The Impact of Social Media Technology on Individuals - Essay Example

Science and Technology Social media has sneaked into the lives of the current world like no other science or technology investment in the recent past. The revolution in social media has completely changed the way we used to lead our lives in the past and today. Understanding the impact of these technologies is extremely important since it makes us deduce the negative and positive sides of the same[DrB12]. Social networks such as Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter can allow one to search, find, and connect with anyone; from a colleague in a neighboring cubicle to someone in a country one has never visited. Browsing these sites makes one feel connected to a much larger community. However, such an easy and casual connection in the internet can also have its pitfalls[RRa111]. The social media technology has immense psychological impact on individuals. The positive aspect of this entire experience lies on social media’s capability to connect several people together. The central part USP of social media such as Twitter and Facebook is their ability to connect the world across every nation, and this has brought a certain sense of joy to its users. One is capable of meeting old friends on Facebook, and be in touch with these people irrespective of where they are located makes it have a strong psychological impact on individuals[DrB12]. However, it has its detrimental side too. It is exciting to see a good number of adults and several teens wake up, and the first thing they do even before brushing their teeth is to log to twitter and Facebook. Facebook encourages idling, and this has made a number of people to get distracted completely from what they initially intended to do. It begins with two minutes of Facebook to two hours, and this may stretch to days. This addiction to social media sites has made some individuals become unaware of their time zones; thus, creating negative impacts on the mindsets of individuals. The prioritizing of these activities has led to misplaced priorities over vary many very important activities[Jun10]. The social media technology has also led to revolutionary impact. The prominent power of this technology is its ability to muster support for social causes within a short time. A good example is the unrest in the Arab world. This is one of the achievements of social media [Jun10]. Both Facebook and twitter have been used in galvanizing the dictator regime, as well as to remove it from office. The Tahrir Square uprising in Egypt is a perfect example of how social media played a significance role in the struggle for change. In as much as social media brought about the revolution; it triggered tension and fear among people as a result of the threats and posts that were being spread through it[RRa111]. So far, the biggest negative impact of social media technology revolves around the unfairness that they have intrinsically created on the private life of its users. These sites have encouraged many people to engage themselves and expose their private life to the public. This is because intimate details of their lives can be posted so easily. This is attributed to the fact that some users are likely to bypass the filters that they should employ when discussing their private lives. Worse still, the things that are posted remain available indefinitely for people all over the world to see. While the users of these sites are capable of controlling the number of people who see what they post, these limitations are forgotten, and leakage of information through friends is also possible. Social media has also led to cyber infidelity, and this is capable of destroying relationships. It enables people to connect and make new relationships with people all over the world. You can imagine waking up and finding out that your spouse has updated her Facebook status as single. People posting comments of this sad break up in your relationship can make one extremely miserable. This shows how relationships of this age have been made cheap by social media. Some surveys suggest that one break-up out of five in the United States of America is caused by Facebook. This research also says that 80% of divorce cases are handled using social media technology by lawyers. Additionally, there have been cases of flirty messages, photographs, and other personal information being shared on Facebook; this later leads to sexual chats[DrB12]. Social media technology also leads to the creation of cybercriminals and cyber bullies. Initially, it was set to create contacts with people, as well as build a healthy relationship among people in the society. However, it has been able to help cybercriminals acquire an opportunity to target their victims. There was an instance of a parent who instead of making phone calls, he kept updating his Facebook status regarding his son’s ill health. Someone read the status update and burgled their apartment during this time since he knew they were not at home[DrB12]. Crimes using social media have risen in recent times. These include; murder, rape, bullying, pedophilia, burglary, and assault. Teens are the most affected by this; some have fallen into the hands of sexual predators believing that they are in love after meeting each other online. There are biological impacts associated with social media. For instance, some social media users have faced severe health risks because they have reduced their face-to-face contact with people; thus, they have become addicted to a virtual world of relationships[Dan08]. They have become isolated. This has altered the way their genes work, as well as upsetting their immune response, function of arteries, hormonal levels, and their mental performance. Eventually, these conditions may lead to other conditions such as strokes, cancer, dementia, and heart diseases. The growth of social technology has resulted to several changes in the social and personal behavior of its users. It has become an essential way of communication and entertainment among adults and youth. Though it has begun to affect the daily activity of the normal life of its users, the popularity of this technology is not going to reduce in the near future. This makes it clear that everything that has its goodness also has its negative facets. However, the nefarious act of social media users discussed should be put into consideration. Works Cited DrB12: , (Das 222), RRa111: , (Ramli 646), DrB12: , (Das 223), Jun10: , (Ahn 23), Jun10: , (Ahn 24), RRa111: , (Ramli 645), DrB12: , (Das 225), DrB12: , (Das 228), Dan08: , (Solove), Read More