Social media has been a game changer in the world. It’s allowed people to reconnect, found organ donors, and is a great way to keep up with people we don’t talk to everyday.
Social media is also a dangerous place.
Social media is run by tech giants. And technology while magical is also a place where privacy is lost, data is stolen, and information lives forever.
I am so thankful we didn’t really have social media when I was growing up. We had AOL and MySpace was just beginning but smart phones weren’t huge and we weren’t constantly connected in the way in which kids and teens are now.
I watched Social Dilemma the other day on Netflix and being that I work in tech, I wasn’t super surprised to hear about all the ethical dilemmas and concerns around social media use. It was however extremely helpful to remind me just how addicted I can be to my own device. It also reminded me how this next generation is using social media in a way that can cause extreme self harm.
We didn’t have filters when I was a teenager or even into college. We posted pictures as is. Nowadays, between influencers and celebrities - I don’t remember the last time I’ve seen an unfiltered, non surgically enhanced photo of really anyone. Kids are growing up comparing themselves to the lives they see on social media. And often times, they’re unaware that social media is purely a carefully crafted highlight reel. This causes self doubt, self hate, and a constant anxiety over Keeping up with the Kardashians. It’s not real, it’s not attainable for most, and it’s not important. And yet it’s all these kids know.
On top of the self image issues, most young people don’t pay attention to or understands the security concerns and loss of privacy associated with social media. Between companies selling your data to sending nudes on snapchat, there’s no taking back something you put into the social media universe. Sharing location can create unsafe situations for these kids as well.
One of the most dangerous and relevant to today issues on social media platforms such as Facebook is of course misinformation. We saw it cause Trump to steal the 2016 election and it’s happening again. Bots and extreme groups are spreading misinformation that shifts the way in which Americans vote. People assume what they see on the internet is true. And if they see a source, they assume that information is factual. People are simply not taking the time to research and understand what is reliable and what is not true. Social media is unfortunately a big player in that game and should be held accountable.
Social media is incredible. I am guilty of using it too often myself. But realistically, we need to start asking questions and holding these platforms accountable for ethics in this space. Social media is dangerous. It shouldn’t be treated as a free space to do whatever just because people have the ability to hide behind a desk or screen.
I’m in the tech world, I love technology and it pays my bills. But I’m also a human being with really high ethics. And I want this industry to be more regulated before it becomes completely out of control. Our country and our lives depend on that regulation so that we avoid another 2020.