When social media platforms were first released to the public, they were initially seen as a positive force in the world. They allowed people from across the world to connect and communicate with one another; to keep up to date with each other’s lives, and to get in touch with long lost friends and family.
Over time, however, social media began to change, turning away from its roots as a means of connection and focussing more on advertisements, echo chambers, and extremist groups that have caused a lot of problems around the world. More and more it seems that social media is no longer worth the time and effort, and there are plenty of benefits that can be expected from turning away from social media sites.
The Privacy Argument
One of the biggest concerns of modern social media sites is the invasive privacy policies that these companies follow. Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok are some of the worst in the world and are known for harvesting large amounts of user data for advertisement purposes. It’s becoming more invasive with each passing year, with more data being harvested than ever before.
Many might feel that they have nothing to hide, but this digital invasion of privacy can have long standing consequences that can slowly erode many of the social and legal paradigms that we’ve come to rely on as a civilisation.
FOMO
FOMO, also known as the Fear Of Missing Out, is a problem that affects a lot of people, especially those of the younger generations. It’s borne out of the idea of people showcasing the very best parts of their lives – often when they’re out on holiday – and it gives their viewers and followers the notion that their own lives are not nearly as exciting or fun.
This can lead to feelings of depression, loneliness, and inadequacy, and other issues that can lead to mental health problems down the line. It’s important to keep in mind that people will only post the very best parts of their lives and will often post when they themselves are in a bad place.
Doomscrolling
Many social media sites have also become important platforms for information, but that has led to more and more people “doomscrolling.’ Doomscrolling is the act of scrolling through negative news articles, often one after the other, and becoming more stressed and anxious about the state of the world. Of course, negative news is often a lot more popular than anything positive, and it’s much easier to hook people in by posting negative news, especially on social media sites.
Doomscrolling has become much more prevalent in recent years, especially with the war in Ukraine and the potential of nuclear weapon usage, as well as the ongoing climate crisis, and it’s always better to turn to more positive pastimes, such as checking out the latest 2022 World Cup odds. While it’s important to be aware of what’s going on in the world, it’s also not worth reading every single negative news article and opinion piece as it becomes available.