Lindsey Komson

Featured Image by Lisa Fotios

When social media was first invented, it was just a medium where people could share cool photos/interesting thoughts with their friends and family.

Back then, we could have never imagined where social media has brought us as a society today.

Media and technology in general have greatly evolved over the past two decades. But as tech evolved along with the human race, social media took on a whole new meaning. Instead of being a fun app or website, social media has become everything.

I’m part of Generation Z, the generation that had an early childhood without iPhones, but went through middle and high school learning how to integrate tech into everything we do. Generation Alpha, the age group below me, doesn’t know a life without phones, computers, tablets, and social media. To them, this is life.

Social media is no longer the place to share cool photos/interesting thoughts. It’s become a highlight reel – and to some, a way of life. If you’re doing something fun, make sure to pose perfectly for Instagram. If you’re at a party, take a selfie with all your friends to post on your Snapchat story. If you’re at Thanksgiving dinner with your entire family, upload 50 photos to Facebook so everyone can see.

Since platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, and TikTok have become solely highlight reels, it’s important to focus on its effect on mental health.

The #MySocialTruth website from the Center for Humane Technology illustrates the dangers and effects of social media use, especially in teens, by sharing quotes from those affected.

For example, a comment from 21-year-old Nathan states, “I felt so insecure about myself. My abilities, my looks, my roots, my potential. This is because I was comparing my life with people around me and people I saw on social media.”

Since social media has become such a highlight reel, people seem to only post pictures when they look their absolute best, creating the illusion that people look that way all the time. This creates pressure to viewers that they must look that way to feel validated, just like “likes” do on Instagram.

Other quotes on the #MySocialTruth site focus on validation, mental and physical health issues, decreased attention span, and social problems. These are just some of the many negative effects that social media has on society.

Obviously, I could end this post by saying “don’t believe everything you see on social media” or “social media is just a highlight reel.” But from a different angle – people who work in tech need to be aware of the potential dangers that exist before pushing it out into the world. I know there’s no way to predict the impact of an invention. But designers, developers, and the general public alike must be prepared to face the possible dangers that arise with new technology and be prepared to conquer them for the better of society.