The age of social media: a new world?
The twenty-first century has been marked by a significant digital transformation of our world, with social media cementing itself as an everyday part of our lives. Social media has fundamentally changed our lives, allowing us to instantaneously and conveniently connect with others and share information all across the world. However, it has led to a number of concerns emerging in societies. This article delves into the challenges posed by social media, highlighting its far-reaching negative consequences on society.
The proliferation of social media platforms in the twenty-first century has proven to be paradoxical, making humanity more interconnected while also creating unprecedented loneliness and isolation within societies. Social media can be a powerful tool for establishing social connections between individuals. This can be attributed to the instantaneous, convenient and frequent nature of social media which allows individuals to stay connected no matter where they may be (Seo et al., 2016, as cited in Koh et al. 2024). This social interaction, albeit on an online platform, is important as it results in improved well being, a sense of belonging (Mahapatra & Schatz, 2015, as cited in Koh et al. 2024) and a balanced lifestyle (Austin-McCain, 2017, as cited in Koh et al. 2024). However, these positives are overshadowed by several concerns, including the detrimental impact of social media on the mental health of young people (Karim et al., 2020; Seabrook et al., 2016, as cited in Koh et al., 2024). Social media can provide a platform for cyberbullying such as insults and offensive text messages to occur, creating to self-harm and suicidal feelings among teenagers (John et al., 2018, as cited in Keles, 2023). Furthermore, social media can lead to anxiety and depression from poor sleep due to checking social media late at night (Kelly et al., 2018, as cited in Seles, 2023). Thus, it is evident social media has many virtues and vices, demonstrating a significant need to educate young people about a healthy and appropriate use of social media.
Furthermore, the emergence of ‘echo chambers’ (Mahmoudi et al., 2024, p.9594) has been linked to increased political polarisation, and this has significant implications for democratic societies. Through using algorithms, tech giants and social media platforms collect behavioural data about users such as the time they spend on an individual website as well as what products and items they click on in order to personalise recommendations for users (Andrew and Baker, 2019). This can be a concern as users may be accidentally exposed to misinformation or extreme views on the topics they have been engaged in recently (Pathak et al., 2023). When users encounter fake news, algorithms can amplify these misinformed perspectives, reinforcing biases and creating “echo chambers” (Mahmoudi et al., 2024, p.9594). This narrowing of viewpoints undermines democratic discourse, as individuals are less likely to encounter diverse political perspectives, leading to more entrenched and extreme positions over time (Mahmoudi et al., 2024). Scientists, public health institutions and other government agencies are increasingly undermined by a lack of public trust in them thanks to misinformation and extremism, with some claiming the advent of a post-truth era (Stitzlein, 2023). In terms of the electoral consequences, this erosion of trust impairs voters' ability to access impartial, evidence-based information needed for informed electoral decisions (Ecker et al, 2024). In this way, the echo chambers of social media are facilitating the decline of democratic engagement through its role in spreading misinformation and fostering extremism.
Lastly, the practice of ‘surveillance capitalism’ (Zuboff, 2019, p.9) has raised serious concerns about user privacy in the social media age. ‘Surveillance capitalism’ (Zuboff, 2019, p.9) is the process whereby social media giants collect behavioural data based on social media activity and commodify and sell this data to companies so that they can create user profiles to make their advertising, products and services more personalised for their consumers. This is a concern as social media platforms are increasingly struggling to ensure the security and privacy of the magnitude of data that they hold (Keogh, 2021). For instance, in 2021, Australians were asked to take steps to ensure the security of their social media accounts after Facebook was accused of not being transparent about a 2019 data breach that resulted in more than 500 million users having their personal data leaked, including their phone numbers and emails (Rachwani, 2021). Australia’s data privacy laws are seen to be lagging behind other regions such as the European Union which have more stringent data protection laws (North, 2024). Amendments to the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) are set to be introduced into parliament in upcoming months to expand the power of investigative bodies to investigate data breaches, establish stronger standards for data breach responses and ensure companies develop their cybersecurity infrastructure (Herbet Smith Freehills, 2024). Thus, the age of social media has come with data privacy concerns about who has data, who is using it and how it is being stored and secured.
In conclusion, while social media has revolutionised the way in which individuals communicate with each other, there have been many hidden challenges that have accompanied the everyday use of social media. The widespread adoption of social media platforms has led to worsening mental health outcomes for young people, political polarisation and democratic erosion as well as significant data breaches. In a complex and interconnected world, it is up to nations and individuals all across the world to resolve these significant issues and to better harness the potential of social media as a powerful force for the world.
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