Discussion
Negative consequences of social media addiction
Part 3 of your exam question asks you to take your starting point in one of the texts and discuss some of the possible consequences of social media addiction. As we cannot select your chosen text for you, we will outline the consequences of social media addiction mentioned in each of the texts.
Text 1: “What Is Social Networking Addiction?”
One negative consequence mentioned in Leslie Walker's article is that it “interferes with other aspects of daily life.” (ll. 5-6). In other words, the text suggests that social media addiction can affect negatively several aspects of our lives and particularly that it can affect the time we spend offline.
This idea is further developed in the article, which talks about how social media addiction can have negative consequences. Social media addiction translates into “compulsive behavior that leads to negative effects” (ll. 14-15) on “school and work” (l. 20). In this way, it is similar to internet use in general: “…people theorized that heavy use of the Internet might impair people’s performance at work, in school and in family relationships.” (ll. 96-100)
These effects might distract us from our responsibilities and tasks. Reflect on whether you have ever been distracted by using social media and in what ways. Consider also that although the article mentions this interference with school and work, it does not cite any studies that can show how social media affects school and work performance, for example.
Another consequence of social media addiction mentioned in the article is the risk of “…constantly checking Facebook status updates or ‘stalking’ people’s profiles on Facebook, for example, for hours on end.” (ll. 24-27)
Citing a study, the article shows that social media addiction can cause cravings worse than those caused by alcohol and cigarettes: “Researchers at Chicago University concluded that social media addiction can be stronger than addiction to cigarettes and booze…” (ll. 38-41); “Media cravings ranked ahead of cravings for cigarettes and alcohol.” (ll. 44-45). This is perhaps the most relevant evidence that social media can be addictive, but you should also consider that this does not mean that everyone who uses social media is addicted to it.
The article also shows that social media addiction can potentially affect our relationships with others: “the impact of social media on relationships, theorizing that they actually weaken human ties.” (ll. 77-80); “…constantly being connected by technology, which paradoxically can leave people feeling more alone...” (ll. 84-86). However, note that the article shows two sides of this argument, recognising that social media addiction does not necessarily lead to broken marriages: “The ...
