As privileged as we the millennial generation are in terms of the exposure we have and access to technology, there are so many responsibilities that we take for granted.
As a young person, social media has been a core part of my daily activities and as much as I hate to admit, it is gradually becoming a part of my daily routine. Just like me, a lot of young people spend a lot of time on social media, but I am quite concerned that social media may be taking a lot more toll on us than we imagine.
Today, I want to express my worry about how a lot of millennials use social media and the impact it has on them in various ways.
Some of the things I am concerned about include spending too much time on social media; making social media define their reality; disregard for privacy; not leveraging on the power of social media; and seeking gratification from social media.
What do I mean by these five things? Let me explain further.
1. Spending to much time on social media
I must begin by saying that social media companies are aware of the fact that when users spend more time on their platforms, they make more revenue. Therefore some social media platforms are designed to keep you scrolling and scrolling, thus spending much time on those platforms.
Despite the fact that features such as screen time have been designed to help people keep track of the time they spend on social media and adjust accordingly, many millenials still spend hours on these online platforms. You may be wondering who defines what a lot of time is. I believe one can be said to be spending a lot of time on social media when they spend more time doing unproductive things on the platform rather than working or taking actions that will contribute to their productivity. Unless you earn money or gain something positive on social media, you must try to cut down the number of hours you spend there.
2. Social media becomes their reality
If you believe everything you see, hear or watch on social media, you need to stop ASAP. Not everything you see on social media is a true reflection of reality. Especially for young people who follow celebrities and online influencers, the desire to believe everything they see or read about such personalities can be strong, which in some cases is false.
3. Forget about privacy and opportunities
I have no intention of being judgmental but truth is that a lot of millenials are not wary of the implications of some of the things they post online. Whether nudity or abusive language, they completely forget that the next person who is checking their profile could be a potential employer.
4. Do not leverage on the platforms
The beauty about social media is that you do not need to know someone personally to connect with them or create a positive impression about yourself. Therefore, it is good to build your personal brand. Some relationships and friendships are built on social media and can go a long way to influence your career. Therefore, it is vital for millenials to build relationships online and leverage on those relationships for personal and professional growth.
5. A form of gratification
Some people seek validation on social media. So their confidence is boosted by the number of likes, comments and shares they get online. In some cases, the attention people seek and feel good about on social media can lead to depression; this happens when they do not get such attention. We are at a time where conditions such as social media depression are real and getting common. If the likes, shares and comments are not making you money, I wonder what the fuss is about.
What do you think about these five things millenials must stop doing on social media?
If you have any comments, please leave them in the comments section below.
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