Brian Becraft

Adam Padgett
English 1102-067
April 10, 2014
Social Media: A Potentially Negative Revolution
Social Media, when we think of this term we immediately think of sites such as:
Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and many others. There is no denying the fact that social media
has expanded exponentially in the last decade. With the expansion of technology, came the
expansion of new ways to communicate. These new methods of communication have made it
incredibly efficient and easy to communicate with people around the world and at a moments
notice. Social media has revolutionized the way that information is spread. Social media has
changed how we define a friend. It has changed the meaning of like and followers. Social
media has had a drastic impact on our society, whether we realize it or not. Although many of
these impacts are positive, many are also negative. I want to focus on the negatives in this paper.
I believe there are many negative effects and disadvantages of social media and I believe they
outweigh the benefits of social media use.
There is no denying that Social media has exploded in the last decade. As of 2011, two
thirds (65%) of adult internet users engage in activities on social networking sites, compared to
less than one third (29%) 3 years ago, and less than one tenth (8%) 6 years ago. (Wang, pg. 1)
These numbers are even higher when comparing teenage use. The greatest advantage of social
media is that it can be used to spread information instantly, to almost anyone, anywhere in the
Comment [AP1]: Okay, I like the clear thesis
here. but Im concerned that the topic is much
too broad.
world. This trait is also the worst and most dangerous aspect of social media. Teenagers use
social networking sites to communicate with friends and to spread news and information. While
most teenagers see this as a convenience, many do not realize the hard that they can cause with
just the click of a button. Cyber bullying has become an extremely growing issue in recent years
and has led to serious consequences for those impacted by it. Teenagers are some of the worst
offenders when it comes to cyber bullying. A recent study showed that: Almost half of all
participants identified as having been bullied online. This rate is higher than that reported in
other studies on cyber bullying [] Additionally, one in three respondents admitted to bullying
others online, also greater than the rates reported by previous studies. (Mishna) This is an
incredibly scary consequence of social media. Cyber bullying is merely one potential risk that
social media has accelerated. I think that users of social media often lose sight of the reality of
social media. The reality is that there is a person behind each online profile and that person can
be harmed by their actions online. Users of social media need to be aware of cyber bullying does
happen and it is incredibly common and it has a very real impact on peoples lives.
One of the more recent uses of social media has been in the business field. Businesses
around the world have turned to technology which allows for meetings to be conducted via video
conferencing. Video conferencing is an alternative to face-to-face meetings (FTF) which allows
for people within a business to communicate and discuss ideas. Businesses around the world are
becoming more global and video conferencing is a solution to connecting people who live
around the world at a moments notice. The only problem is that video conferencing creates
issues that are only solvable with FTF communication. A recent study concluded that: As such,
many FTF [face-to-face] meetings probably cannot readily be replaced by VC [video
conferencing]... (Denstadli) Language is funny in the sense that it can be interpreted in many
Comment [AP2]: Im not sure that people
lose sight of this. I think people feel safer
being mean behind the protection of the
computer screen. Of course, I feel like were
both probably conjecturing at this point.
different ways. A change in voice or other body language can help to communicate a message.
There is simply no way to replicate FTF communication. This is applicable to other social media
use. I know many people have probably had to explain what they meant by their text message.
People interpret words differently, and words can have a completely different meaning based on
how they are said. Using social media to communicate creates this huge disadvantage of
interpretation. Although social media can deliver a message in an instant, what good is that if the
person who receives it misinterprets it?
Whether people realize it or not, the invention of the smartphone changed the world. The
smartphone, as we envision it today, was first introduced in 2007. (Arthur, 2012) With the
invention of the smartphone, came the ability to always be plugged in. The smartphone allows
us to always have access to the internet. Now we are able to check social media sites, text
message, email, chat, and share information at any moment. A recent report showed that:
66% of children owned their own cell phones and 76% owned their own iPod/music players.
Fifty-eight percent of 12-year-olds now own a cellphone. (Pea) This shows that even young
kids are now plugged in. All ages are using social media and this has created a multitasking
dilemma. The constant use of social media takes away our ability to focus in face to face settings
which are important in the developmental process While media are acknowledged central
players in childhood socialization ( Ito et al., 2010; Livingstone, 2009), face-to-face
communication with peers and adults continues to be recognized as a key determinant of social
and emotional development. (Pea) We often lose out on opportunities for social connections
because we are constantly plugged in. A recent study on the use of social media, multitasking
and how it relates with social and emotional outcomes found that: Certain types of media
usevideo (five of five analyses), online communication (four of five analyses), and media
Comment [AP3]: What about emoticons?
Also, when online (or in any text) dont we
have more time to craft what we have to say,
versus the clumsiness of extemporaneous
speech?
Comment [AP4]: I think people realize it.
multitasking (four of five analyses)were associated with a range of negative socioemotional
outcomes. (Pea) This finding was important for my research. This finding proves to me that
social media is not always a good thing. Social media can have a negative impact on social and
emotional feelings. Further, the study found that: Media multitasking was associated with a
series of negative socioemotional outcomes in 8- to 12-year-old girls: feeling less social success,
not feeling normal, having more friends whom parents perceive as bad influences, and sleeping
less. The ability to always be plugged in is not always a good thing, and this study proves this.
Social media has created a convenience, the ability to be able to communicate at any given time,
but I believe that it isnt always a positive.
I use social media every day. I check my Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and text people
on a daily basis. I use these platforms and methods of communication because all of my friends
use them. Social media provides a very interesting and in some ways addictive way to stay in
touch. I can keep in touch with old friends from high school or see what my favorite athlete is
doing in his/her life. The ability to know what others are doing is a very addictive feeling. I often
wonder why I find so much gratification in knowing what is going on. Why do I enjoy pictures
of peoples dog, or knowing that they are dreading studying for this exam? A study in 2010 of
college students shed some light on my feelings. The study concluded: In summary, the data
suggest that gratifications sought from Facebook reflect a need for social inclusion: to be part of
a space where social interactions among ones peers take place. (Quan-Haase, pg. 357) This
conclusion leads me to believe that social media makes us feel like we belong. Social media
keeps us in the loop, it keeps us up to date on gossip, events, and news. It is never a good
feeling to feel left out. This study suggests that in order to avoid this feeling, we have developed
a dependence on the need to know. This dependence, or thirst for knowledge is comparable to
Comment [AP5]: This sounds like a good
thing.
Comment [AP6]: This is an interesting point
of view.
the addictions of a drug. A drug provides a high, or a feeling of gratification. Social media does
the same thing. Social media provides a feeling of gratification. Social media satisfies our need
to know what our friends are doing. If social media has similar effects as drugs then it can have
some of the same consequences. A study on internet addictions found that the different kinds of
addictions share the following four components: 1) excessive use, often associated with a
loss of sense of time or a neglect of basic drives, 2) withdrawal, including feelings of anger,
tension, and/or depression when the computer is inaccessible (Weinstein, pg. 282) These
feelings of withdrawal are eerily similar to feelings of withdrawal attributed with drugs. The fact
is that social media can create addictions similar to those of hard drugs and these addictions can
develop without the user ever being aware that there is a problem.
Social media is an incredible tool. Social media allows us to connect, share, and stay
informed. I use social media in my everyday life and often wonder how I would live without. As
a college student, and someone who is in the prime demographic for social media use, it is hard
for me to look at social media in a negative light. I enjoy social media as much as anyone but
through research, I tried to form an unbiased opinion on social media. What I found is that there
are some incredibly real and dangerous consequences of social media. Some of these dangers
include: addictions, cyberbullying, and even degradation of our social skills. I found that one of
the most dangerous things about social media is that often the users have no idea of the dangers.
People see social media as this great invention, but they do not realize the harm that they could
be causing to themselves, or even to others. I tried to lay out for you, the reader, findings and
research on social media and the dangers that are associated with the use of social media. What I
have concluded is that the negative effects and dangers of social media actually outweigh the
benefits. With that being said, am I still going to use social media? The answer there is:
probably. The purpose of this paper was not to convince you not to use social media but merely
to show why I think that the dangers of social media outweigh the positives that social media has
to offer.
Brian,
I like a lot of the issues you bring to the table. It is clear that you have researched your topic very well,
and I think you do a good job engaging these sources and including your own thoughtful opinion. I do
feel that you cover too many disparate topics in this one paper. You discuss cyberbullying, wasting time,
internet addiction all in the same paper. You need a much more clear and focused thesis and every
paragraph should be dedicated to supporting that one precise thesis. Covering these disparate issues takes
away a sense of purpose that you would otherwise have with a more specific and precise thesis. What is
your purpose here? Im not sure. Who is your ideal audience? What sort of effect do you hope to achieve
on that audience?








Comment [AP7]: Yes, but what is the
purpose of pointing these things out? I dont
believe in informing people with no agenda
for informing them. The informer hopes to
achieve some sort of effect on his/her
audience (whether big or small).









Works Cited

Wang, Z, J.M Tchernev, and T Solloway. "A Dynamic Longitudinal Examination of Social
Media Use, Needs, and Gratifications Among College Students." Computers in Human
Behavior. 28.5 (2012): 1829-1839. Print.

Mishna, F, C Cook, T Gadalla, J Daciuk, and S Solomon. "Cyber Bullying Behaviors Among
Middle and High School Students." The American Journal of Orthopsychiatry. 80.3 (2010): 362-
74. Print.

Denstadli, J.M, T.E Julsrud, and R.J Hjorthol. "Videoconferencing As a Mode of
Communication: a Comparative Study of the Use of Videoconferencing and Face-to-Face
Meetings." Journal of Business and Technical Communication. 26.1 (2012): 65-91. Print.

Arthur, Charles. "The History of Smartphones: Timeline." The Guardian. Guardian News and
Media, 25 Jan. 2012. Web. 09 Apr. 2014.

Pea, Roy, et al. "Media Use, Face-To-Face Communication, Media Multitasking, And Social
Well-Being Among 8- To 12-Year-Old Girls." Developmental Psychology 48.2 (2012): 327-
336. PsycARTICLES. Web. 24 Feb. 2014.

Weinstein, A, and M Lejoyeux. "Internet Addiction or Excessive Internet Use." The American
Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse. 36.5 (2010): 277-83. Print.