Negative Effects Of Social Media Addiction

The Internet has been around for decades. With the creation of the Internet came the creation of social media. What is social media? Social media are websites and applications that enable users to create and share content or to participate in social networking (Oxford University Press, 2017). However, the use and effects of social media has been subject to debate for the past few years as it has both harmful and beneficial effects on us. I am of the opinion that, social media has brought about more harm than good due to a variety of reasons. Firstly, social media causes addiction. Social media has been discovered to be a highly addictive tool. Notifications cause the release of dopamine in your brain as you perceive it to be some form of validation

Social media may have its downsides however, I believe that if used in moderation, it can be beneficial. The thing is, many people do not realise that they spend excessive time on social media and waste their lives away glued to a screen. Hence, there is a need for governments around the world to address social media addiction more thoroughly and firmly. Netizens should also be educated on the matter of distinguishing fake news from real news and they ought to be more critical before trusting anything they view on social networking sites. We should not be moved by sensationalist articles rather, we should be cynical enough to doubt the authenticity of them. Social media corporations should also be clear about their privacy policy. Instead of merely giving personal information away, they should ask for the person 's consent on the matter so as to make things more ethical. As Simon Mainwaring has so aptly put, “Social media is not about the exploitation of technology but service to community”. If used correctly, we can reap the benefits of social