Is Social Media making us unsocial?

The definition of Social Life has changed so far and so has our experience with Socialization. Today, we understand by social media is Interactive technology facilitating the sharing of ideas and building a new network of people. In this sense, Social media are to connect people and make us social.

Social Media platforms do a great job connecting people beyond race, gender even beyond the borders of countries. Today, 4.7 Billion people are using social media globally and there has been a new addition of 227 million people over 2021. We so far expect social media to be a bridge among us, connect us beyond the limit and gift us a better life.

However, are we getting what we expected from these technologies? A global study by Kaspersky shows that about 1/3 of the people are now meeting face to face with their parents, partners, and with their children. Again, more than 60% of people compare their lives to others based on their social media timelines. These gaps in communication and some other factors working in the field make people more anxious and alone. Nowadays, life is measured by the time spent on social media, the importance of a person is based on the number of likes he/she has on the social wall. Snapchat does a great job letting others know the location of their friends, but can barely bring them to the same place.

In this way, Social technology is simultaneously connecting us and isolating us. It's affecting everything from our basic social relationships to the way we think of the world, and the way we think of our lives. Before jumping to a conclusion, we have to think about how technology so good connects people globally but creates bad inceptions. They are making us unsocial, as the data suggests, and the current situation says. In the end, we still have a lot of room for improvement.

Thank you, everyone.