Like everything in life, social media comes with its thorns and roses; in this context, the thorns outshine the beauty of the roses. The risks are clear. Selective content and misinformation hinder our abilities to formulate well-informed opinions, and excessive use of social media affects our mental and cognitive abilities; all of which leaves us vulnerable to propaganda.

   Social media strips our humanity. The true impact social media has on users may not always be presently felt in the moment. An article by a reporter from National Public Radio [NPR] stated, “…while externally it looks like nothing is happening internally, the dopamine is flowing and we are just thinking, my God, we’re feeling outrage, we’re feeling excitement, we’re feeling humor, we’re feeling all sorts of things” (npr.org).

   Too much of anything is not good for you. Too much water decreases the electrolytes in your body. Too much exercise results in intense fatigue. Too much studying causes mental overload. Too much social media exposes you to and desensitizes you to the atrocities of the world. When your feed combines death, silly cat videos, and movie reviews, your brain loses the differentiation and begins to view them all as one and the same, according to a study published in PubMed Central (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov). That is not to say that playful content is negative, but when a balance between content and a limit to the use is absent, the dangers of social media become apparent.

   Historically, loudspeakers and posters were used as propaganda to elucidate euphoria and shape public opinion, limiting people’s ability to think for themselves. Social media acts in the same manner as people are able to tap into networks where thousands and even millions of people share similar ideas or opinions. This can be very powerful with both positive and negative results. A popular phrase, often attributed to Mark Twain but more likely  connected to an older proverb, perfectly depicts this concept: “A lie travels the world before the truth puts its pants on.”

   Social media use is not only detrimental to society at large, but it is also destructive to a person’s mental health and well-being. According to UC Davis Health, “The addictive nature of social media activates the brain’s reward center by releasing dopamine. This is a “feel-good chemical” linked to pleasurable activities. When we post something, our friends and family can “like” it, giving us a boost of dopamine. However, when we don’t get that boost or approval, it can impact our sense of self and adequacy” (health.ucdavis.edu).

   According to the World Health Organization, a “Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC)” study found that, “More than 1 in 10 adolescents (11 percent) showed signs of problematic social media behaviour, struggling to control their use and experiencing negative consequences” (who.int). Addictive tendencies are expected when a person is constantly being suffocated by dopamine and infinite information. When one’s brain always believes something entertaining and new will come after the next scroll, it leaves a person in a subconscious trance.

   Supporters of social media use claim that social media is simply a tool for connection and the exchange of information. While social media contributes greatly to global awareness, it is important to recognize that every person’s algorithm is catered to the beliefs that they support. If a person is constantly interacting with content about a certain topic, their feed will be curated to that topic. Someone will feel an inclination to resort to social media use if they know it will validate their beliefs. If every time you opened Instagram, you saw videos of people who hold different beliefs from you, you would probably be more likely to spend less time on the app. According to Harvard Law, “…[American legal scholar] Cass R. Sunstein argues that social media curation dramatically limits exposure to views and information that don’t align with [a person’s] already-established beliefs, which makes it harder and harder to find an essential component of democracy — common ground” (hls.harvard.edu).

   Our phones, which we created with our own hands, and all that they entail, have become tools that are contributing to the struggles of our society. This is not the first, and it will not be the last time that we allow ourselves to be injured and destroyed by our very own inventions and advancements.