Did you know that teens in the US spend close to five hours a day on social media? Itβs not just teens either, as data shows that the majority of adults spend hours scrolling social media daily too. Those are sobering statistics, especially when you calculate the accumulated time weekly, monthly, and yearly. These statistics highlight the growing reliance on social media, making it clear that itβs becoming hard to even remember a time without it.
There are plenty of arguments for and against social media, which makes its existence a bit of a mixed bag. Even with that said, thereβs no chance that social media will suddenly disappear because people have become so dependent on it. Letβs look at the impact of social media on modern society and what it means for the future.
The Way People Communicate with Each Other Has Transformed
Throughout history, communication methods changed. The invention of the landline telephone is a great example, as it gave people a chance to connect without being face-to-face. Another transformative change happened when cell phones were invented. A cell phone meant that you could make a phone call from any place, any time, as long as you had a signal and battery.
While mobile phones were evolving, so were social media platforms. The first social media platform, SixDegrees.com, launched in 1997. Even though SixDegrees wasnβt exactly the hit some expected, it did launch a new age of communication. Just five years later, Friendster appeared and then Myspace the next year, in 2003.
Following these early platforms, the rate of new social media platforms sped up. Suddenly there was Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok. Communication became easier, faster, and more engaging. Social media provided an easy way to communicate with people around the world in real time, making everyone more connected than ever before.
Advantages
Social Media Is a Marketing Tool for Businesses
Aside from connectivity, another benefit of social media is that itβs opened a new avenue for business marketing and advertising. Businesses today are realizing that they need to have an active social media presence to properly engage with customers and communicate their product and service offerings. For example, platforms like Casinos.com utilize social media to engage users and promote their online gaming experiences, highlighting how diverse sectors adapt to the evolving digital environment.
One of the best parts about using social media as a marketing tool is that itβs cost-effective and the return on investment can be huge.
Social Media Has Created a Whole New Line of Work
One interesting benefit of social media is that it has created new career paths. Two decades ago, the term βsocial media influencerβ didnβt even exist. This career path can be incredibly lucrative for some hardworking (and somewhat lucky) creators, affording them a lifestyle thatβs comparable to rich and famous Hollywood celebrities.
Social media influencers span a variety of industries, such as beauty, self-help, home improvement, online gaming, and so much more. Some of these influencers have managed to amass millions, even hundreds of millions of followers on their accounts. In 2024, the top social media influencer was MrBeast, with just over 500 million followers and $85 million in reported earnings. MrBeast earned the title of the most followed creator in the world, with more than nine billion views last year alone.
Social-media-related career opportunities go further than just influencers. There are also people behind the scenes such as programmers, coders, and moderators, to name a few.
Disadvantages
Social Media Can Be a Breeding Ground for Misinformation
With so many people around the world flocking to social media platforms, misinformation quickly became a significant problem. While misinformation is nothing new, it was more contained when it was only in traditional media channels, but social media opened up the doors to all kinds of content.
Attempts to identify false information have been feeble. Users are constantly being warned to be wary of what they read or see on social media, to do their research, and to question the source.
Adding to this challenge is the emergence of AI, which now plays a significant role in the creation and rapid dissemination of misinformation. Government and news agencies are warning of the dangers AI poses as it spreads misinformation at lightning speeds across all channels.
Social Media Can Do a Great Job of Spreading News Quickly
Itβs also important to point out that for all the misinformation that is spread, social media can be excellent at spreading accurate news efficiently. When shared by reputable news sources, users can easily stay up-to-date on world events. Sharing and liking news stories also helps more people see the content.
Social Media Created the Perfect Venue for Cyberbullying
Bullying has been something that has plagued humanity since the beginning of time, but the global access provided by social media and the sense of anonymity it offers has created cyberbullying.
Itβs all too easy for someone to sit behind a keyboard, keep their identity and location private, and bully people online. And itβs not just adults bullying other adults, as cyberbullying is a real threat to the mental and physical well-being of teens, tweens, and even younger kids. As the prevalence of this harmful behavior increases, it becomes painfully obvious that the laws and guardrails havenβt kept up with the rapid rise of cyberbullying.
Social Mediaβs Long Journey Continues
Social media has taken decades to get to where it is now. The creators of SixDegrees likely never could have imagined social media evolving through technological innovation and societal integration. It comes down to the power of technology, imagination, and a sense of social acceptance in allowing these apps to become part of daily life.