speech on pros and cons of social media

Speech On Social Media- Advantages, Disadvantages and Importance

Table of Contents

Speech On Social Media: In a world where clicks, likes, and shares have become the currency of our social interactions, there’s no denying the pervasive influence of social media. It’s a digital realm that has seamlessly woven itself into the fabric of our lives, altering how we connect, communicate, and consume information. From connecting with long-lost friends to voicing our opinions on global issues, social media has transformed the way we navigate our interconnected world. But what lies beneath the surface of those enticing timelines and trending hashtags?

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Students often encounter the task of giving speeches on various topics, and social media is a fascinating subject for exploration. In this article, we will embark on a journey to explore the captivating and complex realm of social media. We have provided a few sample speech topics on social media, highlighting its advantages, disadvantages, and the profound impact it has on our lives.

Long and Short Speeches on Social Media in English

Speech on advantages and disadvantages of social media for students – sample 1.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Today, I stand before you to discuss a topic that has become an integral part of our lives – social media. It’s hard to imagine a world without platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. Social media has transformed the way we connect, communicate, and share information. But, like every coin has two sides, social media has its advantages and disadvantages.

Let’s start with the positive aspects. Here are the pros of social media. Social media bridges geographical gaps, allowing us to connect with friends and family worldwide. It’s a powerful tool for sharing our thoughts, experiences, and achievements. Students benefit from it as a valuable resource for learning and research. Moreover, it’s a platform for raising social awareness, promoting businesses, and even finding job opportunities.

However, we must also acknowledge the downsides. Excessive use of social media can lead to addiction and affect mental health. It’s a breeding ground for cyberbullying, misinformation, and privacy invasion. Moreover, the constant exposure to idealized images and lives can negatively impact self-esteem.

In conclusion, social media is a double-edged sword. It has revolutionized the way we communicate and share, offering numerous advantages. Yet, we must navigate it cautiously, being mindful of its pitfalls. Let’s use it responsibly and harness its potential for good.

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Speech on Impact of Social Media – Sample 2

Good day, everyone,

The topic I’d like to address today is the impact of social media on our lives. There’s no denying that social media has become an inseparable part of our daily routine. From connecting with friends to keeping up with the latest trends, it’s all at our fingertips.

Let’s dive into the advantages of social media. Social media allows us to stay connected with friends and family, regardless of distance. It’s a treasure trove of information, news, and educational content. For students, it offers a platform to collaborate on projects and access a wealth of knowledge. Businesses utilize it for marketing and customer engagement.

However, there’s another side to the story. Social media can be addictive, leading to time wastage and reduced productivity. Privacy concerns are a pressing issue, with personal information often at risk. Cyberbullying and the spread of fake news are unfortunate consequences of its widespread use.

So, where do we stand? Social media is a tool, and its impact depends on how we use it. It can bring us closer or push us apart. It can educate or misinform. The choice is ours.

In conclusion, social media has its merits and demerits. It’s up to us to harness its advantages while being vigilant about its pitfalls. Let’s use it wisely, striking a balance between the virtual and real worlds.

Thank you for your attention.

Speech on Social Media Topic in English – Sample 3

I’m delighted to address you on a topic that has reshaped our world – social media. In today’s digital age, it’s nearly impossible to escape its influence. So, let’s explore the impact and significance of social media.

To begin with, social media has revolutionized communication. It connects people worldwide, making the world a smaller place. It’s a powerful tool for staying informed about current events and trends. For students, it’s a treasure trove of educational resources. Entrepreneurs and businesses leverage it for promotion and brand building.

Yet, there’s a flip side. The addictive nature of social media can lead to time wastage. Privacy concerns loom large, as our personal information is often shared and exploited. The spread of misinformation and cyberbullying are unfortunate consequences.

So, where do we go from here? It’s crucial to strike a balance. Use social media as a tool for enrichment, connection, and empowerment. But also, be mindful of its addictive nature and potential pitfalls. Let’s make informed choices in our digital journeys.

In conclusion, social media is a force that’s here to stay. It’s up to us to harness its advantages while being vigilant about its drawbacks. Let’s make our online presence a positive and enriching one.

Social media has become an integral part of our daily lives, revolutionizing the way we connect, communicate, and share information. From its myriad benefits to the nuanced drawbacks, understanding the multifaceted role of social platforms is crucial in today’s digital landscape.

Lets see the Advantages, Disadvantages and Importance of Online Networking

1. Global Connectivity and Networking Social media bridges geographical barriers, enabling individuals to connect globally. It facilitates networking opportunities, fostering professional relationships and personal connections.

2. Information Dissemination and Awareness Instantaneous sharing allows for rapid dissemination of information. Be it news, trends, or educational content, social media serves as a powerful tool for spreading awareness and initiating discussions on various topics.

3. Business Growth and Marketing Businesses leverage social platforms to expand their reach, engage with audiences, and market their products/services. Targeted ads and analytics help businesses create effective strategies.

4. Community Building and Support Social media brings people together around common interests, creating spaces for support, self-expression, advice, and finding similar-minded individuals.

Disadvantages

1. Privacy and Security Concerns Privacy breaches and data misuse remain significant concerns. Users often share sensitive information unknowingly, leading to potential security risks and exploitation by third parties.

2. Addiction and Mental Health Impact Excessive usage can lead to addiction and have adverse effects on mental health. Constant exposure to curated, often idealized content can fuel feelings of inadequacy and anxiety.

3. Spread of Misinformation False information can spread rapidly, impacting opinions and beliefs. Misleading content, rumors, and fake news pose a challenge in maintaining an informed society.

4. Online Harassment and Cyberbullying Social media platforms can be breeding grounds for cyberbullying and harassment. Anonymity and easy accessibility empower individuals to engage in harmful behaviors.

1. Communication Evolution Social media has transformed communication by providing instant connectivity across the globe. It has redefined how people interact, share ideas, and collaborate.

2. Information Accessibility It democratizes information, making knowledge accessible to diverse populations regardless of geographic or socioeconomic barriers.

3. Catalyst for Change It serves as a catalyst for societal change by amplifying voices, raising awareness about social issues, and mobilizing movements for positive causes.

4. Business Adaptation For businesses, social media is an indispensable tool, enabling them to adapt to changing consumer behaviors, innovate marketing strategies, and engage with their target audience effectively.

Also Read: Disadvantages of Using Social Media During Online classes

FAQ’s

Why is social media important speech.

A speech on the importance of social media can highlight its role in connecting people, facilitating communication, sharing information, and its impact on various aspects of our lives.

What is social media in easy words?

Social media is websites and applications that enable users to create and share content, connect with others, and participate in online communities by sharing thoughts, pictures, videos, and messages.

What is the importance of social media in students?

Social media offers students platforms for collaboration, learning, networking, and accessing information. It can aid in educational research, career opportunities, and building connections.

Why is social media important?

Social media is important as it helps in staying connected with friends and family, accessing news and information, promoting businesses, fostering communities, and providing a platform for self-expression.

Write a 1-minute speech on social media?

Social media has revolutionized the way we connect and communicate. It bridges distances, opens doors to new opportunities, and allows us to share our stories with the world. From keeping in touch with loved ones to exploring new interests, social media has become an integral part of our lives, shaping how we learn, work, and interact in today's digital age.

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Speech about the advantages and disadvantages of social media

Table of Contents

Introduction

Social media is a new platform for connecting people all over the world.

It is used to share knowledge, information, and even feelings.

Here is our sample speech about the advantages and disadvantages of social media with important points.

Points for the speech about the advantages and disadvantages of social media.

1. beginning

2. what is social media

4. advantages

5. disadvantages

6. conclusion

speech about the advantages and disadvantages of social media.

Respected Principal, teachers, and my friends, good afternoon, my name is John. I would like to express my thoughts about the advantages and disadvantages of social media.

Social media is a platform of social sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp, tumbler, and many more.

These social media sites allow users all over the world to send instant messages, pictures, videos, infographics, and feelings of various kinds.

Now I would like to tell you about the advantages and disadvantages of social media. It allows its users to connect with people all over the world. users can send general, professional, commercial, and varied information to each other. People can stay in touch with each other instantly through messages, photos, ideas, and Facebook live or youtube live. People become aware of various cultures, traditions, and celebrations in the world.

Now we will some serious disadvantages of social media. Even though social media has so many advantages, there are some disadvantages of social media. The personal data of millions of users is used for marketing and other kinds of misuse. Most social media service providers or hackers are behind this. They are using this precious data for commercial purposes or for online theft, cheating, and fraud.

Totally unfamiliar people become familiar with social media and might develop emotional relationships which lead to drastic effects and end in a sad and disappointing way.

Many times, people get addicted to such social media sites and always keep on checking notifications resulting in emotional disturbances and loss of productivity. Various fraud people trap such users and cheat or rob them.

In this way, we have the advantages and disadvantages of social media.

We must use it sensibly and carefully for its maximum benefits. Don’t allow children to use these addictive platforms directly without parental control and observation. Never give your personal details like mobile numbers, bank account numbers, or passwords to anybody.

Social media is the best platform to share and care but be always cautious. Never believe in anyone blindly. Then only you will get maximum benefits from it through social interaction for the well-being of humankind and the whole earth.

Thank you very much for listening to me.

This is our sample speech about the advantages and disadvantages of social media.

I hope you will like it and find it useful.

With love + respect from team learnhatkey.com

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Home / Mental Health / The pros and cons of social media on mental health

The pros and cons of social media on mental health

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Social media as well as smartphone technology has touched almost all areas of our lives. We order groceries online, video chat with our relatives and stream movies. But it’s also impacting the way we discuss, approach and treat mental health. Craig Sawchuk, Ph.D., L.P., a clinical psychologist at Mayo Clinic, talks the pros and the cons.

Q: What are some positive impacts of using social media and other digital tools, especially seen during the pandemic?

A: One of the largest benefits I see is significantly reducing isolation by having a “virtual” bridge to family, friends and other social supports. I have also seen some of our seniors become quite tech savvy over time, which is great from a brain health perspective — learning new things gives the brain exercise. The interactions that seem to give the largest returns are being able to keep up with family and friends. People especially enjoy interacting with their grandchildren. Reminiscing with friends and family is very healthy for us emotionally.

Q: Are there any dangers or downsides?

A: The downsides can manifest themselves in three different ways:

• Ironically, sometimes easy access to digital tools and information may inadvertently lead to less interaction with others. It’s important to make sure that you’re staying connected with others in engaging ways online as opposed to passive ways, such as just reading or playing games.
• Always make sure that you spend most of your time connecting with “healthy others” in your life. Make a list of those who are the best social supports in your life and prioritize those contacts.
• Be wary of online, text or email scams and other misleading information. When we struggle emotionally or with isolation or both, we may be more vulnerable to being taken advantage of. Never pass along money or identifiable personal information when online.

Q: With so many people unable to meet in person due to the pandemic, what trends in mental health care have emerged (or accelerated)?

A: A dramatic and welcome shift has occurred with telemedicine and video visits being offered on a significantly larger scale. In fact, almost all mental health services have converted to this format, which has improved accessibility and provided more-flexible pathways to care. In addition to individual sessions, group therapy sessions — including more-intensive outpatient programs — are offered via video, which improves access to “higher-step” levels of mental health care. Mental health apps, especially those targeting resilience-building in the context of the pandemic, also have dramatically increased (examples include COVID Coach, Breathe2Relax, Happify, Mindfulness Coach, SuperBetter, Calm and Insight Timer).

Podcasts on evidence-based mental health care also have increased. In addition, virtual connection groups have become more available in an attempt to reduce feelings of isolation. All of these will be around post-pandemic.

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The Pros and Cons of Social Media

A look at the ups and downs of being so digitally connected to people

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Social networking has changed the way we communicate, do business, get our daily news fix and so much more. But is it really all it's cracked up to be?

That depends on who you talk to and how you're using it. A site like Facebook could serve as an opportunistic launching pad for a new business owner, or it could be an inescapable source of negative peer pressure for a young teen. There are pros and cons to everything in life—and that includes our social networking habits.

The Pros of Social Networking

There are a lot of upsides to social networking. Ask yourself how you can take more advantage of the following whenever you decide to check out your favorite social networks.

Connect to Other People All Over the World

  One of the most obvious pros of using social networks is the ability to instantly reach people from anywhere. Use Facebook to stay in touch with your old high school friends who've relocated all over the country, use Google Meet to connect with relatives who live halfway around the world, or meet brand new people on social media from cities or regions you've never even heard of before.

Easy and Instant Communication

Now that we're connected wherever we go, we don't have to rely on our landlines, answering machines or snail mail to contact somebody. We can simply open up our laptops or pick up our smartphones and immediately start communicating with anyone on social media or one of the many social messaging apps available.

Real-Time News and Information Discovery

Gone are the days of waiting around for the six o'clock news to come on TV or for the delivery boy to bring the newspaper in the morning. If you want to know what's going on in the world, all you need to do is jump on social media. An added bonus is that you can customize your news and information discovery experiences by choosing to follow exactly what you want.

Great Opportunities for Business Owners

Business owners and other types of professional organizations can connect with current customers, sell their products and expand their reach using social media. There are actually lots of entrepreneurs and businesses out there that thrive almost entirely on social networks and wouldn't even be able to operate without it.

General Fun and Enjoyment

You have to admit that social networking is just plain fun sometimes. A lot of people turn to it when they catch a break at work or just want to relax at home. Since people are naturally social creatures, it's often quite satisfying to see comments and likes show up on our own posts, and it's convenient to be able to see exactly what our friends are up to without having to ask them directly.

The Cons of Social Networking

It's no secret that there's also a dark side to social networking. You may want to ask yourself how you can minimize the following cons of social networking as much and as often as possible.

If social media is your primary source for news and other information, you could end up in a filter bubble, which is when you've isolated yourself from new information and engaging with people who have different perspectives. If you've managed to stay in a bubble of harmful misinformation, it can damage relationships and even be dangerous.

Information Overload and Overwhelm

With so many people now on social media tweeting links and posting selfies and sharing YouTube videos, it sure can get pretty noisy. Becoming overwhelmed by too many Facebook friends to keep up with or too many Instagram photos to browse through isn't all that uncommon. Over time, we tend to rack up a lot of friends and followers, and that can lead to lots of bloated news feeds with too much content we're not all that interested in.

Privacy Issues

So much is shared online these days that issues over privacy are becoming an increasingly big concern. Whether it's a question of social sites owning your content after it's posted, becoming a target after sharing your location online , or even getting in trouble at work after tweeting something inappropriate — sharing too much with the public can open up all sorts of problems that sometimes can't ever be undone.

Social Peer Pressure and Cyber Bullying

For people struggling to fit in with their peers — especially teens and young adults — the pressure to do certain things or act a certain way can be even worse on social media than it is at school or any other offline setting. In some extreme cases, the overwhelming pressure to fit in with everyone posting on social media or becoming the target of a cyberbullying attack can lead to serious stress, anxiety and even depression.

Increased Feelings of Social Isolation

  Since people are now connected all the time and you can pull up a friend's social profile with a click of your mouse or a tap of your smartphone, it's a lot easier to use online interaction as a substitute for face-to-face interaction. Some people argue that social media actually promotes antisocial human behavior.

Distraction and Procrastination 

How often do you see someone look at their phone? People get distracted by all the social apps and news and messages they receive, leading to all sorts of problems like distracted driving or the lack of gaining someone's full attention during a conversation. Browsing social media can also feed procrastination habits and become something people turn to in order to avoid certain tasks or responsibilities.

Sedentary Lifestyle Habits and Sleep Disruption 

Lastly, since social networking is all done on some sort of computer or mobile device, it can sometimes promote too much sitting down in one spot for too long. Likewise, staring into the artificial light from a computer or phone screen at night can negatively affect your ability to get a proper night's sleep.

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The Pros and Cons of Social Media

Unveil pros and cons on social media and explore its landscape in the 21st century. With 5 tried and tested tips master your social media strategy for safe and balanced usage.

Based on mutual interests or backgrounds, LinkedIn suggests relevant connections that might open doors to collaboration or job opportunities. For example, a well-curated profile of a marketing expert might attract digital marketers with vast experience, paving the way for mentorship or valuable partnerships.

In the professional realm, timely communication is paramount . The digital age demands swift responses, and businesses can’t afford to miss out on opportunities due to overlooked messages. Recognizing this need, tools like SocialPilot’s Social Inbox become invaluable.

They ensure that businesses stay on top of their communications by consolidating messages from various platforms into one unified inbox. It’s not just about networking; it’s about optimizing those connections for success.

2. Information Sharing and Access

The internet has democratized access to information, with social media at the forefront of rapid information-sharing.

And guess what?

As people consider the pros and cons of social media, more are turning to platforms like Twitter to consume news, as real-time updates are instantly available on any major event or crisis occurring anywhere in the world.

During global crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, social media becomes a chief source of credible updates from health experts, government agencies, and international organizations. This access to reliable information on infection rates and public health guidelines empowered individuals to take necessary precautions in their own community and stay informed on relevant developments.

In the context of armed conflicts or wars, journalists and news agencies can share up-to-the-minute updates on peace negotiations, allowing people around the world to stay informed.

While perspectives that complement mainstream media coverage empower individuals to share their experiences, accurate information, especially in the context of ongoing wars, is important to ensuring the safety of citizens. For instance, to ensure content and media shared about the war in Ukraine are reliable, Twitter has taken various measures like increasing ease of access to updates and labeling state-affiliated media.

3. Business Opportunities and Marketing

A new era of marketing and advertising opportunities has emerged among the pros and cons of social media with the advent of increased social media usage. With billions of users actively engaging on social media, businesses have unprecedented potential to reach and connect with their target audiences .

A key advantage of social media marketing is targeting specific audience segments. Instagram, in particular, has emerged as a potent platform for advertising, offering a visually engaging experience for users on the Explore page.

Here’s an example:

Sephora UAE, a beauty retailer that leveraged Instagram’s advertising capabilities to promote its products by targeting users interested in beauty and cosmetics.

One of Sephora UAE’s ad campaigns promoted a new makeup collection with Milk Makeup, specifically targeting young adults interested in beauty products and living in the UAE.

The results showed an “80% increase in favorability when adding Reels ads, compared with business-as-usual video campaigns” and higher brand awareness with Gen Z audiences (ages 18–24). This level of precision targeting via Reels ads as a standalone placement ensured that ads were delivered to the most relevant users, increasing the likelihood of conversions.

By leveraging Instagram’s precise targeting options, Sephora UAE reached a substantial number of potential customers within the desired demographic, which you can also take advantage of with cost-effective and highly targeted ad campaigns on social media.

4. Customer Engagement and Support

While most websites have a contact page or customer service option, some customers will message a company’s social media page.

Here’s an interesting fact:

Consumers are reaching out to brands via social media at least monthly (and as frequently as weekly) for support.

A stellar example of a brand effectively using social media for customer support is Southwest Airlines. The airline receives 3,000 mentions and hundreds of DMs daily, so they have a dedicated team to answer any customer questions on social media platforms like Twitter.

Through their various social media accounts, Southwest Airlines promptly responds to customer concerns, maintaining an industry-leading response time of 15 minutes. By responding in real-time, Southwest Airlines addresses customer issues promptly and showcases its commitment to excellent service.

The emphasis placed on customer service and swift response times enhances customer loyalty and generates positive word-of-mouth. When taking into consideration the pros and cons of social media, incorporating it as part of an overall support strategy ensures that all queries and points of contact are addressed.

5. Businesses Growth

Businesses of all sizes are making a move in today’s digital landscape. They’re harnessing the unparalleled power of social media to amplify growth, fortify brand recognition, and cultivate unwavering customer loyalty.

And here’s the thing:

Platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn aren’t just for socializing anymore. They’ve transitioned into indispensable business tools .

Thinking of cost-effective marketing?

For emerging startups and small-scale enterprises, social media is the answer. It sidesteps the exorbitant costs of traditional advertising. For example, a quaint bakery using Instagram to spotlight daily specials, captivating followers with tantalizing visuals.

On the other hand, corporate giants aren’t just watching from the sidelines. They’re deploying social media for robust brand reinforcement and proactive reputation management. The result? Through consistent customer engagement and prompt redressal of concerns, businesses infuse a human touch into their brand, fostering trust and relatability.

Now, here’s a great feature:

Social media analytics. Using it is crucial for understanding and optimizing your brand’s online presence, and this is where SocialPilot analytics shines .

With this platform, businesses get a deep dive into their social performance metrics. From tracking post engagement to discerning optimal posting times, SocialPilot’s toolkit is a goldmine – empowering businesses to strategize with precision, ensuring every post maximizes reach and resonance.

Now, let’s look at the cons of social media, too, shall we?

Cons of Social Media

Like a coin, there’s another side to social media – one with disadvantages. Let’s shed light on some of the cons of social media.

1. Privacy and Security Concerns

Security leaks are a growing issue as users appraise the pros and cons of social media. While social media platforms offer incomparable connectivity and interaction, they also expose users to risks related to hacking and phishing .

One of the most concerning risks associated with social media is data breaches, where unauthorized individuals gain access to user data. High-profile cases of data breaches have eroded public trust in certain social media platforms.

Information theft is another major concern stemming from issues on social media.

Here’s what happened in 2021:

A personal data from 533 million Facebook users was exposed in a massive leak due to a security flaw that allowed scraping. The data included sensitive information such as phone numbers, birth dates, and email addresses, leaving millions of users vulnerable to smishing, identity theft, or other scams.

In light of these issues, social media users should be as proactive as possible in safeguarding their data. Be sure to review your privacy settings regularly to know what information is being shared with the public and third-party apps.

Cybercriminals use social engineering tactics to manipulate users into revealing sensitive information, and by capitalizing on the wealth of personal data available on social media profiles, scammers can lead users to disclose confidential information unknowingly.

2. Social Media Impact on Mental Health and Well-Being

Did you know:

According to the Pew Research Center, 69% of adults and 81% of teens in the U.S. use social media, and with that comes concerns about its impact on mental health.

Excessive use of social media has been linked to adverse effects on self-esteem and well-being, and new research has shed some insight into what risks are posed and how to mitigate online engagement. Although there are various pros and cons of social media, various studies have found links between heavy social media usage and feelings of inadequacy about life, isolation, depression, and anxiety.

Constant exposure to curated images and edited highlight Reels of other people’s lives can lead to unrealistic comparisons to others and cause social media envy.

The concept of “social media envy” can cause people to feel pressure to present an idealized version of themselves , leading to an unhealthy cycle of seeking external validation and reinforcing the belief that your self-worth is tied to your online popularity.

Constantly viewing other people’s seemingly nonstop, exciting experiences, and social gatherings without you can lead to feeling isolated and lonely. Real-life interactions may take a backseat to virtual ones, further exacerbating these feelings.

But, that’s not all.

Apart from direct psychological effects, social media use can also increase the risk of poor sleep patterns, according to research from the journal Sleep Health .

Disrupted sleep patterns can reduce energy levels, induce daytime sleepiness, and reduce cognitive functioning.

3. Misinformation and Fake News

Due to rapid shareability, misinformation has become a pervasive issue on social media, which can pose significant dangers to individuals and society as a whole.

A concerning aspect of misinformation is its potential to influence public opinion and behavior, as false information can shape people’s perceptions, leading to biased views or decisions that are based on inaccuracies.

Where was this especially evident?

The January 6 Capitol Riot, where false claims and narratives spread on social media platforms like Facebook played a role in inciting violence and fueling tensions.

During the 2020 U.S. Presidential election, Facebook groups experienced a surge of 650,000 posts delegitimizing Joe Biden’s victory between election day and January 6, with many perpetuating conspiracy theories and incitements to violence.

To combat the dangers of misinformation on social media, individuals must weigh the pros and cons of social media usage, especially during politicized events, adopt responsible information consumption practices, and practice fact-checking.

Here are some tips to navigate the digital landscape responsibly:

• Verify Sources : Always verify the credibility of the sources before sharing information. Rely on reputable news outlets and fact-checking organizations to confirm the accuracy of claims.
• Examine Context : Look for the broader context and multiple perspectives before forming an opinion. Misinformation often thrives when taken out of context or presented in a one-sided manner.
• Be Cautious with Sharing : Before sharing content, consider whether it is reliable and aligns with your values. Avoid sharing information that promotes hate speech, discrimination, or conspiracy theories.
• Educate Others : Encourage your social media connections to be critical thinkers and responsible information consumers. Share fact-checking resources and guidelines for discerning credible information from misinformation.
• Report False Information : If you encounter misinformation on social media, report it to the platform and alert others to its inaccuracies. Responsible reporting helps curb the spread of false information.

4. Negative Online Behavior

While social media can be a connective tool, cyberbullying and harassment can result in threats, attacks, and insults from anonymous users.

Cyberbullying, in particular, is a distressing consequence of negative online behavior. The pros and cons of social media can be difficult to balance as anonymity offered by some platforms emboldens individuals to engage in cyberbullying without fear of accountability .

Harassment is another alarming aspect of negative online behavior. Unfortunately, social media’s open and accessible nature provides a vast audience to engage in disruptive and harmful behavior.

To make it worse:

The degradation of interpersonal communication on social media is evident in the rise of online trolling. Trolling has only become prevalent with the advent of the internet. In fact, a survey of 8,000 young individuals across Europe found that 1 in 8 engaged in online harassment and 1 in 10 engaged in hate speech.

Addressing this issue to work toward a more inclusive digital environment will require a collective effort to curb harmful behavior online from social media platforms and users as well.

5. Diminished Face-to-Face Interactions

The rise of social media has inadvertently led to a decline in face-to-face interactions. While platforms like Facebook and Instagram provide a virtual space for communication, they can’t replace the depth and authenticity of in-person conversations.

A recent study published in the Journal of Technology in Behavioral Science found that reducing social media usage by just 15 minutes a day can lead to significant improvements in one’s social life, vitality, and overall health .

This suggests that while social media offers a convenient mode of communication, it’s essential to strike a balance to maintain genuine human connections. The study further emphasized that young adults, who are among the heaviest social media users, often spend several hours daily on these platforms, potentially sidelining real-world interactions.

As we weigh the pros and cons of social media, it’s crucial to remember the irreplaceable value of face-to-face connections and the deeper bonds they foster.

Now, let’s look at some tips to balance the pros and cons of social media.

5 Tips for Balancing the Pros and Cons of Social Media

Navigating the digital realm requires a strategic approach to harness the benefits of social media while mitigating its drawbacks. Here are five tips to do so.

1. Setting Boundaries and Limiting Screen Time

Social media has permeated nearly every aspect of our lives and blurred the lines between work and personal time, so you must set clear boundaries. You can prevent it from encroaching on other responsibilities by allocating certain times of day to engage or scroll .

More benefits?

Limiting screen time can also include reclaiming time usually spent on social media to engage in other hobbies you have. Learning to recognize the pros and cons of social media if it is becoming overwhelming or detrimental to other aspects of your life is crucial to taking a step back and reevaluating how much time you spend on certain apps.

2. Prioritizing Privacy and Security

While users are increasingly sharing private or personal information online, which has obvious risks, it is imperative that you take specific measures to protect your privacy on social media.

One way to prioritize your safety online is to review your privacy and security settings as often as possible. Every platform has different features that are updated at various times to control who can see your posts, profile, and other information, so customize them to align with your personal preferences.

Additionally, be wary of unsolicited messages and suspicious links in your DM requests to ensure that you’re not entering any third-party applications while on social media, which can prevent any collection or misuse of your personal information.

Lastly, using strong and unique passwords to ensure it isn’t easily guessable for your social media accounts is an often overlooked but essential step in protecting yourself online.

Next, you should be…

3. Promoting Healthy Social Media Habits

By adopting responsible social media habits, you can mitigate the potentially harmful aspects of social media to maintain a more overall healthy balance.

Engaging in constructive conversations, blocking spam or troll accounts, and supporting others’ accomplishments can create a more positive digital community.

What’s more:

Being selective about the type of content on social media can be key to maintaining mental well-being, and limiting exposure to triggering content can reduce unnecessary comparisons.

Being responsible about using social media can optimize your digital experience and protect your mental health . Balancing the pros and cons of social media by prioritizing real-life connections over online interactions ensures that your digital presence is fulfilling and makes a positive contribution to your life.

4. Engaging in Meaningful Online Interactions

While social media platforms offer various opportunities for connection and communication, managing the quality of these interactions is how you can create meaningful relationships and foster a sense of community.

By actively listening to others, we demonstrate genuine interest and empathy for the thoughts and feelings expressed by friends and followers. Taking the time to respond thoughtfully to others’ posts or messages can lead to stronger connections.

You can find shared community and support within social media by prioritizing meaningful connections over superficial interactions.

Last but not least…

5. Using Social Media Management Tools

Navigating the myriad of social media platforms for both personal and professional interactions can be a complex endeavor. SocialPilot emerges as a solution, offering a comprehensive toolset to streamline and enhance online activities.

With SocialPilot , users benefit from functionalities that simplify content scheduling, analysis, and monitoring across various platforms. Rather than juggling multiple social media sites, SocialPilot’s unified dashboard allows for crafting and timing posts for several accounts, ensuring strategic content deployment and a consistent online presence.

Additionally, the platform’s robust analytics and reporting tools grant users valuable insights into their content’s performance, paving the way for an optimized social media approach.

To counter the pitfalls of excessive social media engagement, SocialPilot’s scheduling feature helps curb the compulsion to constantly check and browse feeds. This fosters a more deliberate approach to online interactions, enabling users to utilize social media more effectively and judiciously.

Social media stands as a powerful tool in our modern world, providing unparalleled avenues for connectivity, disseminating information, fostering business expansion, and facilitating genuine customer interactions.

Yet, its vast expanse is not without shadows. With pressing issues such as privacy breaches, potential detrimental effects on mental well-being, and the rampant spread of misinformation, the onus falls on users to navigate this digital realm with discernment and prudence.

As we embrace the many opportunities social media presents, it’s imperative to wield it with a sense of responsibility, ensuring that its potential is harnessed for positive impact while safeguarding against its inherent challenges.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the pros and cons of social media for teens?

Social media can promote connectivity, self-expression, and allow access to educational content. It can also create a sense of belonging with online groups and communities. However, teens can be vulnerable to harassment online, and excess usage can negatively impact mental health during a time of development.

What are the pros and cons of social media marketing?

Social media enables precise audience segment targeting to facilitate brand engagement and messaging features for customer support. Potential risks can include negative feedback going viral and difficulty measuring ROI.

What are the pros and cons of social media for business?

Social media provides businesses with extended reach with content, organic traffic, and access to customer insights. However, negative online behavior damages a brand’s reputation, and engagement needs consistent attention to remain on top of trends.

About the Author

Chris Pantaleon

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The pros and cons of social media

Written by by Carly Hill

Published on  December 5, 2022

Reading time  12 minutes

Ah social media. As the old saying goes, “can’t live with it, can’t live without it.” As social media platforms have changed over the years (RIP, Vine), so too have the pros and cons of social media.

Not so long ago, brands and executives were still wondering whether they should be on social media at all. But times have changed. Now, social media has gone from a “nice to have” to a “must-have” for businesses, as it has become a core place for audiences to connect, get updates on current events and capture moments.

While social media is, without question, necessary for your business, there are pros and cons that brands and social professionals must grapple with. Let’s talk through what some of those look like, and how to approach them to make the right decisions for your social strategy.

Why social media is good

It’s easy for the negativity around social media to overshadow its benefits. And there are plenty of “pros” to celebrate.

Let’s get into why social media is good, and the positive impact of social media on our lives.

Social media can bring joy

From stories of triumph to funny social media memes , social has the power to spark a smile.

The “It’s Corn” viral trend became a cultural touchstone for friends and strangers alike. Hundreds of brands created their own feel-good content using the song. And its popularity continues, with the “Corn Kid” landing a recent partnership with Green Giant .

@sproutsocial It’s corn. 💚 #cornsong #itscorn #socialmediamarketing #sociamediamanager #socialmediatips ♬ It’s Corn – Tariq & The Gregory Brothers & Recess Therapy

Social media can also spark joy by connecting people with similar interests. #Booktok , for example, has become a flourishing online community. Book lovers go to this hashtag to find new book recommendations, relatable content for bookworms and connect with other readers.

Connect with people (and potential customers) all over the world

There’s a reason 91% of people believe in social media’s power of connection. With 4.2 billion social media users worldwide , social media enables you to reach your next fan or customer—no matter where they are.

Before Sprout, I managed a viral social media campaign at Shedd Aquarium that was so widespread, it reached all seven continents—yes, including Antarctica .

👋 Hello to our penguin friends all the way in the South Pole! 🐧🇦🇶 https://t.co/Qezb4ypgl2 — Shedd Aquarium (@shedd_aquarium) April 8, 2020

In fact, this is one of the top pros for Assistant Director of Social Media at Orangetheory, Anthony Yepez. “In my opinion, social media’s top pro is the ability to connect organically with your audience and customer base.”

And connecting with your audience goes further than making sales—it builds community, which can save you advertising bucks in the future. “Social gives you the opportunity to get insightful feedback on your product or service all while building a community that can further amplify your digital marketing without having to spend large advertising budgets.”

Enables instant communication

Social media is the number one channel for brands to connect with consumers. If you’re not using it to communicate with them, you’re missing a chance to build relationships.

Especially when you consider that more than three-quarters of consumers expect a response within 24 hours.

Answering questions, responding to comments and acknowledging complaints may seem simple. But it can be huge for your reputation—responsiveness leads to a more favorable view of your company.

Hi there, Chewy eGift Cards are emailed to recipients within one hour after you place your order. You will be prompted to add the email address at the time of purchase. A full FAQ is linked for you below. https://t.co/0x8La21Kb8 — Chewy (@Chewy) November 28, 2022

Leveling up your social customer care goes a long way. And using a tool like Sprout’s Smart Inbox feature makes responding quickly to your audience easy by funneling comments and messages from all of your social media channels into a central, streamlined hub for your team.

Start your free Sprout trial

Easier to define and reach your target audience

Between demographic data and post analytics, social media is a goldmine when it comes to better understanding your target audience .

As Anthony puts it, “Social media gives you the opportunity to better understand your target audience and their interests so that you can consider that when creating marketing assets for your brand or business.”

The better you know who you’re targeting, the more you can refine your strategy and expand your reach organically. And that can save you serious advertising costs—something your senior leaders will thank you for.

Boosts transparency

Brands that don’t shift to a new business model of transparency are not only at risk of losing consumer trust—they’re at risk of creating a crisis for themselves.

86% of Americans believe transparency from businesses is more important than ever before. And many of those consumers attribute this to social media, and the constant connectedness between consumers and brands.

Increasing transparency always comes with risks. But it also comes with high rewards—more than half of consumers are likely to consider buying from brands that are transparent. And when brands have a history of transparency, 85% of people are more likely to give them a second chance after a bad experience or crisis.

Shoe brand Nisolo does a great job of showcasing what a culture of transparency looks like by sharing their sustainability efforts.

https://www.facebook.com/NisoloShoes/photos/a.141861925897100/4976648182418426

Ability to crowdsource

Social media is an always-on focus group. And social media crowdsourcing —or turning to social for audience opinions, ideas and sentiment—is a powerful way to improve your content, products and your business as a whole.

Social media makes this easy in a few ways. Thanks to social, you can simply ask your audience for their opinions and preferences. (This also happens to be a great engagement booster.)

Let's get spooky. 👻 What is the scariest thing about being a #SMM ? — Sprout Social (@SproutSocial) October 18, 2022

Another method of crowdsourcing ideas is by looking at conversations about your brand and industry. Comments and posts you’re tagged in are a great starting point.

But you won’t be tagged in every conversation about your brand. Using a social listening tool is the best way to uncover conversations and gauge how your audience really feels about your brand, products and industry.

Promotes social change

Social media has proven that it can change the world. The Arab Spring is one of the earliest examples of social media facilitating real-world protests. Online networks facilitated organizing groups of activists , and played a key role in communicating what was going on to the world.

Social media has also made it easier for more people to get involved in social change. And it’s also enabled large-scale learning for those who were previously unaware of social issues— hashtags have become virtual meeting places and rallying cries for social change.

The positive impact of social media on business

For businesses, your social channels infinitely expand your brand awareness, audience engagement and loyalty and more.

Shoppable social ads have also, in the words of Meagen Johnson at Havas Media , “collapsed the marketing funnel”. In 2022, 98% of consumers said they planned to make at least one purchase through social shopping or influencer commerce.

And businesses are catching on to these benefits. In a recent Sprout survey of 280 marketers responsible for their brand’s social media strategy, nearly half of respondents agree that colleagues outside their social team understand how the social team’s roles add to the brand.

Real-time news and information

Today, social media and journalism go hand in hand. Half of US adults get their news from social media at least some of the time, according to Pew Research.

For journalists, social media is an excellent channel to watch stories as they develop, to share news and even to connect with interviewees.

And during a crisis, real-time news can be a lifeline.

For example, it’s been noted that during major hurricanes, emergency managers use social media to post recovery information before a storm hits to prepare people. Analyzing social media conversation can be pivotal in mitigating effects of a crisis early by better communicating with more vulnerable areas, and even help identify communities that need the most support after a disaster.

Helps connect leaders with constituents

Social media has removed a wall between leaders and their constituents. It’s created an “always-open forum” for constituents’ to voice their questions and concerns.

The bridge between social media and government also provides the same opportunity for government entities to reach constituents for real-time updates. Like the Chicago Transit Authority sharing transportation updates…

[Service Disruption] Blue Line service has been temporarily suspended between O'Hare and Rosemont due to fire department activity. More: https://t.co/Xau7gtardZ — cta (@cta) November 28, 2022

During a crisis, like the pandemic, social media provides a space for much-needed, real-time updates for the general public.

Daily averages, updated: November 14 Confirmed Cases: 399 Hospitalizations: 28 Deaths: 0.29 Emergency Room Visits: 1.9% Hospital Beds in Use: 3.5% Cook County's CDC #COVID Community Level: Medium Chicago's full COVID-19 Dashboard: https://t.co/UrMNMrLjQU #ProtectChicago pic.twitter.com/yOrPdKNJJI — CDPH | Chicago Department of Public Health (@ChiPublicHealth) November 15, 2022

It’s also created an opportunity for entities and leaders alike to humanize themselves, foster community and share community updates—and triumphs. In some cases, official social media channels take on a personality of their own, like the US Consumer Product Safety Commission.

It's that time of year. pic.twitter.com/0WSKQm22tN — US Consumer Product Safety Commission (@USCPSC) November 27, 2022

Why is social media bad?

Naturally, we love social media. But we’re not going to ignore the virtual elephant in the room: Social media isn’t always positive.

In this section, let’s go beyond answering the question “why is social media bad?” and dive into a few ways you can curb its negative impact—for yourself, your brand and your audience.

Social media addiction and mental health impacts

As many as 5-10% of Americans today meet the criteria for social media addiction.

Even if you’re not addicted, social media can impact your mental health. As much as it can connect us, it can also make us feel isolated through false expectations and self-comparison.

People who use social media for more than two hours a day were twice as likely to feel socially isolated than those who used it for under half an hour—concerning when you consider that two and a half hours is the daily average

What you can do: When it comes to your audience, insert reminders for your audience to unplug.

You can even provide reality checks, like “Instagram vs Reality” content, to avoid fueling comparison on social.

In today’s world, #SMMs are constantly overwhelmed with a fast-paced and demanding workspace. Take 30-minutes from your day and join us for a camera-off gratitude meditation session. https://t.co/hpVKoMlJ5X pic.twitter.com/EVzza6Vajr — Sprout Social (@SproutSocial) November 14, 2022

And when it comes to mental health for social marketers , here are a few things you can do to protect your own well-being:

• Gamify taking social media breaks: Use apps to facilitate focus. The Flora app grows a virtual tree if you don’t check your phone during a set amount of time. You can even set the app to charge you money if you break your focus—talk about incentive.
• Set designated time to check social: This helps you set your own boundaries.
• Set social media breaks: Instagram has a feature that allows you to temporarily suspend your account until you restart it. And TikTok has a “take a break” feature.
• Use social media time trackers: Using screentime apps, which are built into many smartphones, to track how much time you spend on social media can be eye-opening.
• Keep your phone in another room: Simple, yet effective.

Filter bubble and misinformation

You already know that social media algorithms fill feeds with posts based on relevance—not necessarily recency.

From a business perspective, this type of feed makes it harder to get your content in front of people without spending money.

From a societal perspective, when you’re only shown posts based on what you’re already interested in, a “filter bubble” is formed. This is where you only ever see topics and viewpoints you’ve already expressed interest in.

At its best, this limits you from learning new things. At its worst, filter bubbles make it too easy to discount opinions other than your own, and for misinformation to spread. Especially given that inflammatory posts rack up algorithm-appeasing engagement faster—even if they’re false.

What you can do: To avoid your own filter bubble, adjust your feeds. Facebook and Instagram allow you to adjust your newsfeed settings from algorithmic to chronological.

And when sharing or researching content for your brand’s channels, scrutinize your sources to limit consuming, or spreading, misinformation.

Lack of privacy

Public social accounts put our identities on display. And that can impact our sense of self and well being—being unsure what people really think of us online can lead to stress and anxiety .

But on the technical side, lack of privacy means your personal information is vulnerable, and can be used against you. And this can have real world implications (think: the Cambridge Analytica scandal ), can lead to data breaches and more.

People are rightfully worried about this. In 2022, 81% of people are more concerned about their social privacy than they were the previous year. As a social media professional, you have your own privacy to worry about, as well as the privacy of your business accounts.

What you can do: There are many ways you can make your accounts more secure:

• Use multi-factor identification: This has become a best practice.
• Make your own social accounts private: This is a given to limit who can see your information.
• Explore privacy features offered by each social platform: For example, you can prevent people from downloading your TikToks. And Instagram allows you to limit who can see your profile, or whether people can see that you’re active. Explore each platform and what they offer to bolster your security.
• Use complex passwords: And use different passwords for different accounts.
• Make a habit to change passwords: Do this regularly for a security boost.
• Store passwords securely: If you need to save passwords, new and old, use an official password manager that will keep them secure and limit access, while allowing you to share passwords with those who need them.
• Be careful about using accounts with third-party sites or apps: “Log in with Facebook” is convenient, but it also opens more doors to your data. Limit the third-party sources you give access to.

Scams are prevalent

In 2021, social media was the most profitable way for scammers to reach people—so much so that from 2017 to 2021, reports of fraud on social soared 1,800%.

Getting scammed is a too-easy way to lose money. But it can also lead to privacy breaches—for your personal accounts, and your brand’s. At worst, this could lead to a major brand crisis.

What you can do: At the risk of sounding like a corny security video, the key is to be social savvy. Here are a few things to look out for:

• Think twice when a friend or influencer reaches out: If a message seems off, play it safe.
• Be wary of weird ads: Shopping scams were the second-most common social media scams in 2021.
• Know the signs: Familiarize yourself with recent scams and phishing methods.
• Filter comments: Protect your followers, too. When you monitor your social channels, look for and delete obvious scam comments. And teach your team to do the same.
• Opt out of targeted advertising: Many social channels allow options for targeted advertising, like Instagram. Explore your options on each platform.

What you share stays with you forever

People, opinions and brands change over time. But the old, cringe-worthy posts in the depths of your timeline are forever.

In some places, there are measures you can take to protect yourself. The EU’s “right to be forgotten” gives people the right to request that search engines de-list some results from search queries related to their name. The US, however, doesn’t have a policy like this.

What you can do: If you’re worried about what your younger self was Tweeting about, setting your accounts to private is a safe step to take. And moving forward, think twice before you post to your brand’s channels.

Social media burnout

When you work in social media, it’s easy to be “always on.” Even Burger King addressed this:

*works in social, always working* — Burger King (@BurgerKing) December 20, 2021

The battle against burnout can feel like treading water. You’re bombarded by algorithm changes, negative comments, the constant news cycle, not to mention changing content formats—something 53% of recent survey respondents said was a major challenge when scheduling and planning content.

And not every social team has the support they need. As Anthony put it, “the perspective that ‘anyone can do social media’ is holding a lot of us back from career growth, along with leadership teams not fully investing in their social media departments.” And less resources means more churn and burn.

What you can do:

• Limit your social media usage: Taking social media breaks at home or doing a social detox after hours can help you reset.
• Set boundaries: You have a content calendar and social media priorities—stand by them, set boundaries and protect your time when it comes to what you post.
• Divide up the work: Even a large social team can get burnt out. In fact, social media teams mark bandwidth as one of their number one struggles . Evaluate how your work is divided up, and where you can source more support.
• Create a response protocol: Pre-written response templates and guides make monitoring faster.

Use the pros and cons of social media to inform your strategy

Social media is far from perfect. But it is part of our world. While there will always be risks, there are so many ways to emphasize the positive impact of social media—for your brand, your audience and for yourself.

Make social media your ally. Learn how to get the most out of the digital space we all occupy by leveling up your social media marketing strategy .

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10 Positive and Negative Effects of Social Media on Society

Nowadays, social media is so popular among the young, children, and adults. Each of us uses social media to be updated, to entertain ourselves, to communicate with others, to explore new things, and to connect with the world. Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, etc. are examples of social media. Social media is a part of our lives today, and consciously or unconsciously, it is becoming our habit to continuously go through it and check the notifications.

What is social media?

Social media is a platform where we can communicate with a large number of people, make connections, and interact with them. It operates on the internet.A user usually creates an account on such a platform and allows interaction with the millions of other users available on it according to their preferences and choices. Apart from the interaction, it also allows users to share information, chat with other people, share their opinions, create content, and embrace their differences.

In today’s world, social media is an important part of young people’s lives, determining and shaping their perspectives.The youth typically adopt and pursue social media trends; for example, in dressing styles, the youth adopt dresses and styles that are promoted as trends by social media.

Social media not only allows people to share their opinions, but it also shapes the opinions of its users.Social media have an impact on their users as well as society as a whole, both positive and negative.

Here we will now discuss the negative and positive impacts of social media on society.

Positive impact of social media on   society.

• Builds connectivity and connection: Social media facilitates better communication as well as the development of stronger connections and connectivity around the world. One can talk to a person who lives thousands of miles away from him or her. One can also make connections in his or her respective field or area to promote his or her venture, business, or idea. LinkedIn is an example of social media where you can build connections from across the world and increase your connectivity. Hence, social media is not only connecting people within a society but also connecting people from different societies and cultures, allowing them to exchange their values and beliefs.
• People are empowered by social media because it educates them, makes them aware of them, and gives them a platform to raise their voices, showcase their talents, and promote their businesses. For instance, people on Instagram not only communicate with each other but are also establishing their small businesses and creating content on various things such as dressing style, make-up, fashion hacks, and educational content. Likewise, on YouTube, people do the same thing except chat and earn money through their talent, opinions, and content. Therefore, social media helps generate employment in society and educate its members.
• People are helped both economically and emotionally by social media : Economically, by providing customers to businesses and providing jobs to the unemployed. Emotionally, by demonstrating empathy and love to the people.The person who feels alone should communicate with people online and talk to them. Sometimes, when you post something on your social media account—a sad or happy post—people react accordingly. If you post something sad, people try to cheer you up or console you, and vice versa. Social media in society provides an equal opportunity to be social and interact, especially for those who find it difficult to communicate with others in person.
• Knowledge: on social media, people post massive amounts of content on a wide range of issues and topics. YouTube is a platform where you can find information in English, Hindi, or any other language you are comfortable with. From the fundamentals to the advanced, from simple to complex topics, one can learn for free on social media. There are many teachers, motivators, and religious gurus who provide knowledge in various fields and aspects.
• Provides new skills: Through social media, you can acquire and learn new skills. You can, for example, learn to knit on YouTube or do it yourself (DIY) on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. You can acquire as many skills as you want: cooking, knitting, floral design, rangoli making, python, ethical hacking, etc. Moreover, learning new skills helps one find work and empowers oneself.
• Source to news: social media is a source of news nowadays; people watch news more on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook as compared to news channels and newspapers. People believe that news on social media is more trustworthy and presented in a more interesting format than traditional news channels.
• Sharing of ideas: social media allows the sharing of ideas beyond boundaries, nations, and states. Social media facilitates the exchange of ideas about one’s culture, religion, state, nationality, and environment.
• Raising funds: social media helps many people raise funds for noble causes. Through the help of social media, people start campaigns for donations for a particular case, and everyone can participate in these donations. For Example, Fundraising for blind orphan children
• Creates communities: Social media creates communities of people from various backgrounds who share common interests. People with the same interests connect more with each other. Examples include the science community, the arts community, and the poets’ community. The nature of a community depends on the interests of its members.
• Multiple sources of learning: social media is a hub of knowledge where you can learn anything and everything. The education is provided at no cost. There is not only educational or academic learning, but also other types of learning; you can learn how to improve your personality, improve your communication skills, be more confident, and develop your public speaking skills.

Negative impacts of social media on society

• Contributes to the digital divide: The “digital divide” refers to the gap between those who can access the internet and those who cannot because of illiteracy, poverty, and a lack of resources. Social media is contributing to this by setting trends and engaging more youth, and youth who cannot access or understand the trends, as well as adults, are falling behind.
• Increasing cybercrimes and cyberfrauds : An increase in the use of social media is leading to an increase in cybercrimes and frauds. Cyberbullying, harassment, and stalking are on the rise nowadays, and mostly teenage women are becoming victims of them. Cyber fraud is also on the rise because most people lack digital literacy and are unaware of things like when fraudsters create an account to impersonate someone you know and demand money from you for various reasons.The nature of the frauds varied and could cause confusion and restlessness in your minds.
• Negative information, news, and rumours spread quickly: As the elders say, negativity spreads faster than positivity; similarly, false news or negative news, rumours, and information spread quickly and cause chaos and instability in the social order.Because of the rapid transfer of information, false news or information spreads in no time, which furthers the happenings in society. For example, if you come across WhatsApp messages that claim prejudice or hatred against a particular community, they will spread with more intensity and rage. This false claim creates a false image among people regarding the thing, and the false information is spread. Sometimes, it leads to violent situations in society.
• Social media affects the mental health of individuals: The stalking, cybercrimes, frauds, and hate comments adversely affect people; problems of depression, anxiety, severe tension, and fear are emerging. Sometimes, the conditions get worse, leading to suicide as well. As Durkheim mentioned, suicide is a social fact; either more or less social involvement leads to suicide in an individual, and social media manifests and roots both. For instance, if a user posts her critical view on a sensitive topic, chances are high that she will feel instant backlash from those who are against her views. Another example is that victims of cyberfraud fear using social media. Because of social media, people get traumatised and spend years of their lives living in that trauma and fear.
• People are becoming more addicted to their phones as a result of being disconnected from social reality. People frequently ignore and neglect those around them; they are unaware of what is going on in society because they are constantly immersed in their virtual world, engaging with entertainment and people in their virtual world. People who lack social and communication skills use social media to escape and ignore people in the real world. For instance, we all know a person who has no friends in the real world but has a following of hundreds of thousands on their social media account.
• Effects on health: Social media has an impact not only on mental health, but also on physical health. The constant use of screens such as phones, laptops, and tablets directly impacts the eyes by weakening the eyesight. It also negatively impacts our creativity; it basically lessens our level of creativity. The constant use of social media also makes us lazy and less active, as we are constantly using our devices. People also suffer from insomnia, irritation, and the fear of missing out. As Parsons stated, when an individual is sick, it becomes a non-functional member of society, and sickness is socially sanctioned deviance. In our opinion, social media is also making functional members of society non-functional.
• Unverified information: While social media is undeniably a knowledge hub, not all knowledge and information on it is correct or verified. Due to the large amount of data present on social media, most of it is unverified, and the chances of receiving false information are high. For example, on Facebook and Instagram, you’ll frequently see a post with the words “more you cry, the stronger you become,” and above or below it, “psychological facts”. People consume this false information as fact. There are enormous posts like this. But, in reality, this is far from factual knowledge or information.
• Undermine people: social media do not support people; they often lack support, empathy, and rational behavior. The moment people post something sad or controversial, they start getting backlash, hate comments, and threats, because of which people suffer from anxiety, stress, and depression. People who are unable to follow trends feel isolated. People who are not on social media also feel alienated. People on social media also spread hatred and prejudices against others instead of supporting and appreciating them. People compare themselves to others on social media, which lowers their self-esteem and confidence.
• Make conscious decisions about yourself: People post pictures according to socially constructed beauty standards, in which they seem slim, have radiant skin, and have clear lips (by using filters). Other people who are overweight or slimmer, have acne or pimples on their skin, lack makeup skills, and become self-conscious about their bodies. Teens start to diet, go to the gym, and try to maintain the trending body. Adults also suffer from this. People become self-conscious, which leads to feelings of inadequacy about their bodies and appearance.
• Increased use of poor language: on social media, people use language that has poor grammar, speech, and spelling. LOL, WYD, etc. words are used while chatting with people on social media. The quality of language is deteriorating, and people are losing their culture.

Conclusion-

From the above discussion, we can conclude that despite the various uses of social media, there are many misuses and negative impacts of it on society as a whole as well as on individuals.

Also read: Why do people share everything online?

Yachika Yadav is a sociology post graduate student at Banasthali Vidyapith. She loves to capture moments in nature, apart from drawing and writing poetries. Field of research attracts her the most and in future she want to be a part of that. She is a good listener, learner. And tries to always help others.

The Pros and Cons of Social Media for Youth

A new review article looks at how social media affects well-being in youth...

Posted October 16, 2021 | Reviewed by Lybi Ma

• Social media has both positive and negative effects on well-being in youth.
• Social media impacts four distinct areas for youth: connections, identity, learning, and emotions.

More than 90 percent of teenagers in the U.S. have a smartphone. Access to this type of technology and social networking changes the playing field for young people who are simultaneously developing a sense of identity and new social relationships.

We have certainly heard about the downside of teens and smartphones: cyberbullying, anxiety , and a misrepresented sense of body image . Research demonstrates there are some benefits too, including the ability to keep in touch with friends and loved ones – especially when the COVID-19 pandemic limited in-person social interactions.

A new systematic review published in the journal Adolescent Research Review combines the evidence from qualitative studies that investigate adolescent social media use.

The authors found, in short, that the links between adolescent well-being and social media are complicated and depend on a broad range of factors.

“Adults have always been concerned about how the latest technology will harm children,” said Amanda Purington, director of evaluation and research for ACT for Youth in the BCTR and a doctoral candidate in Cornell’s Social Media Lab. “This goes back to radio programs, comic books, novels – you name it, adults were worried about it. The same is now true for social media. And yes, there are concerns – there are many potential risks and harms. But there are potential benefits, too.”

Reviewing 19 studies of young people ages 11 to 20, the authors identified four major themes related to social media and well-being that ultimately affected aspects of young people’s mental health and sense of self.

The first theme, connections, describes how social media either supports or hinders young people’s relationships with their peers, friends, and family. The studies in the review provided plenty of examples of ways that social media helped youth build connections with others. Participants reported that social media helped to create intimacy with friends and could improve popularity. Youth who said they were shy reported having an easier time making friends through social media. Studies also found social media was useful in keeping in touch with family and friends who live far away and allowing groups to communicate in masse. In seven papers, participants identified social media as a source of support and reassurance.

In 13 of the papers, youth reported that social media also harmed their connections with others. They provided examples of bullying and threats and an atmosphere of criticism and negativity during social media interactions. Youth cited the anonymity of social media as part of the problem, as well as miscommunication that can occur online.

Study participants also reported a feeling of disconnection associated with relationships on social media. Some youth felt rejected or left out when their social media posts did not receive the feedback they expected. Others reported feeling frustrated, lonely , or paranoid about being left out.

The second theme, identity, describes how adolescents are supported or frustrated on social media in trying to develop their identities.

Youth in many of the studies described how social media helped them to “come out of their shells” and express their true identities. They reported liking the ability to write and edit their thoughts and use images to express themselves. They reported that feedback they received on social media helped to bolster their self-confidence and they reported enjoying the ability to look back on memories to keep track of how their identity changed over time.

In eight studies, youth described ways that social media led to inauthentic representations of themselves. They felt suspicious that others would use photo editing to disguise their identities and complained about how easy it was to deliver communications slyly, rather than with the honesty required in face-to-face communication. They also felt self-conscious about posting selfies, and reported that the feedback they received would affect their feelings of self-worth .

The third theme, learning, describes how social media use supports or hinders education . In many studies, participants reported how social media helped to broaden their perspectives and expose them to new ideas and topics. Many youths specifically cited exposure to political and social movements, such as Black Lives Matter.

On the flip side, youth in five studies reported that social media interfered with their education. They said that phone notifications and the pressure to constantly check in on social media distracted them from their studies. Participants reported that they found it difficult to spend quiet time alone without checking their phones. Others said the 24-7 nature of social media kept them up too late at night, making it difficult to get up for school the next day.

The fourth theme, emotions, describes the ways that social media impacts young people’s emotional experiences in both positive and negative ways. In 11 papers, participants reported that social media had a positive effect on their emotions. Some reported it improved their mood, helped them to feel excited, and often prompted laughter . (Think funny animal videos.) Others reported that social media helped to alleviate negative moods, including annoyance, anger , and boredom . They described logging onto social media as a form of stress management .

But in nearly all of the papers included in the review, participants said social media was a source of worry and pressure. Participants expressed concern about judgment from their peers. They often felt embarrassed about how they looked in images. Many participants expressed worry that they were addicted to social media. Others fretted about leaving a digital footprint that would affect them later in life. Many participants reported experiencing pressure to constantly respond and stay connected on social media. And a smaller number of participants reported feeling disturbed by encountering troubling content, such as self-harm and seeing former partners in new relationships.

“As this review article highlights, social media provides spaces for adolescents to work on some of the central developmental tasks of their age, such as forming deeper connections with peers and exploring identity,” Purington said. “I believe the key is to help youth maximize these benefits while minimizing risks, and we can do this by educating youth about how to use social media in ways that are positive, safe, and prosocial.”

The take-home message: The body of evidence on social media and well-being paints a complicated picture of how this new technology is affecting youth. While there are certainly benefits when young people use social media, there is also a broad range of pressures and negative consequences.

The Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research at Cornell University is focused on using research findings to improve health and well-being of people at all stages of life.

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I’m right, you’re wrong, and here’s a link to prove it: how social media shapes public debate

Senior Lecturer, School of Communication, International Studies and Languages, University of South Australia

Disclosure statement

Collette Snowden does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

University of South Australia provides funding as a member of The Conversation AU.

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Social media has revolutionised how we communicate. In this series, we look at how it has changed the media, politics, health, education and the law.

Once upon a time different political perspectives were provided to the public by media reporting, often through their own painstaking research.

If an issue gained attention, several perspectives might compete to inform and shape public opinion. It often took decades for issues to make the transition from the margin to the centre of politics.

Now, within minutes of any event, announcement or media appearance, we are able to get those perspectives thousands of times instantly via social media. There are constant reactions and debates, often repeating the same arguments and information.

It’s the communication equivalent of being at a football match compared to a dinner party. While meaningful exchanges between individuals are possible on social media, there’s so much noise that it’s difficult to make complex arguments or check the validity of information.

Social media is a superb medium for immediacy, reach and intensity. This makes it a great asset in situations where timeliness is important, such as breaking news. But it has serious limitations in conveying tone, nuance, context and veracity.

The pros and cons of social media

The ability for people to engage in arguments at a distance on social media has revealed an appalling lack of civility in many deep pockets of misogyny, ethnic antipathy, and general intolerance for difference.

These are attributes of users, not the technology, but social media gives them a volume that they otherwise would not have. But these loud, often angry, voices also prevent many more people from taking advantage of its participatory potential.

The level of hostility encountered in many debates is a powerful deterrent for many. Nonsense and profundity, truth and fabrication, have equal rights on social media. It can be a frustrating and bewildering place, and a great waster of time.

Nonetheless, with the dedication and commitment of a few passionate supporters, small and more marginalised groups are able to create a public presence that previously would have required years to establish through community meetings, lecture tours, fundraising events and lobbying.

A group like the Free West Papua movement, established in 1965 but outlawed by the Indonesian government, has successfully used social media to generate global support.

Other cause-related issues – such as animal-rights activism – that were previously confined to the margins of public attention have benefited from the greater reach social media allows.

Communications technology has also enabled social media to amplify many debates about long-standing issues, such as domestic violence, by allowing people to share their stories and engage in debates. These in turn can place pressure on politicians to act and contribute to critical offline discussions.

Just how powerful is it?

The influence of social media on politics and public perception is indisputable, but the extent of that influence is yet to be determined.

While social media was initially dismissed by some politicians as trivial , few make that argument now. Social media analytics are scrutinised with the same intensity as polls, and politicians and political parties follow social media exchanges closely.

But while political organisations and the media emphasise the volume of emotive, ephemeral and instantaneous messages produced for social media, they increasingly overlook context, complexity and causation.

So, the Australian election result , for example, was a surprise, particularly the level of support for One Nation. Similarly, the UK referendum result on its membership of the European Union was a shock. The US election is covered as though the tweets of candidates are providing the policy settings for an entire administration. The outcome of a referendum in Colombia was a surprise.

These outcomes are not directly caused by social media – they’re far too complex to make that claim – but social media is a powerful contributing factor.

But we should be aware of its limitations

There is a clear danger in focusing on social media as the primary agenda-setting medium for public debates while ignoring the deeper, complex social roots of conflicting ideas or positions.

While social media may create awareness, real political change requires actual decision-making, which takes time and reflection.

Social media debates on politics quickly devolve into binary positions, between which repetitive messages bounce back and forth, often without resolution. The marriage equality issue in Australia is an example of an issue that has benefited from social media communication. But without a strong political will for change, the issue has stalled as real politics have come into play.

Politicians and organisations now devote considerable time to social media. Shouting at each other, and exulting in the ability to gather followers, be liked, retweeted or shared, the danger is in being oblivious to the people who either do not use social media, or use it sparingly or infrequently.

Consequently, social media activity gives a greater illusion of impact precisely because of the attention it is given by people spending so much time on it.

News, gossip, and political debates occur in all human societies. Whether it’s tribal councils (so creatively co-opted for reality television), the Roman Forum, Town Hall debates (now televised to global audiences), the public bar, the coffee shops of Europe , and so on, social communication about politics is hardly new.

The need and desire for people to discuss decision-making and power, share news, pass on jokes, lampoon their leaders, provide information and so on is a defining characteristic of our species. Social media is the most obvious contemporary manifestation of this characteristic.

The recent power failure in South Australia showed the best and worst aspects of social media. It allowed people to communicate useful and important information quickly in the midst of the storm, but a political debate began almost immediately, and just as quickly devolved into binary positions. A complex issue was reduced to a slanging match, and the real issues were obscured.

Where to from here?

Social media is another form of communication that adds to the many we already have. How we adapt political debates and decision making to it is a work in progress.

One response would be a greater focus in education on logic, statistics and rhetoric to make social media communication more reliable, effective and hopefully, more civil.

For now, perhaps we could start with an algorithm to determine how many thousand posts on social media are equal to one conversation in the bar or coffee shop. Or develop a pearl of wisdom filter based on the quality of the message, and thereby boost national productivity by saving hours of time scrolling through 10,000 posts that essentially say the same two things.

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Speech on The Pros and Cons of Social Media

Greetings everyone,

Today, I want to talk about the role of social media in our lives and how it has impacted the way we communicate and interact with each other. Social media has become an integral part of our daily lives, with an estimated 3.6 billion people worldwide using some form of social media platform. From Facebook and Instagram to TikTok and Twitter, social media has allowed us to connect with friends, family, and even strangers across the globe in ways that were once unimaginable.

However, while social media has provided us with numerous benefits, it has also brought with it a host of challenges and concerns. From cyberbullying and online harassment to the spread of misinformation and the impact on mental health, social media has the power to both bring people together and tear them apart.

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One of the most significant benefits of social media is the ability to connect with others. With just a few clicks, we can instantly connect with friends and family who live far away or reconnect with old friends from our past. Social media has also allowed us to form communities and support groups around shared interests or experiences. For example, Facebook groups for parents of children with special needs or Instagram accounts for people living with chronic illnesses have provided a safe space for individuals to connect and support each other.

Social media has also made it easier for individuals to share their thoughts, ideas, and experiences with a wider audience. From bloggers and influencers to activists and politicians, social media has given a platform to anyone with access to a smartphone and an internet connection. This democratization of information has allowed for the spread of important messages and brought attention to important issues.

However, while social media has provided a platform for individuals to share their voices, it has also led to the spread of misinformation. With the ease of sharing content and the lack of fact-checking, it has become increasingly difficult to distinguish between credible sources and fake news. This has led to the proliferation of conspiracy theories and misinformation, which can have serious consequences on our society.

In addition to the spread of misinformation, social media has also been linked to an increase in cyberbullying and online harassment. With the anonymity of the internet, individuals may feel more empowered to engage in harmful behavior, such as sending hateful messages or posting embarrassing pictures or videos. This can have serious consequences for the victims, leading to depression, anxiety, and even suicide.

The constant use of social media can also have negative impacts on our mental health. The constant need to check notifications and compare our lives to the carefully curated content of others can lead to feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem. The pressure to constantly be online and connected can also lead to feelings of FOMO (fear of missing out) and anxiety.

Social media has also had an impact on our privacy. With the constant collection of data by tech companies, there are concerns about how our personal information is being used and who has access to it. This has led to calls for increased privacy protections and the need for individuals to be more mindful of what they share online.

It’s also essential to recognize the power we have as individuals to create a more positive and supportive online community. This means speaking out against cyberbullying and online harassment and supporting those who have been affected. It also means being mindful of the impact our words and actions can have on others and striving to create a more compassionate and understanding online community.

In conclusion, social media has provided us with numerous benefits, but it has also brought with it a host of challenges and concerns. From the spread of misinformation to the impact on mental health, it’s important to recognize the power of social media and use it mindfully. By setting boundaries, fact-checking information, and creating a more positive and supportive online community, we can address these challenges and continue to reap the benefits that social media has to offer.

Thank you for taking the time to listen my thoughts on social media. I hope that this has provided some food for thought and that we can all work towards creating a more positive and supportive online environment. So, let’s use social media in a responsible and mindful way and make the most out of it.

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Social Media and Mental Health: Benefits, Risks, and Opportunities for Research and Practice

John a. naslund.

a Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA

Ameya Bondre

b CareNX Innovations, Mumbai, India

John Torous

c Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA

Kelly A. Aschbrenner

d Department of Psychiatry, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH

Social media platforms are popular venues for sharing personal experiences, seeking information, and offering peer-to-peer support among individuals living with mental illness. With significant shortfalls in the availability, quality, and reach of evidence-based mental health services across the United States and globally, social media platforms may afford new opportunities to bridge this gap. However, caution is warranted, as numerous studies highlight risks of social media use for mental health. In this commentary, we consider the role of social media as a potentially viable intervention platform for offering support to persons with mental disorders, promoting engagement and retention in care, and enhancing existing mental health services. Specifically, we summarize current research on the use of social media among mental health service users, and early efforts using social media for the delivery of evidence-based programs. We also review the risks, potential harms, and necessary safety precautions with using social media for mental health. To conclude, we explore opportunities using data science and machine learning, for example by leveraging social media for detecting mental disorders and developing predictive models aimed at characterizing the aetiology and progression of mental disorders. These various efforts using social media, as summarized in this commentary, hold promise for improving the lives of individuals living with mental disorders.

Introduction

Social media has become a prominent fixture in the lives of many individuals facing the challenges of mental illness. Social media refers broadly to web and mobile platforms that allow individuals to connect with others within a virtual network (such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, or LinkedIn), where they can share, co-create, or exchange various forms of digital content, including information, messages, photos, or videos ( Ahmed, Ahmad, Ahmad, & Zakaria, 2019 ). Studies have reported that individuals living with a range of mental disorders, including depression, psychotic disorders, or other severe mental illnesses, use social media platforms at comparable rates as the general population, with use ranging from about 70% among middle-age and older individuals, to upwards of 97% among younger individuals ( Aschbrenner, Naslund, Grinley, et al., 2018 ; M. L. Birnbaum, Rizvi, Correll, Kane, & Confino, 2017 ; Brunette et al., 2019 ; Naslund, Aschbrenner, & Bartels, 2016 ). Other exploratory studies have found that many of these individuals with mental illness appear to turn to social media to share their personal experiences, seek information about their mental health and treatment options, and give and receive support from others facing similar mental health challenges ( Bucci, Schwannauer, & Berry, 2019 ; Naslund, Aschbrenner, Marsch, & Bartels, 2016b ).

Across the United States and globally, very few people living with mental illness have access to adequate mental health services ( Patel et al., 2018 ). The wide reach and near ubiquitous use of social media platforms may afford novel opportunities to address these shortfalls in existing mental health care, by enhancing the quality, availability, and reach of services. Recent studies have explored patterns of social media use, impact of social media use on mental health and wellbeing, and the potential to leverage the popularity and interactive features of social media to enhance the delivery of interventions. However, there remains uncertainty regarding the risks and potential harms of social media for mental health ( Orben & Przybylski, 2019 ), and how best to weigh these concerns against potential benefits.

In this commentary, we summarized current research on the use of social media among individuals with mental illness, with consideration of the impact of social media on mental wellbeing, as well as early efforts using social media for delivery of evidence-based programs for addressing mental health problems. We searched for recent peer reviewed publications in Medline and Google Scholar using the search terms “mental health” or “mental illness” and “social media”, and searched the reference lists of recent reviews and other relevant studies. We reviewed the risks, potential harms, and necessary safety precautions with using social media for mental health. Overall, our goal was to consider the role of social media as a potentially viable intervention platform for offering support to persons with mental disorders, promoting engagement and retention in care, and enhancing existing mental health services, while balancing the need for safety. Given this broad objective, we did not perform a systematic search of the literature and we did not apply specific inclusion criteria based on study design or type of mental disorder.

Social Media Use and Mental Health

In 2020, there are an estimated 3.8 billion social media users worldwide, representing half the global population ( We Are Social, 2020 ). Recent studies have shown that individuals with mental disorders are increasingly gaining access to and using mobile devices, such as smartphones ( Firth et al., 2015 ; Glick, Druss, Pina, Lally, & Conde, 2016 ; Torous, Chan, et al., 2014 ; Torous, Friedman, & Keshavan, 2014 ). Similarly, there is mounting evidence showing high rates of social media use among individuals with mental disorders, including studies looking at engagement with these popular platforms across diverse settings and disorder types. Initial studies from 2015 found that nearly half of a sample of psychiatric patients were social media users, with greater use among younger individuals ( Trefflich, Kalckreuth, Mergl, & Rummel-Kluge, 2015 ), while 47% of inpatients and outpatients with schizophrenia reported using social media, of which 79% reported at least once-a-week usage of social media websites ( Miller, Stewart, Schrimsher, Peeples, & Buckley, 2015 ). Rates of social media use among psychiatric populations have increased in recent years, as reflected in a study with data from 2017 showing comparable rates of social media use (approximately 70%) among individuals with serious mental illness in treatment as compared to low-income groups from the general population ( Brunette et al., 2019 ).

Similarly, among individuals with serious mental illness receiving community-based mental health services, a recent study found equivalent rates of social media use as the general population, even exceeding 70% of participants ( Naslund, Aschbrenner, & Bartels, 2016 ). Comparable findings were demonstrated among middle-age and older individuals with mental illness accessing services at peer support agencies, where 72% of respondents reported using social media ( Aschbrenner, Naslund, Grinley, et al., 2018 ). Similar results, with 68% of those with first episode psychosis using social media daily were reported in another study ( Abdel-Baki, Lal, D.-Charron, Stip, & Kara, 2017 ).

Individuals who self-identified as having a schizophrenia spectrum disorder responded to a survey shared through the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI), and reported that visiting social media sites was one of their most common activities when using digital devices, taking up roughly 2 hours each day ( Gay, Torous, Joseph, Pandya, & Duckworth, 2016 ). For adolescents and young adults ages 12 to 21 with psychotic disorders and mood disorders, over 97% reported using social media, with average use exceeding 2.5 hours per day ( M. L. Birnbaum et al., 2017 ). Similarly, in a sample of adolescents ages 13-18 recruited from community mental health centers, 98% reported using social media, with YouTube as the most popular platform, followed by Instagram and Snapchat ( Aschbrenner et al., 2019 ).

Research has also explored the motivations for using social media as well as the perceived benefits of interacting on these platforms among individuals with mental illness. In the sections that follow (see Table 1 for a summary), we consider three potentially unique features of interacting and connecting with others on social media that may offer benefits for individuals living with mental illness. These include: 1) Facilitate social interaction; 2) Access to a peer support network; and 3) Promote engagement and retention in services.

Summary of potential benefits and challenges with social media for mental health

Facilitate Social Interaction

Social media platforms offer near continuous opportunities to connect and interact with others, regardless of time of day or geographic location. This on demand ease of communication may be especially important for facilitating social interaction among individuals with mental disorders experiencing difficulties interacting in face-to-face settings. For example, impaired social functioning is a common deficit in schizophrenia spectrum disorders, and social media may facilitate communication and interacting with others for these individuals ( Torous & Keshavan, 2016 ). This was suggested in one study where participants with schizophrenia indicated that social media helped them to interact and socialize more easily ( Miller et al., 2015 ). Like other online communication, the ability to connect with others anonymously may be an important feature of social media, especially for individuals living with highly stigmatizing health conditions ( Berger, Wagner, & Baker, 2005 ), such as serious mental disorders ( Highton-Williamson, Priebe, & Giacco, 2015 ).

Studies have found that individuals with serious mental disorders ( Spinzy, Nitzan, Becker, Bloch, & Fennig, 2012 ) as well as young adults with mental illness ( Gowen, Deschaine, Gruttadara, & Markey, 2012 ) appear to form online relationships and connect with others on social media as often as social media users from the general population. This is an important observation because individuals living with serious mental disorders typically have few social contacts in the offline world, and also experience high rates of loneliness ( Badcock et al., 2015 ; Giacco, Palumbo, Strappelli, Catapano, & Priebe, 2016 ). Among individuals receiving publicly funded mental health services who use social media, nearly half (47%) reported using these platforms at least weekly to feel less alone ( Brusilovskiy, Townley, Snethen, & Salzer, 2016 ). In another study of young adults with serious mental illness, most indicated that they used social media to help feel less isolated ( Gowen et al., 2012 ). Interestingly, more frequent use of social media among a sample of individuals with serious mental illness was associated with greater community participation, measured as participation in shopping, work, religious activities or visiting friends and family, as well as greater civic engagement, reflected as voting in local elections ( Brusilovskiy et al., 2016 ).

Emerging research also shows that young people with moderate to severe depressive symptoms appear to prefer communicating on social media rather than in-person ( Rideout & Fox, 2018 ), while other studies have found that some individuals may prefer to seek help for mental health concerns online rather than through in-person encounters ( Batterham & Calear, 2017 ). In a qualitative study, participants with schizophrenia described greater anonymity, the ability to discover that other people have experienced similar health challenges, and reducing fears through greater access to information as important motivations for using the Internet to seek mental health information ( Schrank, Sibitz, Unger, & Amering, 2010 ). Because social media does not require the immediate responses necessary in face-to-face communication, it may overcome deficits with social interaction due to psychotic symptoms that typically adversely affect face-to-face conversations ( Docherty et al., 1996 ). Online social interactions may not require the use of non-verbal cues, particularly in the initial stages of interaction ( Kiesler, Siegel, & McGuire, 1984 ), with interactions being more fluid, and within the control of users, thereby overcoming possible social anxieties linked to in-person interaction ( Indian & Grieve, 2014 ). Furthermore, many individuals with serious mental disorders can experience symptoms including passive social withdrawal, blunted affect and attentional impairment, as well as active social avoidance due to hallucinations or other concerns ( Hansen, Torgalsbøen, Melle, & Bell, 2009 ); thus, potentially reinforcing the relative advantage, as perceived by users, of using social media over in person conversations.

Access to a Peer Support Network

There is growing recognition about the role that social media channels could play in enabling peer support ( Bucci et al., 2019 ; Naslund, Aschbrenner, et al., 2016b ), referred to as a system of mutual giving and receiving where individuals who have endured the difficulties of mental illness can offer hope, friendship, and support to others facing similar challenges ( Davidson, Chinman, Sells, & Rowe, 2006 ; Mead, Hilton, & Curtis, 2001 ). Initial studies exploring use of online self-help forums among individuals with serious mental illnesses have found that individuals with schizophrenia appeared to use these forums for self-disclosure, and sharing personal experiences, in addition to providing or requesting information, describing symptoms, or discussing medication ( Haker, Lauber, & Rössler, 2005 ), while users with bipolar disorder reported using these forums to ask for help from others about their illness ( Vayreda & Antaki, 2009 ). More recently, in a review of online social networking in people with psychosis, Highton-Williamson et al (2015) highlight that an important purpose of such online connections was to establish new friendships, pursue romantic relationships, maintain existing relationships or reconnect with people, and seek online peer support from others with lived experience ( Highton-Williamson et al., 2015 ).

Online peer support among individuals with mental illness has been further elaborated in various studies. In a content analysis of comments posted to YouTube by individuals who self-identified as having a serious mental illness, there appeared to be opportunities to feel less alone, provide hope, find support and learn through mutual reciprocity, and share coping strategies for day-to-day challenges of living with a mental illness ( Naslund, Grande, Aschbrenner, & Elwyn, 2014 ). In another study, Chang (2009) delineated various communication patterns in an online psychosis peer-support group ( Chang, 2009 ). Specifically, different forms of support emerged, including ‘informational support’ about medication use or contacting mental health providers, ‘esteem support’ involving positive comments for encouragement, ‘network support’ for sharing similar experiences, and ‘emotional support’ to express understanding of a peer’s situation and offer hope or confidence ( Chang, 2009 ). Bauer et al. (2013) reported that the main interest in online self-help forums for patients with bipolar disorder was to share emotions with others, allow exchange of information, and benefit by being part of an online social group ( Bauer, Bauer, Spiessl, & Kagerbauer, 2013 ).

For individuals who openly discuss mental health problems on Twitter, a study by Berry et al. (2017) found that this served as an important opportunity to seek support and to hear about the experiences of others ( Berry et al., 2017 ). In a survey of social media users with mental illness, respondents reported that sharing personal experiences about living with mental illness and opportunities to learn about strategies for coping with mental illness from others were important reasons for using social media ( Naslund et al., 2017 ). A computational study of mental health awareness campaigns on Twitter provides further support with inspirational posts and tips being the most shared ( Saha et al., 2019 ). Taken together, these studies offer insights about the potential for social media to facilitate access to an informal peer support network, though more research is necessary to examine how these online interactions may impact intentions to seek care, illness self-management, and clinically meaningful outcomes in offline contexts.

Promote Engagement and Retention in Services

Many individuals living with mental disorders have expressed interest in using social media platforms for seeking mental health information ( Lal, Nguyen, & Theriault, 2018 ), connecting with mental health providers ( M. L. Birnbaum et al., 2017 ), and accessing evidence-based mental health services delivered over social media specifically for coping with mental health symptoms or for promoting overall health and wellbeing ( Naslund et al., 2017 ). With the widespread use of social media among individuals living with mental illness combined with the potential to facilitate social interaction and connect with supportive peers, as summarized above, it may be possible to leverage the popular features of social media to enhance existing mental health programs and services. A recent review by Biagianti et al (2018) found that peer-to-peer support appeared to offer feasible and acceptable ways to augment digital mental health interventions for individuals with psychotic disorders by specifically improving engagement, compliance, and adherence to the interventions, and may also improve perceived social support ( Biagianti, Quraishi, & Schlosser, 2018 ).

Among digital programs that have incorporated peer-to-peer social networking consistent with popular features on social media platforms, a pilot study of the HORYZONS online psychosocial intervention demonstrated significant reductions in depression among patients with first episode psychosis ( Alvarez-Jimenez et al., 2013 ). Importantly, the majority of participants (95%) in this study engaged with the peer-to-peer networking feature of the program, with many reporting increases in perceived social connectedness and empowerment in their recovery process ( Alvarez-Jimenez et al., 2013 ). This moderated online social therapy program is now being evaluated as part of a large randomized controlled trial for maintaining treatment effects from first episode psychosis services ( Alvarez-Jimenez et al., 2019 ).

Other early efforts have demonstrated that use of digital environments with the interactive peer-to-peer features of social media can enhance social functioning and wellbeing in young people at high risk of psychosis ( Alvarez-Jimenez et al., 2018 ). There has also been a recent emergence of several mobile apps to support symptom monitoring and relapse prevention in psychotic disorders. Among these apps, the development of PRIME (Personalized Real-time Intervention for Motivational Enhancement) has involved working closely with young people with schizophrenia to ensure that the design of the app has the look and feel of mainstream social media platforms, as opposed to existing clinical tools ( Schlosser et al., 2016 ). This unique approach to the design of the app is aimed at promoting engagement, and ensuring that the app can effectively improve motivation and functioning through goal setting and promoting better quality of life of users with schizophrenia ( Schlosser et al., 2018 ).

Social media platforms could also be used to promote engagement and participation in in-person services delivered through community mental health settings. For example, the peer-based lifestyle intervention called PeerFIT targets weight loss and improved fitness among individuals living with serious mental illness through a combination of in-person lifestyle classes, exercise groups, and use of digital technologies ( Aschbrenner, Naslund, Shevenell, Kinney, & Bartels, 2016 ; Aschbrenner, Naslund, Shevenell, Mueser, & Bartels, 2016 ). The intervention holds tremendous promise as lack of support is one of the largest barriers toward exercise in patients with serious mental illness ( Firth et al., 2016 ) and it is now possible to use social media to counter such. Specifically, in PeerFIT, a private Facebook group is closely integrated into the program to offer a closed platform where participants can connect with the lifestyle coaches, access intervention content, and support or encourage each other as they work towards their lifestyle goals ( Aschbrenner, Naslund, & Bartels, 2016 ; Naslund, Aschbrenner, Marsch, & Bartels, 2016a ). To date, this program has demonstrate preliminary effectiveness for meaningfully reducing cardiovascular risk factors that contribute to early mortality in this patient group ( Aschbrenner, Naslund, Shevenell, Kinney, et al., 2016 ), while the Facebook component appears to have increased engagement in the program, while allowing participants who were unable to attend in-person sessions due to other health concerns or competing demands to remain connected with the program ( Naslund, Aschbrenner, Marsch, McHugo, & Bartels, 2018 ). This lifestyle intervention is currently being evaluated in a randomized controlled trial enrolling young adults with serious mental illness from a variety of real world community mental health services settings ( Aschbrenner, Naslund, Gorin, et al., 2018 ).

These examples highlight the promise of incorporating the features of popular social media into existing programs, which may offer opportunities to safely promote engagement and program retention, while achieving improved clinical outcomes. This is an emerging area of research, as evidenced by several important effectiveness trials underway ( Alvarez-Jimenez et al., 2019 ; Aschbrenner, Naslund, Gorin, et al., 2018 ), including efforts to leverage online social networking to support family caregivers of individuals receiving first episode psychosis services ( Gleeson et al., 2017 ).

Challenges with Social Media for Mental Health

The science on the role of social media for engaging persons with mental disorders needs a cautionary note on the effects of social media usage on mental health and well being, particularly in adolescents and young adults. While the risks and harms of social media are frequently covered in the popular press and mainstream news reports, careful consideration of the research in this area is necessary. In a review of 43 studies in young people, many benefits of social media were cited, including increased self-esteem, and opportunities for self-disclosure ( Best, Manktelow, & Taylor, 2014 ). Yet, reported negative effects were an increased exposure to harm, social isolation, depressive symptoms and bullying ( Best et al., 2014 ). In the sections that follow (see Table 1 for a summary), we consider three major categories of risk related to use of social media and mental health. These include: 1) Impact on symptoms; 2) Facing hostile interactions; and 3) Consequences for daily life.

Impact on Symptoms

Studies consistently highlight that use of social media, especially heavy use and prolonged time spent on social media platforms, appears to contribute to increased risk for a variety of mental health symptoms and poor wellbeing, especially among young people ( Andreassen et al., 2016 ; Kross et al., 2013 ; Woods & Scott, 2016 ). This may partly be driven by the detrimental effects of screen time on mental health, including increased severity of anxiety and depressive symptoms, which have been well documented ( Stiglic & Viner, 2019 ). Recent studies have reported negative effects of social media use on mental health of young people, including social comparison pressure with others and greater feeling of social isolation after being rejected by others on social media ( Rideout & Fox, 2018 ). In a study of young adults, it was found that negative comparisons with others on Facebook contributed to risk of rumination and subsequent increases in depression symptoms ( Feinstein et al., 2013 ). Still, the cross sectional nature of many screen time and mental health studies makes it challenging to reach causal inferences ( Orben & Przybylski, 2019 ).

Quantity of social media use is also an important factor, as highlighted in a survey of young adults ages 19 to 32, where more frequent visits to social media platforms each week were correlated with greater depressive symptoms ( Lin et al., 2016 ). More time spent using social media is also associated with greater symptoms of anxiety ( Vannucci, Flannery, & Ohannessian, 2017 ). The actual number of platforms accessed also appears to contribute to risk as reflected in another national survey of young adults where use of a large number of social media platforms was associated with negative impact on mental health ( Primack et al., 2017 ). Among survey respondents using between 7 and 11 different social media platforms compared to respondents using only 2 or fewer platforms, there was a 3 times greater odds of having high levels of depressive symptoms and a 3.2 times greater odds of having high levels of anxiety symptoms ( Primack et al., 2017 ).

Many researchers have postulated that worsening mental health attributed to social media use may be because social media replaces face-to-face interactions for young people ( Twenge & Campbell, 2018 ), and may contribute to greater loneliness ( Bucci et al., 2019 ), and negative effects on other aspects of health and wellbeing ( Woods & Scott, 2016 ). One nationally representative survey of US adolescents found that among respondents who reported more time accessing media such as social media platforms or smartphone devices, there was significantly greater depressive symptoms and increased risk of suicide when compared to adolescents who reported spending more time on non-screen activities, such as in-person social interaction or sports and recreation activities ( Twenge, Joiner, Rogers, & Martin, 2018 ). For individuals living with more severe mental illnesses, the effects of social media on psychiatric symptoms have received less attention. One study found that participation in chat rooms may contribute to worsening symptoms in young people with psychotic disorders ( Mittal, Tessner, & Walker, 2007 ), while another study of patients with psychosis found that social media use appeared to predict low mood ( Berry, Emsley, Lobban, & Bucci, 2018 ). These studies highlight a clear relationship between social media use and mental health that may not be present in general population studies ( Orben & Przybylski, 2019 ), and emphasize the need to explore how social media may contribute to symptom severity and whether protective factors may be identified to mitigate these risks.

Facing Hostile Interactions

Popular social media platforms can create potential situations where individuals may be victimized by negative comments or posts. Cyberbullying represents a form of online aggression directed towards specific individuals, such as peers or acquaintances, which is perceived to be most harmful when compared to random hostile comments posted online ( Hamm et al., 2015 ). Importantly, cyberbullying on social media consistently shows harmful impact on mental health in the form of increased depressive symptoms as well as worsening of anxiety symptoms, as evidenced in a review of 36 studies among children and young people ( Hamm et al., 2015 ). Furthermore, cyberbullying disproportionately impacts females as reflected in a national survey of adolescents in the United States, where females were twice as likely to be victims of cyberbullying compared to males ( Alhajji, Bass, & Dai, 2019 ). Most studies report cross-sectional associations between cyberbullying and symptoms of depression or anxiety ( Hamm et al., 2015 ), though one longitudinal study in Switzerland found that cyberbullying contributed to significantly greater depression over time ( Machmutow, Perren, Sticca, & Alsaker, 2012 ).

For youth ages 10 to 17 who reported major depressive symptomatology, there was over 3 times greater odds of facing online harassment in the last year compared to youth who reported mild or no depressive symptoms ( Ybarra, 2004 ). Similarly, in a 2018 national survey of young people, respondents ages 14 to 22 with moderate to severe depressive symptoms were more likely to have had negative experiences when using social media, and in particular, were more likely to report having faced hostile comments, or being “trolled”, from others when compared to respondents without depressive symptoms (31% vs. 14%) ( Rideout & Fox, 2018 ). As these studies depict risks for victimization on social media and the correlation with poor mental health, it is possible that individuals living with mental illness may also experience greater hostility online compared to individuals without mental illness. This would be consistent with research showing greater risk of hostility, including increased violence and discrimination, directed towards individuals living with mental illness in in-person contexts, especially targeted at those with severe mental illnesses ( Goodman et al., 1999 ).

A computational study of mental health awareness campaigns on Twitter reported that while stigmatizing content was rare, it was actually the most spread (re-tweeted) demonstrating that harmful content can travel quickly on social media ( Saha et al., 2019 ). Another study was able to map the spread of social media posts about the Blue Whale Challenge, an alleged game promoting suicide, over Twitter, YouTube, Reddit, Tumblr and other forums across 127 countries ( Sumner et al., 2019 ). These findings show that it is critical to monitor the actual content of social media posts, such as determining whether content is hostile or promotes harm to self or others. This is pertinent because existing research looking at duration of exposure cannot account for the impact of specific types of content on mental health and is insufficient to fully understand the effects of using these platforms on mental health.

Consequences for Daily Life

The ways in which individuals use social media can also impact their offline relationships and everyday activities. To date, reports have described risks of social media use pertaining to privacy, confidentiality, and unintended consequences of disclosing personal health information online ( Torous & Keshavan, 2016 ). Additionally, concerns have been raised about poor quality or misleading health information shared on social media, and that social media users may not be aware of misleading information or conflicts of interest especially when the platforms promote popular content regardless of whether it is from a trustworthy source ( Moorhead et al., 2013 ; Ventola, 2014 ). For persons living with mental illness there may be additional risks from using social media. A recent study that specifically explored the perspectives of social media users with serious mental illnesses, including participants with schizophrenia spectrum disorders, bipolar disorder, or major depression, found that over one third of participants expressed concerns about privacy when using social media ( Naslund & Aschbrenner, 2019 ). The reported risks of social media use were directly related to many aspects of everyday life, including concerns about threats to employment, fear of stigma and being judged, impact on personal relationships, and facing hostility or being hurt ( Naslund & Aschbrenner, 2019 ). While few studies have specifically explored the dangers of social media use from the perspectives of individuals living with mental illness, it is important to recognize that use of these platforms may contribute to risks that extend beyond worsening symptoms and that can affect different aspects of daily life.

In this commentary we considered ways in which social media may yield benefits for individuals living with mental illness, while contrasting these with the possible harms. Studies reporting on the threats of social media for individuals with mental illness are mostly cross-sectional, making it difficult to draw conclusions about direction of causation. However, the risks are potentially serious. These risks should be carefully considered in discussions pertaining to use of social media and the broader use of digital mental health technologies, as avenues for mental health promotion, or for supporting access to evidence-based programs or mental health services. At this point, it would be premature to view the benefits of social media as outweighing the possible harms, when it is clear from the studies summarized here that social media use can have negative effects on mental health symptoms, can potentially expose individuals to hurtful content and hostile interactions, and can result in serious consequences for daily life, including threats to employment and personal relationships. Despite these risks, it is also necessary to recognize that individuals with mental illness will continue to use social media given the ease of accessing these platforms and the immense popularity of online social networking. With this in mind, it may be ideal to raise awareness about these possible risks so that individuals can implement necessary safeguards, while also highlighting that there could also be benefits. For individuals with mental illness who use social media, being aware of the risks is an essential first step, and then highlighting ways that use of these popular platforms could also contribute to some benefits, ranging from finding meaningful interactions with others, engaging with peer support networks, and accessing information and services.

To capitalize on the widespread use of social media, and to achieve the promise that these platforms may hold for supporting the delivery of targeted mental health interventions, there is need for continued research to better understand how individuals living with mental illness use social media. Such efforts could inform safety measures and also encourage use of social media in ways that maximize potential benefits while minimizing risk of harm. It will be important to recognize how gender and race contribute to differences in use of social media for seeking mental health information or accessing interventions, as well as differences in how social media might impact mental wellbeing. For example, a national survey of 14- to 22-year olds in the United States found that female respondents were more likely to search online for information about depression or anxiety, and to try to connect with other people online who share similar mental health concerns, when compared to male respondents ( Rideout & Fox, 2018 ). In the same survey, there did not appear to be any differences between racial or ethnic groups in social media use for seeking mental health information ( Rideout & Fox, 2018 ). Social media use also appears to have a differential impact on mental health and emotional wellbeing between females and males ( Booker, Kelly, & Sacker, 2018 ), highlighting the need to explore unique experiences between gender groups to inform tailored programs and services. Research shows that lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender individuals frequently use social media for searching for health information and may be more likely compared to heterosexual individuals to share their own personal health experiences with others online ( Rideout & Fox, 2018 ). Less is known about use of social media for seeking support for mental health concerns among gender minorities, though this is an important area for further investigation as these individuals are more likely to experience mental health problems and more likely to experience online victimization when compared to heterosexual individuals ( Mereish, Sheskier, Hawthorne, & Goldbach, 2019 ).

Similarly, efforts are needed to explore the relationship between social media use and mental health among ethnic and racial minorities. A recent study found that exposure to traumatic online content on social media showing violence or hateful posts directed at racial minorities contributed to increases in psychological distress, PTSD symptoms, and depression among African American and Latinx adolescents in the United States ( Tynes, Willis, Stewart, & Hamilton, 2019 ). These concerns are contrasted by growing interest in the potential for new technologies including social media to expand the reach of services to underrepresented minority groups ( Schueller, Hunter, Figueroa, & Aguilera, 2019 ). Therefore, greater attention is needed to understanding the perspectives of ethnic and racial minorities to inform effective and safe use of social media for mental health promotion efforts.

Research has found that individuals living with mental illness have expressed interest in accessing mental health services through social media platforms. A survey of social media users with mental illness found that most respondents were interested in accessing programs for mental health on social media targeting symptom management, health promotion, and support for communicating with health care providers and interacting with the health system ( Naslund et al., 2017 ). Importantly, individuals with serious mental illness have also emphasized that any mental health intervention on social media would need to be moderated by someone with adequate training and credentials, would need to have ground rules and ways to promote safety and minimize risks, and importantly, would need to be free and easy to access.

An important strength with this commentary is that it combines a range of studies broadly covering the topic of social media and mental health. We have provided a summary of recent evidence in a rapidly advancing field with the goal of presenting unique ways that social media could offer benefits for individuals with mental illness, while also acknowledging the potentially serious risks and the need for further investigation. There are also several limitations with this commentary that warrant consideration. Importantly, as we aimed to address this broad objective, we did not conduct a systematic review of the literature. Therefore, the studies reported here are not exhaustive, and there may be additional relevant studies that were not included. Additionally, we only summarized published studies, and as a result, any reports from the private sector or websites from different organizations using social media or other apps containing social media-like features would have been omitted. Though it is difficult to rigorously summarize work from the private sector, sometimes referred to as “gray literature”, because many of these projects are unpublished and are likely selective in their reporting of findings given the target audience may be shareholders or consumers.

Another notable limitation is that we did not assess risk of bias in the studies summarized in this commentary. We found many studies that highlighted risks associated with social media use for individuals living with mental illness; however, few studies of programs or interventions reported negative findings, suggesting the possibility that negative findings may go unpublished. This concern highlights the need for a future more rigorous review of the literature with careful consideration of bias and an accompanying quality assessment. Most of the studies that we described were from the United States, as well as from other higher income settings such as Australia or the United Kingdom. Despite the global reach of social media platforms, there is a dearth of research on the impact of these platforms on the mental health of individuals in diverse settings, as well as the ways in which social media could support mental health services in lower income countries where there is virtually no access to mental health providers. Future research is necessary to explore the opportunities and risks for social media to support mental health promotion in low-income and middle-income countries, especially as these countries face a disproportionate share of the global burden of mental disorders, yet account for the majority of social media users worldwide ( Naslund et al., 2019 ).

Future Directions for Social Media and Mental Health

As we consider future research directions, the near ubiquitous social media use also yields new opportunities to study the onset and manifestation of mental health symptoms and illness severity earlier than traditional clinical assessments. There is an emerging field of research referred to as ‘digital phenotyping’ aimed at capturing how individuals interact with their digital devices, including social media platforms, in order to study patterns of illness and identify optimal time points for intervention ( Jain, Powers, Hawkins, & Brownstein, 2015 ; Onnela & Rauch, 2016 ). Given that most people access social media via mobile devices, digital phenotyping and social media are closely related ( Torous et al., 2019 ). To date, the emergence of machine learning, a powerful computational method involving statistical and mathematical algorithms ( Shatte, Hutchinson, & Teague, 2019 ), has made it possible to study large quantities of data captured from popular social media platforms such as Twitter or Instagram to illuminate various features of mental health ( Manikonda & De Choudhury, 2017 ; Reece et al., 2017 ). Specifically, conversations on Twitter have been analyzed to characterize the onset of depression ( De Choudhury, Gamon, Counts, & Horvitz, 2013 ) as well as detecting users’ mood and affective states ( De Choudhury, Gamon, & Counts, 2012 ), while photos posted to Instagram can yield insights for predicting depression ( Reece & Danforth, 2017 ). The intersection of social media and digital phenotyping will likely add new levels of context to social media use in the near future.

Several studies have also demonstrated that when compared to a control group, Twitter users with a self-disclosed diagnosis of schizophrenia show unique online communication patterns ( Michael L Birnbaum, Ernala, Rizvi, De Choudhury, & Kane, 2017 ), including more frequent discussion of tobacco use ( Hswen et al., 2017 ), symptoms of depression and anxiety ( Hswen, Naslund, Brownstein, & Hawkins, 2018b ), and suicide ( Hswen, Naslund, Brownstein, & Hawkins, 2018a ). Another study found that online disclosures about mental illness appeared beneficial as reflected by fewer posts about symptoms following self-disclosure (Ernala, Rizvi, Birnbaum, Kane, & De Choudhury, 2017). Each of these examples offers early insights into the potential to leverage widely available online data for better understanding the onset and course of mental illness. It is possible that social media data could be used to supplement additional digital data, such as continuous monitoring using smartphone apps or smart watches, to generate a more comprehensive ‘digital phenotype’ to predict relapse and identify high-risk health behaviors among individuals living with mental illness ( Torous et al., 2019 ).

With research increasingly showing the valuable insights that social media data can yield about mental health states, greater attention to the ethical concerns with using individual data in this way is necessary ( Chancellor, Birnbaum, Caine, Silenzio, & De Choudhury, 2019 ). For instance, data is typically captured from social media platforms without the consent or awareness of users ( Bidargaddi et al., 2017 ), which is especially crucial when the data relates to a socially stigmatizing health condition such as mental illness ( Guntuku, Yaden, Kern, Ungar, & Eichstaedt, 2017 ). Precautions are needed to ensure that data is not made identifiable in ways that were not originally intended by the user who posted the content, as this could place an individual at risk of harm or divulge sensitive health information ( Webb et al., 2017 ; Williams, Burnap, & Sloan, 2017 ). Promising approaches for minimizing these risks include supporting the participation of individuals with expertise in privacy, clinicians, as well as the target individuals with mental illness throughout the collection of data, development of predictive algorithms, and interpretation of findings ( Chancellor et al., 2019 ).

In recognizing that many individuals living with mental illness use social media to search for information about their mental health, it is possible that they may also want to ask their clinicians about what they find online to check if the information is reliable and trustworthy. Alternatively, many individuals may feel embarrassed or reluctant to talk to their clinicians about using social media to find mental health information out of concerns of being judged or dismissed. Therefore, mental health clinicians may be ideally positioned to talk with their patients about using social media, and offer recommendations to promote safe use of these sites, while also respecting their patients’ autonomy and personal motivations for using these popular platforms. Given the gap in clinical knowledge about the impact of social media on mental health, clinicians should be aware of the many potential risks so that they can inform their patients, while remaining open to the possibility that their patients may also experience benefits through use of these platforms. As awareness of these risks grows, it may be possible that new protections will be put in place by industry or through new policies that will make the social media environment safer. It is hard to estimate a number needed to treat or harm today given the nascent state of research, which means the patient and clinician need to weigh the choice on a personal level. Thus offering education and information is an important first step in that process. As patients increasingly show interest in accessing mental health information or services through social media, it will be necessary for health systems to recognize social media as a potential avenue for reaching or offering support to patients. This aligns with growing emphasis on the need for greater integration of digital psychiatry, including apps, smartphones, or wearable devices, into patient care and clinical services through institution-wide initiatives and training clinical providers ( Hilty, Chan, Torous, Luo, & Boland, 2019 ). Within a learning healthcare environment where research and care are tightly intertwined and feedback between both is rapid, the integration of digital technologies into services may create new opportunities for advancing use of social media for mental health.

As highlighted in this commentary, social media has become an important part of the lives of many individuals living with mental disorders. Many of these individuals use social media to share their lived experiences with mental illness, to seek support from others, and to search for information about treatment recommendations, accessing mental health services, and coping with symptoms ( Bucci et al., 2019 ; Highton-Williamson et al., 2015 ; Naslund, Aschbrenner, et al., 2016b ). As the field of digital mental health advances, the wide reach, ease of access, and popularity of social media platforms could be used to allow individuals in need of mental health services or facing challenges of mental illness to access evidence-based treatment and support. To achieve this end and to explore whether social media platforms can advance efforts to close the gap in available mental health services in the United States and globally, it will be essential for researchers to work closely with clinicians and with those affected by mental illness to ensure that possible benefits of using social media are carefully weighed against anticipated risks.

Acknowledgements

Dr. Naslund is supported by a grant from the National Institute of Mental Health (U19MH113211). Dr. Aschbrenner is supported by a grant from the National Institute of Mental Health (1R01MH110965-01).

Publisher's Disclaimer: This Author Accepted Manuscript is a PDF file of a an unedited peer-reviewed manuscript that has been accepted for publication but has not been copyedited or corrected. The official version of record that is published in the journal is kept up to date and so may therefore differ from this version.

Conflict of Interest

The authors have nothing to disclose.

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• Tween and teen health

Teens and social media use: What's the impact?

Social media is a term for internet sites and apps that you can use to share content you've created. Social media also lets you respond to content that others post. That can include pictures, text, reactions or comments on posts by others, and links to information.

Online sharing within social media sites helps many people stay in touch with friends or connect with new ones. And that may be more important for teenagers than other age groups. Friendships help teens feel supported and play a role in forming their identities. So, it's only natural to wonder how social media use might affect teens.

Social media is a big part of daily life for lots of teenagers.

How big? A 2022 survey of 13- to 17-year-olds offers a clue. Based on about 1,300 responses, the survey found that 35% of teens use at least one of five social media platforms more than several times a day. The five social media platforms are: YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat.

Social media doesn't affect all teens the same way. Use of social media is linked with healthy and unhealthy effects on mental health. These effects vary from one teenager to another. Social media effects on mental health depend on things such as:

• What a teen sees and does online.
• The amount of time spent online.
• Psychological factors, such as maturity level and any preexisting mental health conditions.
• Personal life circumstances, including cultural, social and economic factors.

Here are the general pros and cons of teen social media use, along with tips for parents.

Healthy social media

Social media lets teens create online identities, chat with others and build social networks. These networks can provide teens with support from other people who have hobbies or experiences in common. This type of support especially may help teens who:

• Lack social support offline or are lonely.
• Are going through a stressful time.
• Belong to groups that often get marginalized, such as racial minorities, the LGBTQ community and those who are differently abled.
• Have long-term medical conditions.

Sometimes, social media platforms help teens:

• Express themselves.
• Connect with other teens locally and across long distances.
• Learn how other teens cope with challenging life situations and mental health conditions.
• View or take part in moderated chat forums that encourage talking openly about topics such as mental health.
• Ask for help or seek healthcare for symptoms of mental health conditions.

These healthy effects of social media can help teens in general. They also may help teens who are prone to depression stay connected to others. And social media that's humorous or distracting may help a struggling teen cope with a challenging day.

Unhealthy social media

Social media use may have negative effects on some teens. It might:

• Distract from homework, exercise and family activities.
• Disrupt sleep.
• Lead to information that is biased or not correct.
• Become a means to spread rumors or share too much personal information.
• Lead some teens to form views about other people's lives or bodies that aren't realistic.
• Expose some teens to online predators, who might try to exploit or extort them.
• Expose some teens to cyberbullying, which can raise the risk of mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression.

What's more, certain content related to risk-taking, and negative posts or interactions on social media, have been linked with self-harm and rarely, death.

The risks of social media use are linked with various factors. One may be how much time teens spend on these platforms.

In a study focusing on 12- to 15-year-olds in the United States, spending three hours a day using social media was linked to a higher risk of mental health concerns. That study was based on data collected in 2013 and 2014 from more than 6,500 participants.

Another study looked at data on more than 12,000 teens in England between the ages of 13 to 16. The researchers found that using social media more than three times a day predicted poor mental health and well-being in teens.

But not all research has found a link between time spent on social media and mental health risks in teens.

How teens use social media also might determine its impact. For instance, viewing certain types of content may raise some teens' mental health risks. This could include content that depicts:

• Illegal acts.
• Self-harm or harm to other people.
• Encouragement of habits tied to eating disorders, such as purging or restrictive eating.

These types of content may be even more risky for teens who already have a mental health condition. Being exposed to discrimination, hate or cyberbullying on social media also can raise the risk of anxiety or depression.

What teens share about themselves on social media also matters.

With the teenage brain, it's common to make a choice before thinking it through. So, teens might post something when they're angry or upset, and regret it later. That's known as stress posting.

Teens who post content also are at risk of sharing sexual photos or highly personal stories. This can lead to teens being bullied, harassed or even blackmailed.

Protecting your teen

You can take steps to help your teens use social media responsibly and limit some of the possible negative effects.

Use these tips:

Set rules and limits as needed. This helps prevent social media from getting in the way of activities, sleep, meals or homework.

For example, you could make a rule about not using social media until homework is done. Or you could set a daily time limit for social media use.

You also could choose to keep social media off-limits during certain times. These times might include during family meals and an hour before bed.

Set an example by following these rules yourself. And let your teen know what the consequences will be if your rules aren't followed.

• Manage any challenging behaviors. If your teen's social media use starts to challenge your rules or your sense of what's appropriate, talk with your teen about it. You also could connect with parents of your teen's friends or take a look at your teen's internet history.
• Turn on privacy settings. This can help keep your teen from sharing personal information or data that your teen didn't mean to share. Each of your teen's social media accounts likely has privacy setting that can be changed.

Monitor your teen's accounts. The American Psychological Association recommends you regularly review your child's social media use during the early teen years.

One way to monitor is to follow or "friend" your child's social accounts. As your teen gets older, you can choose to monitor your teen's social media less. Your teen's maturity level can help guide your decision.

Have regular talks with your teen about social media. These talks give you chances to ask how social media has been making your teen feel. Encourage your teen to let you know if something online worries or bothers your teen.

Regular talks offer you chances to give your child advice about social media too. For example, you can teach your teen to question whether content is accurate. You also can explain that social media is full of images about beauty and lifestyle that are not realistic.

• Be a role model for your teen. You might want to tell your child about your own social media habits. That can help you set a good example and keep your regular talks from being one-sided.

Explain what's not OK. Remind your teen that it's hurtful to gossip, spread rumors, bully or harm someone's reputation — online or otherwise.

Also remind your teen not to share personal information with strangers online. This includes people's addresses, telephone numbers, passwords, and bank or credit card numbers.

• Encourage face-to-face contact with friends. This is even more important for teens prone to social anxiety.

Talk to your child's healthcare professional if you think your teen has symptoms of anxiety, depression or other mental health concerns related to social media use. Also talk with your child's care professional if your teen has any of the following symptoms:

• Uses social media even when wanting to stop.
• Uses it so much that school, sleep, activities or relationships suffer.
• Often spends more time on social platforms than you intended.
• Lies in order to use social media.

Your teen might be referred to a mental healthcare professional who can help.

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Pros and cons of social media content moderation

Where do you draw the line between online safety and freedom of speech?

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The Supreme Court recently agreed to take on two cases at the center of an ongoing content moderation debate, where it will decide "whether states can essentially control how social media companies operate," CNN reported. The justices will be considering laws passed in Texas and Florida in 2021 that "could have nationwide repercussions for how social media — and all websites — display user-generated content," the outlet added. 

Both sides of the political divide have heavily scrutinized Big Tech and their policies over content removal in the past. Democrats have pushed for more moderation of user-generated content, while Republicans claim that social media companies are overstepping and excessively targeting content from the conservative right, an allegation former President Donald Trump has repeated several times. 

Pro: It protects the public from harmful content and misinformation

For some, content moderation is the first line of defense against spreading misinformation and content that could be harmful to users. It can protect young consumers from cyberbullying or flag content that spreads misinformation, which became a point of contention at the height of Covid-19 .  “Content moderation is really about human safety," argued Alexandra Popken, VP of Trust and Safety of WebPurify , a content moderation company. The goal of moderation is "to proactively detect and remove harms before they materialize and impact real people," Popken added, "or to respond and react as quickly as possible once they have materialized.”

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Con: It negatively impacts the mental health of moderators

Those tasked with scouring thousands of potentially jarring posts, images and videos have complained that the work hurts their mental health and that companies don't offer adequate resources to help those suffering as such. In June, hundreds of social media moderators for outsourcer TELUS International in Germany called on lawmakers to improve their work conditions, "citing tough targets and mental health issues," Reuters reported. They were "led to believe the company had appropriate mental health support in place, but it doesn't. It's more like coaching," Cengiz Haksöz, a former content moderator at TELUS International, told the outlet. "And these outsourcers are helping the tech giants get away from their responsibilities."

Pro: It protects a company's brand

Content moderation enables brands to control their reputation, protecting them from inflammatory content that could harm their users or alienate them from advertisers. "Illicit submissions that unalign with a brand’s values can quickly turn products intended to spread positivity into something far more sinister," Jonathan Freger, co-founder and CTO of WebPurify, said in F orbes . A lack of content moderation "allows for harmful UGC to slip through the cracks and threaten the user experience and brand reputation," he added. 

Con: It opens the door for 'digital authoritarianism'

Content moderation has snowballed, and the "collateral damage in its path" was ignored, Evelyn Douek said in Wired . And the push for more moderation in the U.S. has had "geopolitical costs, too"; some authoritarian governments "pointed to the rhetoric of liberal democracies in justifying their own censorship." Western governments have "largely left platforms to fend for themselves in the global rise of digital authoritarianism," she noted. "Governments need to walk and chew gum in how they talk about platform regulation and free speech if they want to stand up for the rights of the many users outside their borders."

Pro: It puts the onus on social media companies to keep platforms safe

Not that we don't benefit from using our discretion in determining which content to interact with, but social media platforms are still responsible for fostering a safe environment for all users. Having content moderation tools and policies in place is a part of how companies assume the responsibility of safe platforms, especially for marginalized people who find solace and community online. Often, those communities can become the targets of content that threatens that safety, "which is where content moderation is crucial," Popken, WebPurify's VP of Trust and Safety, said in an interview with Tech HQ . 

Con: It is anti-free speech

One of the prevailing arguments against content moderation is that it is inherently anti-free speech, especially when done at the behest or under the influence of government officials. In June, a U.S. federal court issued an injunction barring the government from contacting social media platforms about moderating posts protected by the First Amendment, Quartz reported. The decision came in response to a lawsuit filed by Republican attorneys general who alleged that the government was censoring free speech on social media platforms under the guise of combatting Covid-related or election misinformation. In his ruling , Judge Terry A. Doughty wrote that the case “arguably involves the most massive attack against free speech in United States’ history.” He concluded that the evidence depicted "an almost dystopian scenario," wherein the government assumed a role "similar to an Orwellian 'Ministry of Truth.'"

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Theara Coleman has worked as a staff writer at The Week since September 2022. She frequently writes about technology, education, literature and general news. She was previously a contributing writer and assistant editor at Honeysuckle Magazine, where she covered racial politics and cannabis industry news. 

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Pros and Cons of Free Speech

• Post author: Amos Gikunda
• Post published: October 8, 2023
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Free speech refers to the fundamental right of individuals to express their opinions, ideas, beliefs, and viewpoints without censorship, interference, or punishment from the government or other entities. It is an essential component of a democratic society and is typically protected by law in many countries. Here are 20 pros and 20 cons of living in a society that respects and protects free speech:

• Expression of Ideas : Free speech allows individuals to express their ideas, opinions, and beliefs freely.
• Promotes Open Dialogue : It encourages open dialogue and the exchange of diverse perspectives, fostering intellectual growth and understanding.
• Enhances Democracy : Free speech is essential for a functioning democracy, enabling citizens to participate in political discussions and hold those in power accountable.
• Catalyst for Social Change : It serves as a catalyst for social change, empowering marginalized groups to speak up and challenge injustices.
• Encourages Innovation : Free speech promotes innovation and intellectual progress by allowing individuals to share and build upon ideas.
• Protects Minority Rights : It safeguards the rights of minority groups, ensuring their voices are heard and their concerns are addressed.
• Critical Thinking Skills : Free speech encourages critical thinking skills as individuals engage in thoughtful analysis and evaluation of different viewpoints.
• Cultural Enrichment : It allows for the preservation and celebration of diverse cultural expressions, enriching society as a whole.
• Educational Environment : Free speech in educational settings promotes intellectual curiosity, open-mindedness, and the pursuit of knowledge.
• Peaceful Conflict Resolution : It provides a platform for peaceful conflict resolution through dialogue and understanding.
• Media Accountability : Free speech enables media scrutiny, ensuring the accountability of the press and promoting transparency.
• Individual Empowerment : It empowers individuals to stand up for their rights and fight against oppression and injustice.
• Promotes Tolerance : Free speech fosters tolerance and acceptance by exposing individuals to different perspectives and ideas.
• Supports Personal Growth : It allows individuals to express their identity, values, and personal growth without fear of repression.
• Encourages Civic Engagement : Free speech encourages civic engagement and active participation in public affairs.
• Scientific Advancement : It facilitates scientific research and advancement by encouraging the sharing of knowledge and collaboration.
• Social Bonding : Free speech promotes social bonding by creating opportunities for meaningful conversations and connections.
• Prevents Authoritarianism : It serves as a safeguard against authoritarianism by allowing the public to voice dissent and challenge oppressive regimes.
• Creative Expression : Free speech nurtures artistic and creative expression, fostering cultural and artistic diversity.
• Human Rights Advocacy : It plays a crucial role in advocating for human rights, social justice, and equality.
• Hate Speech : Free speech can enable the spread of hate speech and discriminatory rhetoric.
• Incitement of Violence : It may allow for the incitement of violence or harm against others.
• Misinformation and Fake News : Free speech can contribute to the dissemination of misinformation and fake news, leading to confusion and distrust.
• Threats to National Security : It poses challenges in dealing with potential threats to national security, such as the spread of extremist ideologies.
• Invasion of Privacy : Free speech can sometimes infringe upon an individual’s right to privacy.
• Cyberbullying and Online Harassment : It can facilitate cyberbullying and online harassment, causing harm and emotional distress.
• Polarization and Division : Free speech can contribute to polarization and division within society.
• Commercial Manipulation : It may enable deceptive advertising practices and manipulative propaganda.
• Spread of Hate Groups : Free speech can provide a platform for hate groups to amplify their ideologies and recruit new members.
• Threats to Public Safety : It can present challenges in dealing with the spread of false information during emergencies or crises.
• Intolerance and Discrimination : Free speech can be used as a tool to perpetuate intolerance and discrimination against marginalized communities.
• Censorship Concerns : In some cases, the regulation of free speech can lead to concerns of censorship and infringement on individual liberties.
• Social Media Echo Chambers : Free speech can contribute to the formation of social media echo chambers, where individuals are only exposed to like-minded opinions.
• Exploitation and Cybercrime : It can provide opportunities for the exploitation of vulnerable individuals and cybercrime.
• Emotional and Psychological Harm : Free speech, when used irresponsibly, can cause emotional and psychological harm to individuals.
• Threats to Public Order : It may create challenges in maintaining public order and managing potential conflicts.
• Suppression of Minority Voices : Free speech, if not protected adequately, can result in the suppression of minority voices and perspectives.
• Manipulation of Public Opinion : It can be used as a tool to manipulate public opinion and shape narratives for political gain.
• Interference in Elections : Free speech can open avenues for foreign interference in electoral processes and the spread of disinformation.
• Balancing Conflicting Rights : It poses challenges in balancing conflicting rights, such as freedom of speech versus the right to be free from discrimination.
• Expression of Ideas
• Promotes Open Dialogue
• Enhances Democracy
• Catalyst for Social Change
• Encourages Innovation
• Protects Minority Rights
• Critical Thinking Skills
• Cultural Enrichment
• Educational Environment
• Peaceful Conflict Resolution
• Media Accountability
• Individual Empowerment
• Promotes Tolerance
• Supports Personal Growth
• Encourages Civic Engagement
• Scientific Advancement
• Social Bonding
• Prevents Authoritarianism
• Creative Expression
• Human Rights Advocacy
• Hate Speech
• Incitement of Violence
• Misinformation and Fake News
• Threats to National Security
• Invasion of Privacy
• Cyberbullying and Online Harassment
• Polarization and Division
• Commercial Manipulation
• Spread of Hate Groups
• Threats to Public Safety
• Intolerance and Discrimination
• Censorship Concerns
• Social Media Echo Chambers
• Exploitation and Cybercrime
• Emotional and Psychological Harm
• Threats to Public Order
• Suppression of Minority Voices
• Manipulation of Public Opinion
• Interference in Elections
• Balancing Conflicting Rights

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Trending Topics

Follow our news, recent searches, 'no special immunity': the limits of influencers' powers and what businesses can do about a negative review, advertisement.

With online personalities entering areas of finance and even governance, CNA looks at the extent of their "powers" and how they could be held more accountable.

One downside to the increased popularity of influencers is that they are often not subject matter experts on what they promote, experts tell CNA. (Photo: iStock)

This audio is AI-generated.

Justin Ong Guang-Xi

SINGAPORE: When a TikTok influencer posted in March what he deemed a “brutally honest” review of food sold by a Ramadan bazaar stall, it went viral, with many others chiming in with their opinions. 

The stall then hit back, allegedly sending the food reviewer - who has 8,000 followers - a legal letter demanding an apology among other actions. 

At the end of the same month, another influencer - this time a Scottish craft beer reviewer with over 20,000 YouTube subscribers - uploaded a video detailing his negative experience with a Singapore craft beer brewery. 

The allegations included the owner being uncomfortable with the reviewer filming content in the brewery, and chiding the Scotsman for his “entitled" attitude. 

These cases have stoked negative sentiment online against the businesses, raising questions over whether too much attention and power has been granted to these online personalities. 

By definition, an influencer is someone able to influence potential buyers of a product or service by promoting or recommending these on social media.

And in today’s world, influencers are doing much more than just plugging their favourite cafe or T-shirt brand.

For one, there's the emergence of “finfleuncers” who promote financial products despite possibly not having sufficient know-how and authority.

Then there are the “marketing gurus” popping up on social media advertisements, claiming entrepreneurial and investment experience and offering to teach viewers how to make more money.

Governments have also hopped on the bandwagon. Back in 2018, Singapore's Ministry of Finance engaged more than 50 “micro-online influencers” to drum up publicity for the Budget that year. 

And last month, the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) confirmed that social media influencers are one of the channels that the government uses to communicate to Singaporeans, and that they may be engaged if they can "complement" broader communications efforts. 

'Not just a drink': How influencers, marketing and collectible culture fuel Prime's popularity in Singapore

Commentary: A TikTok ban wouldn’t end influencers’ dreams, but maybe it should

Do influencers have a greater impact than before.

A US study last year on over 2,000 adults showed that trust in influencers among Gen Zers and millennials had grown from 51 per cent in 2019 to 61 per cent in 2023. 

Closer to home, market research company YouGov found earlier this month that 21 per cent of those surveyed in Singapore expressed confidence in “at least some” health advice provided by social media influencers. This is higher than the global average of 16 per cent. 

Tellingly, the younger the participants, the more confident: The figures were 28 per cent for Gen Zers and 12 per cent for baby boomers. 

The prolonged COVID-19 pandemic may have also played a part. 

Full-time content creator Nicholas Teo, who goes by the social media moniker @hargaochunks on TikTok, believes the increased relevance of influencers is also due to the past few years of enforced isolation, which led to many youths immersing themselves in social media. 

“There has been a boom recently because of TikTok and COVID; people are just consuming more digital media than traditional media,” said the 29-year-old, who has over 50,000 followers on Chinese-owned TikTok. 

Influencers are also striking a chord because they're more relatable than your traditional CEO or celebrity, said the Singapore Management University's (SMU) Lim Sun Sun.

“Previously, our society was very much concentrated on people in positions of power, or people who are particularly famous or successful; these were the very common spokespeople used for various kinds of advertising,” said the professor of communication and technology. 

But social media has democratised content creation and now “basically anyone” can develop a following, she added.

“Let’s say (an influencer who is) a mum with two young children who is very good at juggling her work and her kids; she may actually have a certain pull and traction,” she said. 

Hence businesses and governments are tapping on influencers with a strong following among demographics that they wish to tailor products or polices to, said Prof Lim.

She added that these influencers don't necessarily need to produce well-crafted content to get their messaging across. 

“Sometimes, (influencers) will show certain days of their lives they feel less competent, when they talk about certain setbacks,” she said. “This kind of honesty actually gives them that air of authenticity, that allows the audience to connect with them on a different level than if you use an official spokesperson or a celebrity.” 

Are there limits to what influencers can do?

According to legal experts, influencers are generally free to speak and express their opinions – even negative ones – but there are exceptions. 

But these have to be grounded in fact or they could be seen as defamation, said law lecturer Alexander Woon.

For example, if an influencer claims in a review that there was a cockroach infestation at a food stall when there was in fact none, the business owner can take legal action for the damage to their reputation. 

Other laws that influencers could run afoul of include stirring up enmity against religious groups or inciting people to act in harmful ways, said Mr Woon, who's from the Singapore University of Social Sciences’ School of Law.

For instance, last year rapper Subhas Nair was sentenced to six weeks' jail for attempting to promote ill will among racial and religious groups through online posts. 

In 2022, local content creator Titus Low was fined for uploading obscene photos and videos to online platform OnlyFans, and handed a three-week jail sentence for accessing the website though he was ordered not to do so.

Associate Professor Mervyn Cheong from the National University of Singapore added that should an influencer upload a video with the intention of doxxing an individual, that could also be in violation of the Protection from Harassment Act.

As for filming content, the experts said that with no “overarching right to privacy” in Singapore, in general an influencer cannot be prevented from filming in a public space, said Mr Woon, who is also a lawyer at RHTLaw Asia.

But they would have to be careful that in filming, they do not contravene other laws, he said. 

For instance, trespassing is an offence, so if an influencer is in a restaurant and they refuse to comply with the owner’s request not to film, then the owner may ask them to leave the premises.

“If they refuse to do so, they could potentially be guilty of trespassing,” said Mr Woon. 

One way is to remember that laws that apply to influencers are the same as for any ordinary citizen, said Mr Chooi Jing Yen, a partner at Eugene Thuraisingam LLP. 

“There is no special immunity for influencers." 

What can businesses do about negative influencer reviews?

Legal action against influencers should be a last resort, said the experts.

Mr Chooi from Eugene Thuraisingam said if a negative review is based on a falsehood, then a more effective avenue could be to make a report to the platform to take the review down. 

“Suing is costly, troublesome and takes a long time to get to the desired result. As lawyers we do not generally encourage this path,” he said. 

Agreeing, Ms Wong Pei Wen, a senior lecturer of strategic communication at the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, said that upon receiving a bad review or even an outright accusation from an influencer, a business should not be too quick to react.

It should first assess if the content has truly gone viral, how many stakeholders are involved and if there is real financial impact. It should also wait and see if any of supporters come to its defence, then let the public judge for themselves. 

Should a business decide to respond to a negative review, it should do so sincerely and not disproportionately.

“If you go and pick a fight, expect one,” she said. 

At the end of the day, the merits of the brand or product should speak for itself. 

“A truly reputable brand generally does not need to sue to make its point," said Mr Chooi. "The genuinely good reviews should be enough to overshadow any false reviews."

What are the pros and cons of influencers? 

One major downside to the rise of influencers is “inauthentic” content or when they promote products without needing to try them out first, said Mr Teo of @hargaochunks.

He said he has been offered sponsorship deals in such circumstances, but has always insisted on using the product first to test its effectiveness. 

“I make it a point to try (the product) consistently," he said. "I feel like it’s my own personal responsibility.” 

Mr Teo was unsure if other influencers would do the same.

Prof Lim from SMU said another issue was that influencers are often not subject matter experts on what they promote.

This is especially so for advice on financial products or healthcare, both of which are complex topics and can have serious consequences if improperly followed. 

“In other words, don’t blindly believe everything that the influencer you admire advocates; you must exercise your own personal judgment,” she said. 

Yet the increased relevance of influencers can have a positive impact as well, especially when they come from marginalised or disadvantaged communities. 

Examples include fitness influencer Zoe Zora, who champions inclusiveness for the disabled after being paralysed in a car accident in 2017. There is also Mr Bob Lee, a father to an autistic son who uses TikTok to showcase his child's talents and everyday life. 

“People who don’t fit the usual metrics of success can highlight their own story, and this has allowed for a wider diversity of different kinds of narratives to be presented in our society,” said Prof Lim, adding that it gives comfort and empowerment to those facing similar struggles.

The public also gets educated on the challenges faced by the demographic represented by the influencer.

Hundreds of sponsorships, thousands of followers: Why brands are turning to computer-generated influencers

Commentary: How the rise of mega-influencers has put consumers at risk

How can influencers be held accountable .

While not specifically targeted at influencers, there are guidelines for online marketing and social media use developed by the Advertising Standards Authority of Singapore (ASAS), an advisory council under the Consumers Association of Singapore.

They contain, among other things, the need to state if a social media post is for marketing purposes; and for these posts to be distinguishable from personal posts. 

Commercial relationships such as between influencer and sponsor should also be disclosed.

In a written response to a parliamentary question last year, MCI said those in breach of these guidelines will be asked by ASAS to amend or remove their content. 

Assoc Prof Cheong from NUS added that failing to disclose that a social media post is sponsored could also potentially breach the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act. 

Beyond these guidelines, it's ultimately up to influencers to self-regulate and through trial and error, avoid courting controversy.

An influencer can be one tasteless post from a fall from grace, and in a way, getting “cancelled” is how the public holds online personalities to account, whether justly or not.

Mr Teo the TikTokker said he had made mistakes that he continues to learn from. In one incident which he did not wish to elaborate on, he fell out with some followers and even after matters were resolved, he continued to receive hate comments and became the subject of negative posts on forums.

Describing how he was taken aback by how far the issue went, he said: “It can be any small mistake, and people are just looking to jump on you and burn you, and throw you to the ground." 

Disc jockey Jade Rasif told CNA that such pitfalls can be especially common these days, with influencers able to gain thousands of followers in a matter of months and more prone to gaffes due to their youth and inexperience.

“The advice that would make me popular is (to say) 'do whatever you want and stay authentic'," said the 30-year-old, who has over 500,000 followers on Instagram.

"But the advice that I would give someone I cared about would be to be very careful with what you post; go for media training if you can.

“If you want to make it a career, you have to think about it like a career.” 

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StarTribune

What are the financial pros and cons of retiring in minnesota.

• Why is my mail addressed to a city where I don't live? Mar. 29
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Choosing where to spend retirement is a big decision.

For most Minnesotans, the answer is ... Minnesota. Most of the state's retirees stay local. But some are lured elsewhere by warmer climates and economic factors.

A reader wanted to know the financial advantages and disadvantages of remaining in Minnesota for retirement — including taxes and health costs. They sought answers from Curious Minnesota , the Star Tribune's reader-powered reporting project.

If minimizing taxes is the top priority in choosing a place to retire, Minnesota has some distinct financial disadvantages for retirees. But there are trade-offs to the cheaper routes that should be considered.

"You have to look at the whole picture," said Steven E. Warren, a certified public accountant in Minneapolis. "Some people think, 'Oh, Florida has no income tax so it's clearly going to be a better, less expensive place to retire.' For others, clearly there are other quality of life issues beyond taxes. In those, generally Minnesota comes out well."

'99% of the state is staying put'

Some popular financial websites rank Minnesota among the best states to retire — though not for financial reasons. The state is No. 8 on WalletHub's list, for example, which balanced Minnesota's higher cost of living against the state's top-ranked health care and quality of life. The Motley Fool ranks the state No. 3 overall for retirement, but 39th in the nation for taxes.

Listen: Why does Maplewood have such an odd shape?

Financial matters are important, considering that most Americans will not have enough money for a financially secure retirement, according to the National Institute on Retirement Security. The Institute attributed the problem to the shift from pensions to 401(k) plans starting in the 1980s. 401(k) plans are subject to stock market volatility, as well as savers underinvesting or tapping them in a financial emergency.

Few older people leave Minnesota, said State Demographer Susan Brower. About 19,000 Minnesotans over 60 move out every year, while another 11,000 move in.

"I think a lot of times people tend to think of it as a one-way ticket out. But that's not at all the case," she said. "About 99 percent of the state is staying put."

Brower noted that the expense of moving could outweigh any tax savings, and that only "a select group of very high-income people" choose a home based on taxes.

Higher taxes

Taxes are Minnesota's most obvious financial disadvantage. For one thing, it's among only 10 states that tax income from Social Security for those who file above certain income thresholds, according to Time magazine.

Minnesota also taxes public and private pension plans (excluding military pensions and certain public pensions) as well as distributions from individual retirement accounts and 401(k)s .

Unlike 38 other states, Minnesota collects estate taxes on high-value estates (generally exceeding $3 million) after people die. But it does not levy inheritance taxes on heirs.

Minnesota's 6.87% state sales tax rate is among the country's highest, below only six other states.

What about day-to-day expenses? Minnesota ranks somewhere around the middle for general cost of living , calculated by costs for groceries, health care, housing, transportation, utilities and miscellaneous expenses, according to World Population Review. On health care, specifically, the state has the 17th highest per capita spending in the nation, based on federal government data .

A financial trade-off

By those financial measures, Minnesota doesn't appear the ideal place to settle in retirement. But the reality is often more nuanced in terms of what you get for your money.

"If you take a more broad look at finances, Minnesota actually comes out OK," said Chris Farrell, author of " The New Frugality: How to Consume Less, Save More and Live Better " and a writer for the Star Tribune's "Your Money" column .

Some states might appear at first glance to be more affordable, Farrell said, but "you're going to pay for it somehow."

For example, states with low or no income taxes may have higher sales, property or excise taxes (added taxes on products like cigarettes, alcohol and gas). Or they may make up for the lower taxes by providing reduced government services.

Golden Valley financial adviser Michael Schumacher echoed that thought. "Each state has to generate revenue," he said. "How are they doing it?"

Higher taxes can mean better quality of government programs and services. Minnesota is known for excellent infrastructure , for example.

Other financial considerations include nontax expenses like insurance, which could be more costly in areas with higher crime or flooding.

For retirees seeking to work part-time, Farrell said it may be easier to find a job in a place where they have social networks.

Some retirees seek the best of both worlds. Snowbirds who split their time between Minnesota and states with friendlier taxes — like Florida — may prefer to claim residency in the cheaper one. Warren, the accountant, said it is important to keep good documentation. In the event of an audit, state revenue officials will look at factors like where your driver's license was issued, where you're registered to vote, maybe even where you attend church.

"They might ask for all of your credit card transactions," Warren said. "Different factors that show, 'OK, now I'm truly spending most of my time and putting myself out there as a person from this other state.'"

Culture, climate, health care

There is more to retirement than money, of course.

In addition to taxes and expenses, retirees may care about amenities like the Twin Cities' reputation as a premier theater and performing arts hub, endless miles of groomed cross-country ski trails or proximity to the Mayo Clinic. Living near family is often the top reason why retirees live where they do.

"What's the cost, to me personally, of leaving the grandkids behind?" Farrell said. "I would consider it enormous."

Living near family can be practical, too. The elderly can often turn to relatives for support they would otherwise have to pay for themselves.

Climate is a non-economic factor for retirement that typically doesn't work in Minnesota's favor. But there are always some hardy souls who wouldn't want to live in a place, even in old age, that lacked a robust winter.

In the end, the feelings of comfort and enjoyment you get from your environment are probably the most important factors in choosing a place to live.

"I always try to tell everyone that I work with, don't make your choice just off of taxes," Schumacher said. "If you're going to be miserable living in Texas, why would you do that? Mental health is important, too."

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Read more Curious Minnesota stories:

Why does Minn. have one of highest rates of volunteering in the U.S.?

Why is it that Minnesotans will 'give you directions to anywhere but their home'?

Why does Minnesota tax social security benefits? How many other states do this?

How many people live their entire life in Minnesota?

640th Avenue? 180th Street? The backstory behind long rural addresses

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Katy Read writes for the Star Tribune's Inspired section. She previously covered Carver County and western Hennepin County as well as aging, workplace issues and other topics since she began at the paper in 2011. Prior to that, she was a reporter at the Times-Picayune in New Orleans, La., and the Duluth News-Tribune and spent 15 years as a freelance writer for national and regional magazines.

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Commentary | Commentary: Despite social-media age limit’s…

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Commentary | commentary: despite social-media age limit’s good intentions, it is blatant government overreach.

Minors’ free speech and expression is once again under attack in the Sunshine State with the recent signing of HB 3, which prohibits children under the age of 14 from becoming social-media account holders and allows 14- and 15-year-olds to become account holders only with parental consent. While on its face the bill seems a well-intentioned effort to protect minors, the reality is this is just another attempt from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to use government overreach to control speech.

The bill in its text addresses the very real dangers of social media and their impact on young Floridians below the age of sixteen. It highlights cyberbullying and mindless addiction to scrolling and links these to cases of teen suicide, depression, and isolation.

Nobody would fault DeSantis and the Florida Legislature for wanting to protect children, but Floridians should reject the move to use the government to parent children and deprive rights with or without parental input. Isn’t the GOP supposed to be the party of limited government?

Studies have indeed shown links between social media use and the ills highlighted by the bill. These are certainly issues that must be addressed and resolved, but the outright restriction of social media to accomplish that goal is far too broad to be an appropriate solution.

There are pros and cons for nearly everything, and social media is no different. Yes, social media can be used for cyberbullying, but it can also provide an outlet to discover new information about topics of interest, world cultures, music, literature and beyond. Yes, mindless content abounds on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and X, but the same can be said about television and radio. And what about the beneficial content and groups that will soon be inaccessible to Florida’s youth?

From afar HB 3 does look like it allows parents to have more “control,” and it certainly does on the macro level, but at a cost that grants the government further say in child rearing and the exchange of speech and ideas, further creating precedent for government overreach. This bill effectively allows Florida to initially supersede the parent’s role in determining whether their child can have access to social media and denies young Floridians their right to engage in speech.

The Florida government has also placed Florida youth at a disadvantage in using their own creativity and talents to produce content and generate revenue. In an age where young content creators are pulling in annual revenues in the millions, this is a huge loss for those who would otherwise be able to put their talent to work. While parents can approve the creation of their child’s social media account, shouldn’t that approval process solely rest with the parents and not the Florida government?

Gen Z and Gen Alpha are growing up in the internet age. Just because the ban exists doesn’t mean they’re going to play by the rules. A simple VPN and false reporting of age would likely be enough to navigate around this restriction. What happens when teens break this law? Will social media companies still be held liable when teens lie about their age to gain access to social media?

There are far better ways to parent and control your child’s social media use than requesting the government step in as a watchful eye. Whether through the platforms themselves, the devices the parents buy and provide for their children, or from simple parental guidance, all perceived pitfalls of social media can and should be solely navigated by parents, that is unless you think Ron DeSantis and the Florida Legislature can do a better job than you.

Addison J. Hosner is a Florida attorney and the current COO of Young Voices based in Washington, D.C.

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