In a world that is continuously growing more technologically advanced, it seems almost impossible to not get sucked into the cyber realm. Everyday we feel the need to connect with our peers through social media. And everyday we unknowingly give up a part of our real lives for time in our virtual ones.
However, we should not look to the virtual world to provide us with a sense of comfort and security. We get a feeling of exhilaration when we get a ‘like’ on Facebook or Instagram, or when we get ‘favorite’ on a Tweet. While a ‘like’ on Facebook may give us a confidence boost, a compliment in the real world would be much more rewarding. It is okay to be involved in social media and the virtual world, but it is more important to engage in the real world, with our friends and family – the people who truly count.
We spend hours on our social media accounts, aimlessly scrolling through the sneak peaks that others provide into their lives. Though slightly entertaining to see hundreds of pictures of the same people at the same events doing the same thing, there must be a bigger explanation to why we spend so much time living vicariously through the status updates of others.
By focusing too much time and energy on the new and innovative internet world, we fail to accomplish anything in the world outside of the the computer screen. It is important to realize how much is too much when it comes to the internet. The countless hours spent on social media sites can just as easily be spent meeting new people in real life. The time spent watching videos on YouTube can also be spent pursuing our own creative ventures. The time we spend online should be a minor focus in the major things we hope to accomplish in our lives.
Recently, Facebook has introduced the option for teenagers, ages 13-17, to post “publicly”, where as before, this was not an option. Is this a loss of privacy, or is it an extension of teenagers cyber freedoms?
The fact is that we are probably the most savvy age group when it comes to social networking. About 42% of teenagers say Facebook is the most important and most time consuming social networking site on the web, according to Huffington Post.
But although we may think we know what we are doing in the world of social media, there are always repercussions. Although this change may be great in cultivating our responsibility in learning how to act with discretion on social media, privacy is still extremely essential. Just because social media lets us post for a larger audience, doesn’t mean we should. It is about knowing what should and should not be private. What should be shared, and what should not.
Social media includes various privacy settings, however it is important to take the next step for complete privacy. Oversharing. It is our responsibility to filter what we do and do not want posted for our virtual friends to see. We need to think it through before we click ‘share’. Before we post a picture or a status or a tweet we need to really think about it and ask ourselves “what will my friends gain from this”? The truth is your distant friend who sits across the room from you in math or who went to kindergarten with you will not care about your close friend eating ice cream. Posting pictures can seem fun and innocent, but sometimes it may make someone else feel excluded. While some people may be invited to numerous parties, others are not. While there is an invite list to an event, think of all the people who are not invited. While there is not a rule that tells you when to post and when not to post pictures, we just want you to think before you post. Think of what you gain from posting a picture. Think of what you gain from tweeting something. Think of what you gain from making a status.
We believe you do not need social media in order to be social. Talk in person. Share and create memories with each other, rather than with your online ‘friends.’
