Beyond Likes & Lives: The Dark Side of Social Media & Its Impact on Our Lives 

0 It’s evident how social media has transformed our daily lives. Social media has evolved into a complete aspect of life, reshaping the ways people can connect with others who are thousands of kilometers away. It has brought about numerous positive changes, but, as the saying goes, there is always some negative in the positive. Contrary to their name, these social platforms have become unsocial battlegrounds. Not just that, they are denting our physical and mental health in ways beyond just screen time.  The Mental Health Toll As humans, it’s natural for us to compare ourselves to others. Many popular apps often highlight envy-inducing moments of luxury lifestyles, couples overromanticizing their relationships, or fitness freaks showing their toned bodies. The more we scroll through, the more likely some jealousy creeps in. And prolonged envy can contribute to feelings of depression. It’s easy to get carried away without acknowledging others’ struggles or realities. Divide and Manipulate While social media can cause divides, not all differences need to separate us. Personalized algorithms aiming to keep us glued may do more harm than good. Designed to engage by confirming our views, they risk trapping us in echo chambers where we only hear what we believe. Convenience can come with costs we don’t see at first. Getting hooked on having beliefs bolstered risks, making us defensive when others don’t echo back. True, violence to defend beliefs happens too rarely to define any group. Overall, though, constantly reinforcing “us vs. them” risks tension where understanding could thrive instead. Wildfire of Misinformation And, of course, one of the significant aspects that breeds hate is spreading misinformation. These days, the truth tends to be bent as a form of humor or even just the intention of causing controversy. Platforms like Twitter are the main grounds for this misinformation. The unchecked amount of these lies not only erodes trust in traditional institutions but also has consequences in the real world, like the denial of the existence of the disease during the global pandemic. Not to mention, a couple of words can go far, way farther than you can imagine. The Scroll Never Ends Of course, the addiction. You probably saw this section coming, and you aren’t wrong. Addiction is the main issue with social media; the colorful themes lock an average user in. Social media are all designed to keep a user scrolling, liking, sharing, commenting, and reposting on repeat. As a result, it leads to a disrupted sleep pattern, a lack of productivity, and, worse, a decline in social interactions in the real world, causing mental health issues. As we tread the internet world, all these issues should be considered, addressed, and avoided. Social media has had a negative influence on society, causing more harm than we would’ve ever expected. It’s best to educate those who cannot see these issues alone.