Social media has been around since the early 2000’s, and has affected almost every person, who doesn’t live under a rock, in some way. But the argument of whether the benefits of social media outweigh the problems of social media gets more controversial each day.

Some may argue that social media is the perfect way to stay connected with friends, family, and basically the entire world. It’s also the fastest way to spread information, as long as it’s not false or unreliable, which in this day and age is much too common. Social media can also help disarm social stigmas and empowers social change.

On the other hand, it can be a catalyst for hate groups and cyberbullying. There are also many mental health problems and brain disorders linked to social media.

It’s very clear that social media is here to stay, but is that a good thing?

The best things about social media are also the worst. One example of this is how fast information travels. Social media is commonly used to find the breaking news stories, as it is the fastest way to find anything out about anyone. But, with how fast information travels, a good portion of it isn’t true.

The spread of false information is dangerous to our society. Misinformation causes confusion, rumors and lies. This can ruin individual people’s lives, but on a bigger scale, more important subjects like politics and global warming can be put in jeopardy. Fake news can change one’s idea of a subject based on false information, ultimately changing one’s views or beliefs, based on a lie. 

The algorithm on social media apps is made to feed you exactly what you want to see. Because of this, your opinions will be based on what you see. This can be both good and bad. If you’re a political person, social media is a great way to empower social change. To spread hope and love, disarm social stigmas and educate people.

If the algorithm feeds you hateful content, you are likely to change your beliefs to align with what you’re being fed, true or not. This creates hate groups. Not only do hate groups attack certain groups of people based on preconceived notions, they also cause a negative atmosphere on social media platforms, creating a safe home for cyber bullying. According to StopBullying.gov, cyber bullying is a leading cause of teen suicide. 

Social media can be used to improve health benefits. It can increase motivation, keep people informed on healthcare and on your own personal awareness. But, social media is more commonly known for dumping on teens’ mental health. Social media is likely to factor in many disorders mostly in teenage years, depression, anxiety, and issues with self-esteem. The list goes on. Teenagers are impressionable so young,  Social media can do extreme damage to a teen’s mental, and maybe even physical well-being. 

It’s pretty clear that social media isn’t going away. Even if it’s 99% bad and 1% good, social media will still be here. It’s good for the economy. It’s ingrained into our everyday lives. The controversial “goods” and “bads” of social media, how information spreads, movements/hate groups, and effects on one’s well-being. Even if social media never goes away, it will never be solely good.