The Harm of Social Media

1. SOCIAL MEDIA:
By: Hannah Kirstein
NOT SO SOCIAL

2. S O C I A L M E D I A H A S T A K E N O V E R O U R L I V E S ; T O D A Y , W E
C H E C K O U R P H O N E S 1 5 0 T I M E S A D A Y [ 1 3 ] . S O C I A L M E D I A
W A S C R E A T E D I N O R D E R T O C O N N E C T U S . H O W E V E R , I T
D I S C O N N E C T S U S F R O M E A C H O T H E R A N D O U R S E L V E S ,
I N H I B I T I N G U S F R O M C U L T I V A T I N G D E E P E R R E A L L I F E
C O N N E C T I O N S A N D T A K I N G U S A W A Y F R O M T H E
M O M E N T S O F O U R L I V E S .

3. WE PRESENT
THESE IDYLLIC
LIVES ON SOCIAL
MEDIA
"like painters constantly
retouching their work, we
alter, update and tweak our
online self-portraits.” [5]

4. OUR SOCIAL MEDIA
ACCOUNTS ALLOW US TO
PUT A FILTER OVER OUR
LIVES WHERE WE PUT ON
THESE MASKS AND
BECOME SOMEONE WE’RE
NOT—“CREATING AN
ONLINE PERSONA THAT
RARELY LOOKS ANYTHING
LIKE US.” [10]

5. IN THE WORLD OF
SOCIAL MEDIA
PERCEPTION IS
EVERYTHING
Presenting our ideal selves has
become more and more
prevalent on social media sites.
Our online selves are an
idealized representation that
eliminates many of our other
real components. [2]

6. OF MILLENNIALS ADMITTED
TO MISSING OUT ON A
CONVERSATION BECAUSE
THEY WERE DISTRACTED BY
THEIR PHONES. [7]
87%
As individuals spend more time engaged on
social media platforms, it’s causing them to be
less social in real life. [7]

7. WE’RE GETTING USED TO A NEW WAY
OF BEING TOGETHER WHILE NOT BEING
TOGETHER AT ALL… [8]

8. WE SEE IT ALL TOO OFTEN WHERE FRIENDS OR
FAMILY SIT TOGETHER, MESSAGING, CHECKING
INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK AND READING EMAILS
WHILE AT THE DINNER TABLE ENGAGED WITH THEIR
SMARTPHONES RATHER THAN THE PEOPLE RIGHT IN
FRONT OF THEM. [12]

9. "WAIT, WHAT?"
Today, the new common phrase is
THE VOCABULARY USED WHEN
SOMEONE DROPS BACK INTO A
CONVERSATION THEY’VE MISSED
BECAUSE THEY WERE
PREOCCUPIED WITH THEIR
ONLINE LIVES. [8]

10. “WE SACRIFICE
CONVERSATION FOR MERE
CONNECTION.”[9]

11. WE HAVE
BECOME
ADDICTED...
“Facebook never takes a break
and we never take a break.” [5]
checking various social media
apps in a movie theatre, at a
stop sign, at the checkout line,
at a memorial service. [9]

12. “With smartphones in hand,
we face a constant barrage of
alerts, notifications,
vibrations and beeps warning
us that something seemingly
important has happened and
we must pay attention.” [3]

13. WE HAVE BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO PUTTING
OURSELVES AND THOSE AROUND US ON
IN ORDER TO DOCUMENT OUR LIVES WITH
UPDATES, POSTS AND PICTURES. [9]

14. “PEOPLE SEEM MORE INTERESTED IN
DOCUMENTING AN EXPERIENCE FOR THE
INTERNET INSTEAD OF FULLY APPRECIATING
THE MOMENT.” [11]

15. “TECHNOLOGY DOESN'T JUST DO THINGS FOR US. IT DOES
THINGS TO US, CHANGING NOT JUST WHAT WE DO BUT
WHO WE ARE.” [9]

16. “IT’S INCREDIBLE HOW MANY OF US CHOOSE TO
COMMUNICATE WITH OTHERS THROUGH SOCIAL
MEDIA CHANNELS LIKE FACEBOOK AND TWITTER
RATHER THAN SPEAKING DIRECTLY TO PEOPLE WE
SHARE A HOME WITH.” [4]

17. “This is hurting us socially
where the presence of
mobile technologies has the
potential to divert
individuals from face-to-
face exchanges thereby
undermining the character
and depth of these
connections.” [7]

18. NEARLY A THIRD OF AMERICANS PREFER TO TEXT
OR COMMUNICATE ONLINE RATHER THAN HAVE
AN IN-PERSON CONVERSATION. [1]

19. Teens are using social
media as a crutch, a
replacement for the
in-person interactions
that help them
develop socially. [6]

20. One 14 year old
boy declared
“someday,
someday, but
certainly not
now, I would
like to learn
how to have a
conversation.”
[12]
[12]

21. IF WE ARE CONSTANTLY CHECKING IN WITH VIRTUAL
WORLDS, THIS LEAVES LITTLE TIME FOR OUR REAL-
WORLD RELATIONSHIPS AND THIS IS HURTING THEM.
[3]

22. WE NEED TO LOOK UP, UNPLUG FROM SOCIAL MEDIA
AND ENGAGE IN OUR LIVES INSTEAD OF CONSTANTLY
TRYING TO DOCUMENTING THEM.

23. “DON’T PEOPLE KNOW THAT SOMETIMES YOU CAN
JUST LOOK OUT OF THE CAR WINDOW AND WATCH
THE WORLD GO BY AND THAT IT IS WONDERFUL.”
[9]

24. References
[1] Flacy, M. (2017). Nearly a third of Americans prefer texting over talking. Digital Trends. Retrieved 25 May 2017, from
https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/nearly-a-third-of-americans-prefer-texting-over-talking/
[2] Green, R. (2013). The Social Media Effect: Are You Really Who You Portray Online?. HuffPost. Retrieved 25 May 2017, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/r-kay-
green/the-social-media-effect-a_b_3721029.html
[3] Is Technology Making People Less Sociable?. (2015). WSJ. Retrieved 25 May 2017, from https://www.wsj.com/articles/is-technology-making-people-less-sociable-
1431093491
[4] Margalit, L. (2014). The Psychology Behind Social Media Interactions. Psychology Today. Retrieved 25 May 2017, from
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/behind-online-behavior/201408/the-psychology-behind-social-media-interactions
[5[ Matrix, S. (2017). Online Friends. Lecture.
[6] Ossola, A. (2015). A New Kind of Social Anxiety in the Classroom. The Atlantic. Retrieved 24 May 2017, from
https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2015/01/the-socially-anxious-generation/384458/
[7] Saiidi, U. (2015). How social media is making us less social: Study. CNBC. Retrieved 25 May 2017, from http://www.cnbc.com/2015/10/15/social-media-making-
millennials-less-social-study.html
[8] Turkle, S. (2012). The Flight From Conversation. Nytimes.com. Retrieved 24 May 2017, from http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/22/opinion/sunday/the-flight-from-
conversation.html
[9] Turkle, S. (2013). The Documented Life. Nytimes.com. Retrieved 25 May 2017, from http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/16/opinion/the-documented-life.html
[10] White, T. (2013). Why Social Media Isn't Social. HuffPost. Retrieved 24 May 2017, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/thomas-white/why-social-media-isnt-
social_b_3858576.html
[11] Woolley, S. (2017). Constantly Connected: The Impact of Social Media and the Advancement in Technology on the Study Abroad Experience. He Elon Journal Of
Undergraduate Research In Communications, 4(2). Retrieved from http://www.elon.edu/docs/e-
web/academics/communications/research/vol4no2/04sarahwoolleyejfall13.pdf
[12] Youtube. (2012). Connected, but alone? Retrieved https://www.youtube.com/watchh?v=t7Xr3AsBEK4
[13] Youtube. (2014). How Social Media Makes Us Unsocial. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5GecYjy9-Q

25. Pictures
[1] Rawpixel. (2017). Girls on phone. Retrieved from https://www.rawpixel.com
[2] Rawpixel. (2017). Lots of People. Retrieved from https://www.rawpixel.com/search/people?
[3] Pexels. (2017). Paint Brushes. Retrieved from https://static.pexels.com/photos/85518/painting-brush-paint-brushes-85518.jpeg
[4] Pexels. (2017). Mask. Retrieved from https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-girl-beauty-mask-3192/
[5] Pexels. (2017). Puzzle Piece. Retrieved from https://static.pexels.com/photos/262488/pexels-photo-262488.jpeg
[6] Rawpixel. (2017). Girls on phone colour. Retrieved from https://www.rawpixel.com
[7] Rawpixel. (2017). Couple on phone. Retrieved from https://www.rawpixel.com
[8] Rawpixel. (2017). Friends on phone at dinner. Retrieved from https://www.rawpixel.com
[9] Pexels. (2017). Cafe. Retrieved from https://static.pexels.com/photos/240223/pexels-photo-240223.jpeg
[10] Rawpixel. (2017). Charging. Retrieved from https://www.rawpixel.com
[11] Pexels. (2017). Stop Sign. Retrieved from https://static.pexels.com/photos/39080/stop-shield-traffic-sign-road-sign-39080.jpeg
[12] Rawpixel. (2017). Man at table. Retrieved from https://www.rawpixel.com
[13] Pexels. (2017). Bus Station. Retrieved from https://static.pexels.com/photos/652/black-and-white-person-woman-night.jpg
[14] Rawpixel. (2017). Festival Selfie. Retrieved from https://www.rawpixel.com
[15] Pexels. (2017).Two Puzzle pieces. Retrieved fromhttps://static.pexels.com/photos/164531/pexels-photo-164531.jpeg
[16] Rawpixel. (2017). Women in kitchen. Retrieved from https://www.rawpixel.com
[17] Pexels. (2017). Black and White Man. Retrieved from https://static.pexels.com/photos/27967/pexels-photo-27967.jpg
[18] Rawpixel. (2017). Portraits. Retrieved from https://www.rawpixel.com
[19] Unsplash. (2017). Looking down at phone. Retrieved from https://unsplash.com/
[20] Unsplash. (2017). Boy. Retrieved from https://unsplash.com/
[21] Rawpixel. (2017). Couple. Retrieved from https://www.rawpixel.com
[22] Rawpixel. (2017). Old Man. Retrieved from https://www.rawpixel.com
[23] Unsplash. (2017). Car Window. Retrieved from https://unsplash.com/