Social Media: Avenues for (Dis)connectivity?

Social Media: Avenues for (Dis)connectivity?

In the last few decades, technology has transformed how people access and gather information, as well as how they interact.  Whether it be Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, or Snapchat,  social media platforms have created a type of connectivity that was unimaginable in the past. However, recently, concerns have increased about the somewhat ironic tendency for such technologies to disconnect users in real life. In a study by Ciobanu (2017), it was established that social media usage contributes to depression and negative emotions such as self-doubt and envy. Moreover, social media, while enhancing digital communication, has meant that real-life interactions have reduced over time. Often, people give priority to social media and other technologies at the expense of real-life interactions, as figure 1 demonstratesFigure 1: Social media interfere with our social life. Source Malmquist, (2018).

In her book, Malmquist (2018), advises humanity to “take a step back” and reflect on their social media habits and in the process make use of the innate communication abilities that existed prior the digital era. Consequently, it can be deduced that despite the apparent benefits of technology, it is vital that human beings become sensitive to the fact that pervasive use of technology may inhibit social connections. Ciobanu (2017) also laments about too much use of social media, citing that technology makes us oblivious of our real-life surroundings. In the music industry, similarly, Bull (2006) observed that people no longer listen to music together; instead opting for individualized means like the iPod.

While technology presents various benefits, especially in terms of communication and connectivity and making work more manageable, it also presents humanity with a tough challenge. Too much use of technology and social media may lead to social disconnection. As such, it is important to limit screen time and have more real-life interactions, lest we become socially disconnected.

References

Bull, M. (2006). Investigating the culture of mobile listening: From Walkman to iPod.       In Consuming music together (pp. 131-149). Springer, Dordrecht.

Ciobanu, R. (2017). Being Connected while Becoming Disconnected. Retrieved 21 March 2020, from https://medium.com/digital-society/the-theory-of-everything-being-connected-       1c6d20897595

Malmquist, A. (2018). Put The Damn Phone Down: Disconnect to Connect. Thought Catalog       Books. Kindle Edition.