Is Social Media Corrupting Society?

Since+there+are+so+many+social+media+platforms%2C+it+is+obvious+why+it+has+such+a+strong+influence+on+society.+

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Since there are so many social media platforms, it is obvious why it has such a strong influence on society.

Jake Paz, Opinion Editor

In this day and age, social media has become an integral part in almost everyone’s life, either to connect with old friends on Facebook or show off what you are eating on Instagram. However, it seems that social media influences people by “corrupting” them with negative ideas rather than helping them grow.

The term “social media” is not limited to websites like Facebook and Twitter; it also includes sites like YouTube where people from all over the world can share their ideas. On YouTube, users can watch videos of other people doing ridiculous things like the “Kylie Jenner Lip Challenge,”-where one puts pressure on one’s lips with a cup while suctioning out air to enlarge the size of one’s lips- which could encourage  others to participate in these challenges. Participating in online challenges is not necessarily frowned upon, however participating in one where people can get seriously hurt crosses the line.

“I think that social media and technology in general is really corrupting young kids since they are able to watch videos online or TV shows that are either too violent or inappropriate. Like my little cousin who is like a little monster because of all the things he watches,” junior Francesca Galliano.

Social media may seem like an excellent way to spread hate and negativity, however, there are a lot of sites on the internet that act like safe havens and provide users with tons of support. Also, social media helps people stay connected and makes the distance between people almost nonexistent.

Social media’s corruption of society does not stop at the spread of hate or stupidity but also exposes young children to inappropriate language or unhealthy habits, for example Instagram pages dedicated to ‘thinspiration’ and promoting eating disorders. Additionally, young internet users can be exposed to racist and offensive slurs, which can be seen in social media platforms like Twitter. This leads to a new generation that has no shame in using offensive language at a young age, or encourage their friends to do so as well.

Considering all the negative influences that social media has on our society, it is clear that social media is partly to blame for how society is changing. However, it would be unjust to give all the blame to social media since the ones that are using it to spread their ideas of hate and stupidity or love and support are humans, not the social media platform.