This subject have been debated more often but the time has come that we ask ourselves the question about how much control we would want to give to various social media platforms to get into our personal space driven by this creted demand of more likes / comments and social validation.
Chamath Palihapitiya, a former Facebook executive said in a conference, “I think we have created tools that are ripping apart the social fabric of how society works.” He further added – “God only knows what it’s doing to our children’s brains.” While the generation from 80s & 90’s may be still catching up with social media platforms, it seems to me a warning sign for the current and next generations and impact of avid social media usage in their day to day life.
Platforms like Facebook creates an urge for social validation and acceptance – the likes and comments on pictures and status works as dopamine which inturn creates an infinite loop where users post again in order to gain more and more acceptance and validity in a world where we have hundreds of friends on facebook and not one to meet or talk for long hours.
Lastly, I would like to highlight a few key facts in support of my argument –
- Its not hidden that latest iOS 12 brings the Screen Time feature to limit the social media apps usage.
- Bill Gates have not let his kids use the smartphones untill they were fourteen.
- Research has found that an eighth-grader’s risk for depression is way higher when he or she frequently uses social media.
I would conclude this by saying, we will have to actively monitor the usage of social media for our loved ones specially kids. As, eventually we would not want the next generation to be puppet of social media and rather use them wisely.