Synthesis Essay On Social Media

Social media has permeated throughout all aspects of daily life, especially affecting the social capability of teenagers and young adults. New technology continues to transform the contemporary world. While it may provide opportunities for students, business professionals, and family members to connect with one another, it also causes certain people to place too much emphasis on virtual interaction, leading them to ignore the outside world. Mark Zuckerberg, the creator of Facebook, states that social media aids people in “building an image and identity for themselves,” but the risks and consequences it presents outweigh its potential benefits. Social media’s effect on productivity, communication, and public health has proved to be detrimental

Unfortunately, that includes the misusers of social media, the people who make “snide remarks and hateful comments aimed towards innocent people” (Source F). These people have turned sites created for harmless fun into settings where users are ridiculed, harassed, and shamed. Social media is commonly used among teenagers, and sadly that power is sometimes used for evil rather than good. This issue of cyberbullying among teens introduces a new threat due to “its potential influence on suicide related behavior, … a relatively new and evolving phenomenon” (Source D). Social programs have made it easy to bully people with anonymous comments and indirect references, causing a user “to be hurtful and seemingly blameless at the same time” (Source F). This deadly combination leads to victims staying quiet and suffering in silence, which can cause depression and, in severe cases, self-harm and suicide. Cyberbullying is still relatively new and evolving, and society has just begun to study its influence. According to the studies performed in Source C, one in four teens has experienced cyberbullying while one in six teens has done it to others. These high numbers and devastating effects of cyberbullying on our society drive people to stand up and take action. Although most people’s first reaction is to cut off the use of social media altogether, networking sites have become such an integral part of our lives that the thought of completely eradicating it seems impossible. One solution is for all sites to adopt methods to provide surveillance and prevention to report malicious activities of other users and for teenagers to start using it responsibly. Until teens can be trusted with the use of social media, people will continue to be victimized and bullied, which serves as a detriment to our