COMM

2500

Technology Addiction:
ADDICTION TO SOCIAL MEDIA

ANGELA GROSS
COMM 2500
December 5, 2018
 In the roughly 29 years since its establishment, social media has had an influence,

positive and negative, in our politics, our economics, and even our law enforcement. While it

has been widely researched and debated, social media has undoubtedly had an effect on the

culture of our society. The following research I would like to discuss my findings of the amazing

benefits and fatal consequences of social media.

The term “Social Media” is believed to have been coined in the 1990s. Where it came

from or who coined the term, has yet to be determined. Regardless, social media has become a

defining aspect of our culture (Forbes.com). It was Ted Leonsis, former CEO of AOL, who was

quoted saying that there was a need for "social media, places where they (AOL users) can be

entertained, communicate, and participate in a social environment." (Forbes.com). Essentially

social media was born in the chat rooms. AOL was not the original creator for chat rooms, that

recognition belongs to Doug Brown and David R. Woolley who in 1973 created the Talkomatic

on the PLATO System at the University of Illinois (Malloy 105).

For my generation, social media has become a friend for some and foe for others but it

depends on how you’re using it. In August of 2003, the first social networking, interactive user

website, MySpace was created (MySpace.com). Geared towards adolescents and young adults,

MySpace became a playground for autonomy, creativity, and individuality. For Amy Piatt,

Author of MySpace to Scared Place, MySpace became a way for her to find similar religious

cohorts and support. This popular website allowed you to rank your friends, customize your

“page” to reflect your own uniqueness, and even taught basic HTML skills. However, with such

technological power came a consequence of which no one could have prepared.

In 2006, Megan Meier befriended a young boy named Josh Evans on MySpace and the

two began a relationship. Unfortunately, Josh Evans was not a real person but rather, Lori Drew,

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the mother of a young girl Megan had gone to school with. Lori admitted in late 2006 that her

employee, Ashley Grills, her daughter and she had created the fake profile after Megan and her

daughter had several arguments. After a period of time, the relationship turned sour between Josh

and Megan. Josh wrote several insulting public comments about Megan which is what is

believed to have led her to commit suicide. Lori Drew was charged with 3 years in prison and a

fine of $300,000. Her sentence was light due to cyberbullying being new and Ms. Drew has not

had a prior record. Megan Meier became the first cyberbullying suicide via MySpace (Moreno

70) (Nytimes.com).

My Space’s popularity was short-lived from 2005- 2009 (MySpace.com). In 2004,

Facebook was created in Menlo Park, California. It quickly became popular in the increased

demand for social networking websites (Facebook.com). Facebook was geared towards young

adults in colleges and universities thus did not have the cult following like MySpace in the

beginning. However, as MySpace fell out of the limelight Facebook gladly took its spot. Today,

it has become a multi-billion-dollar company even after losing $123 billion from scandals and

subsequent consequences from recent information hacking (Techcrunch.com). Even with

Facebook’s financial success and popularity, it still has the same problems as MySpace and they

are only getting worse (Korimako 15-30). During the 2016 elections and the 2018 mid-term

elections, those in the age ranges of 18-25 and 25-45 admitted that how they voted was if not all

information found on Facebook. It has become quite obvious that the cyberbullying and the

spread of misinformation have become something of an epidemic (Nadkarni 243-249).

In 2010, the social networking app, Instagram, was created. An app that provided it users

a connection to others through pictures. It expanded the ideas of adolescents and young adults

and created a wanderlust that society had never experienced. However, Psychologists and

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researchers began to notice increased narcissistic behaviors, delusional ideations, and lower self-

esteem in young adults (Andreessen, Pallescent, Griffiths 287-293). Social Media Disorder

(SMD) defined as the addiction to social media by spending over 15 hours per week online

(adaa.org). Though SMD is not currently recognized in the DSM-5 it is a very real addiction that

has become an area of increasing research interest (Valkenburg, Lemans, Heijden 478-487).

Medicine has advanced leaps and bounds thanks to the benefits of social media.

Telemedicine is a wonderful advancement in healthcare accessibility. In June of 2018, it was

estimated that in 2018 alone seven million people would utilize some form of telehealth

medicine. This is technology includes patient portals, video chats with a doctor, and many more

forms of communication (usatoday.com). Telemedicine allows for patients to reach their doctors

with questions and concerns when they might otherwise be unable to. The National Center for

Biotechnology Information (NCBI) reported that 8 out of 10 people use the internet to research

health information (ncbi.nlm.nih.gov). While not all the information may be accurate or

pertinent, the availability of the information and the ability to discuss it with one’s doctor via

telemedicine has been great for the health of our society (ortholive.com).

In 2018, the CDC reported heart disease and stroke, obesity, and arthritis were listed as

the most common diseases (CDC.gov). Telemedicine and social media have provided those

suffering from illness access to virtual communities for moral support. Such communities are

able to provide research, financial information, support, and share in personal progress. Research

shows that 74% of people use social media in correlation with telemedicine (ncbi.nlm.nih.gov).

The CDC has and continues to maintain an active presence on social media to track “tweets” and

posts that may indicate a flu outbreak. During national disasters, the Red Cross tracks Twitter

posts to determine areas of greatest need (ncbi.nlm.nih.gov). The widespread use of social media

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has influenced a greater empathy in public health reinforcement. For example, Donate Life

America created an online organ donation registry. After only a week of being active, they

experienced a 23-fold surge in pledges. This surge is presumed to be due to social networking

(George 453-462).

The greatest concern has been on the potential infringement of the patient-physician

relationship. Due to some distasteful actions of medical students and medical personnel, the

AMA has placed strict regulations on social media usage within hospitals. The goal of increased

regulation is to emphasize the maintenance of patient confidentiality, cognizant of privacy

settings, appropriate boundaries, accurate and truthful information, and the declaration of

conflicts of interest. (George 453-462).

As of December of 2018, there are 7.7 billion people on the planet (worldometers.info).

Social media has allowed people all over the world to connect and reconnect. 91% of adults who

use Facebook say that they use the site to connect with family. 83% of teens who use Facebook

say that the site helps them feel more connected to the information in their friends’ lives

(socialnetworking.procon.org). While it is nice to be connected there is too much of a good

thing.

In a study researched and published at University North Carolina at Chapel Hill and N.C.

State University determined that young adults who communicate mainly through social media

tend to lack in complex interpersonal skills and the ability to manage conflict; particularly young

men (uncnews.unc.edu). In theory, this may explain the recent belligerent response from young

men towards women who deny their advances on social apps. Due to these responses from young

men, there has been a growing movement from feminists demanding men reevaluate their

privilege and responses on social media. Bye Felipe is an active page on Instagram that users

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(predominately women) can submit screenshots of their encounters with brash men. The site’s

goal is just like many other social networking sites and apps: to provide moral support,

community, and pertinent research (Byefelipe.com).

Social media provides quick, mostly-easy, no cost marketing especially when it comes to

politics. From Stoneman Douglas Highs student protests for stricter gun regulations that led to

over one million participants and registrations in the 2018 midterm elections (nbc.com) to

Egypt’s political uprising that ultimately led to the resignation of Egyptian President Mubarak on

Feb. 11, 2011(Schaad). Social media can be a platform for positive political change. The US

Army warns that by “checking in” on Facebook or FourSquare you are potentially putting

yourself in danger (slideshare.net).

In 2011, a female blogger was found decapitated by a Mexican cartel with a note that

said: “this happened to me for not understanding that I shouldn't report things on the social

networks." (LAtimes.com). In October of 2018 Jamal Ahmad Khashoggi, general manager, and

editor-in-chief of Al-Arab News Channel was murdered at the Saudi Arabian consulate in

Istanbul. Khashoggi was in Saudi Arabia reporting on the crimes of Saudi Crown Prince

Mohammed bin Salman (washintonpost.com). With the increasing amount of threats towards

journalist, military, and activists we, as a society, must ask ourselves if the benefits of using

social media as a political platform are worth the risk.

It is difficult to determine how we go about righting the wrongs of social media.

However, when used wisely and for the betterment of communities, there is much to gain from

social media. It is comforting to know that centers like the Red Cross and the CDC are

monitoring communities far away for threats to life. It is inspiring to view people of similar ages

venturing into the unknown corners of the world. It is incredible to see what creativity and

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individuality have been born from social media. Rather than be frightened of social media and its

capabilities, I believe it is our duty to give way for a safe, inclusive, and open-minded social

media.

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