Social Meida Addiction

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On the night of my first Media and Society class, my instructor Ann, sternly stated (while going over the class syllabus) that we were not to use our, smart phones, computers, etc. for personal use only class related reasons or taking notes. No social media networks, tweeting or sending messages. I found myself thinking this is an adult college program; why was it necessary for her to tell us that? Is there a problem here that required such a statement? Ann then asked how many of us use “Social Media” (that is what the class is about, media and its effect on society) what we use it for, how often we use it and if we ever turned our connection off. When I heard some of the answers I was concerned. Several students admitted that they would check their Facebook or Twitter accounts constantly, some said even throughout the night. I wondered, what are “we” doing to ourselves and others with this obsessive need for social media?

It is true that social media has become an important part of most people’s lives. It is a recognized part of our culture no matter what it is used for. Billions of people around the world use it for communication, entertainment and information every day. They keep in touch with family, friends, the latest trends, local happenings and make good use of the social media’s. The majority of people have no problem controlling their usage, but from some it has become a real problem. Some people start withdrawing from the real world and spend hours on end absorbed in their social media. Others have let it take over their daily lives with constant interruptions. I believe that excessive use of social media has allowed for people to develop unhealthy habits, much like an addiction, for some I would even call it an addic...

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