was not at home and would be gone for several days. “Witch-hunting” “Witch-hunting” in the modern “cyber” definition is essentially the stalking of an individual by other individuals or groups using the internet to defame and diminish their character or criticize their behaviors and actions. Sadly, there are far too many pedophiles, for example, living in neighborhoods where their sex-offender status is known. Online Witch-hunts would detail his crime to people he knows, warning people away, and telling the world whatever his crimes might have been. No one is condoning the behaviors of dangerous pedophiles, but witch-hunting them could result in vigilante and mob violence which is also equally illegal. It brings to mind the idea that “two wrongs do not make a right.” There is also the consideration that if such a “witch-hunt” is levied against the wrong person or inaccurate information, this could lead to labeling and branding them on the internet forever as something or having done something they have not done (Ahn 1444). This could ruin someone’s life and could be little more than a matter of mistaken identity, perhaps. Social Issues These are just some of the more tangible negative side effects of the “Social Media Society” that we currently live in. There are, also, experts who believe that social media trends are making people more competitive and it is creating extremely shallow relationships that are based on superficial things. For example, people are sometimes competitive with friends and family; the competitions are not always the most appropriate and positive in nature (Ahn 1443). For example, many teen girls are convinced that they need to post the “sexiest” self picture on the site; this could easily encourage girls to compete by being more and more “sexy” than the underage teen before them. This is not the definition of healthy competition. We already discussed that the term friend in the era of Facebook does not mean the same as it once did. This time spent can become addictive and incredibly damaging to self-esteem ( Kuss & Griffiths 3528 ). We “friend” people on social media sight unseen because they like the same movies, reality shows, and musicians; the quality of that relationship will then be determined by social media norms and etiquette-how often do these “friends” post or “like” on the things I post. The latter is how Facebook friendships are essentially defined in the modern era. Of course this, also, brings up one final consideration; when you “friend” someone via social media, you have absolutely no idea if they are who they claim to be and if the picture they share is truly their own. Many people are not above that kind misuses and abuses that social media is, apparently, encouraging. The final social concern of the continuous and avid use of social media involves the idea that social media encourages diversity among users. That is, generally, not the case. In fact, most social media users prefer to friend people who share their ideas, beliefs, and sense of humor and avoid “friending”’ people who are not “like them.” This is hardly conducive with promoting diversity. Desensitization of the Individual We treat social media, very often, like our own personal “reality” show; we post our acts and days events so that others can read it and comment. When we see post that are nasty, hurtful, or distasteful, most people’s will not comment or admonish such behaviors; more often than not people laugh at the unpleasantness that happens to others. This is making people, particularly children, far less sympathetic and empathetic to the plight of others. People’s real-life issues and experiences become part of the greater show of social media. It creates a kind of “social selfishness,” which is slowly crippling their emotional and interpersonal communications (Chandra 1). Cyberbullying is a product of all of the negative side-effects. As we become more and more desensitized to the abuse of others, be it physical or verbal, we become blinded to affect that negative posts and insults can affect the victims. (Patchin & Hinduja 615-616). Many bullies favor the online environment, due to its lack of face-to-face accountability this can be true of children, teens, and, disappointingly, adults as well (Ahn 1443). Most people today are aware that whatever words, pictures, and information that you place on the internet is permanently on the internet. However, many young people do not. When those pictures are embarrassing the bullies can post and repost for the entire world to see. That can be incredibly psychologically damaging to the victims. It is the victims that are often overlooked until they take the shocking and saddening step to end their own lives. ISSUES If cyberbullying is to be decreased in a tangible and effective way it will require not only greater active responses to the acts of cyberbullying, but also a reevaluating of how we all perceive, interact, and relate to modern technology and all of the many social media sites that we all enjoy. People will have to remember that social media is a form of entertainment, not a substitute for or a way of life. They must not simply scroll by when they see cyberbullying happening right before their eyes. We must step back from the technology that we are so very dependent upon and remind ourselves that while technology has its value, it cannot replace authentic human interaction. This all sounds very attainable, however, people are harder to change than ever. So if people cannot or do not change the environment that allows cyberbullying to flourish then what can be done to prevent the current and future cyberbullying all over the world? SOLUTIONS There is the potential for solution. Greater attention must be focused on the problem from the bulk of media, not just online, but television, news media, and print stories that feature the nature of online bullying, how it is affecting the victims, and the ultimate acts that many of the victims were driven to. The masses must be reached. They must be encouraged to reevaluate their attitudes towards social media. However, not all of the solutions need come from the general public and social media users. There are also measures that social media sites could establish that might help turn the tables on cyberbullies. Many social media sites, like Facebook, offer a means to report instances of abuse, sexually inappropriate or explicit posts, and cyberbullying. However, if no one uses the option then Facebook remains ignorant to what is being posted or said (StopBullying.org). Social media needs to take some responsibility for the way it service is used. When it is used to cause harm, embarrassment, and harassment then there should be stronger repercussions, dependent of the nature of the offense, that can tangibly discourage and deter the users from even considering bullying. Social media should take an administrative stand and develop ways to safely and respectfully monitor and patrol for cyberbullying that may be occurring. Additionally, it would be incredibly beneficial for the government to establish some stronger laws and policies that address the problems of cyberbullying because of its very real, damaging, and potentially suicidal side effects. CONCLUSION Ultimately there is nothing wrong with engaging modern technologies or entertaining oneself with social media, however, it should never be perceived as relevant element in one’s day-to-day life; many are literally addicted to social media. Social media has the potential to bring people together and broaden horizons, but unfortunately it has not been successful in universally doing so. Social media is no different from any other popular activities and innovations; the key to benefitting from it is moderation. Social media should not be the first thing one thinks about when you wake up and the last before you go to sleep. Like most technology it is a tool. Social media is a modern entertainment tool, but when taken all too seriously it breeds more negative side effects that it does positive ones. WORK CITED Ahn, June. “The Effect of Social Network Sites on Adolescents’ Social and Academic Development: Current Theories and Controversies.” Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology. 62.8 (2011). 1433-1445. Web. 20 Apr. 2014 . Chandra, Ravi. "The Internet Makes You Stupid and Shallow." Psychology Today. 17 September 2012: 1. Web. 2 May. 2014. . Kuss, Daria J & Mark D. Griffiths. “Online Social Networking and Addiction—A Review of the Psychological Literature.” Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health. 8.9 (2011). 3528–3552. Web. 20 Apr. 2014 . Patchin, Justin W. & Sameer Hindunja. “Cyberbullying and Self-Esteem.” Journal of School Health. 80.2 (2010). 614-622. Web. 20 Apr 2014 . Schullich. Robert. “Risk Assessment of Social Media.” Sans Institute. (2011). 1-46. Web. 20 Apr 2014. . The Movement Against Bullying, . "Six Unforgettable Cyberbullying Cases." NO Bullying. NoBullying.com, n.d. Web. 2 May 2014. . StopBullying.org, . "Abuse Reporting Page at Facebook." StpBullying.org. Wind Safety, n.d. Web. 2 May 2014. . Read More