Social media is more normalized than ever, which has caused some mixed emotions and opinions.
On one hand, social media allows you to connect with people without being with them which can help if someone has a different schedule than them, or is across the world. Connecting with people on social media allows someone to have a deeper connection with somebody else, since it’s easily accessible.
“A pro of social media relationships is getting to know someone on a more personal level,” freshman Anya Harden said.
In addition to getting to know someone on a more intimate level via social media, are also allowed to share their interests with others that they’d never connect with in person.
Although social media can create positive results for someone, it can also lead to negative impacts. Social media also can lead to arguments, separation, and in some cases, divorce due to the easily accessible connection to millions of people through the internet. Couples using social media are able to talk to each other anytime they want, which eventually decreases satisfaction with in-person quality time according to Medical News Today.
There is also an issue with “phubbing”- the act of ignoring a person in a social setting by focusing on their cell phone instead of the person in front of them. According to researcher Dr. Yeslam Al-Saggaf, phubbing is viewed as weird and goes against social norms. People who do this to others, or have been “phubbed,” have reported reduced emotional connection, empathetic concern and intrapersonal trust.
“Social media can lead to trust issues and jealousy,” freshman Laura Humrich said.
The constant connection with the world at the tip of your fingers also causes trust issues in relationships, unrealistic expectations and insecurity.
Another aspect of being connected to millions through your phone is the use of dating apps. They are becoming more and more common as people become more familiar with social media. On dating apps such as Tinder, Bumble and Hinge, you are judging someone based on their looks and a small bio that they write. This prevents you from actually getting to know someone’s traits, values and compatibility early on, and instead their looks. These countless options of people can cause a lack of effort and investment in one person because you could potentially find someone better. Because of this, short-lived relationships are becoming more common.
Although social media allows people to connect to others that they may not see very often, it can also cause issues when it comes to relationships.