The fabric of socialization, traditionally, was regulated as much as it was free. People would sit around a table and have conversations, and if there was an argument, there was always someone—a leader of sorts—to calm the situation. If there was an uncontrollable character, guiding principles existed to put them in line and teach them how to interact better. This ensured everyone went home happy and, even if not, there was always a means for mediation.
Enter social media. It is easy to be convinced and drawn in by that name, but is it as “social” as it claims? I will give my opinion based on two arguments. First, that social media has gagged freedom of speech and interaction more than it has set it free. Secondly, that social media has led to less human interaction and, consequently, to mental health issues, fraud, and suicide.
Freedom of Speech—Or the Illusion of It
We have been made to believe that we enjoy unlimited freedom on social media, and maybe we do—but these tech companies have collected more data than has ever been gathered in history. I stopped thinking this was someone else’s problem when I realized that each time I Googled an item, adverts for the same popped up across all my social media platforms. As much as Google and Facebook are two different companies, they share our data and tailor adverts to lure us into purchases. Privacy is a fallacy in the world of social media. The moment we sign up, we give up the privilege of privacy.
This was further affirmed by a Netflix documentary I recently watched—The Social Dilemma (2020)—where the famed Jaron Lanier, author of Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now, explained that we think social media platforms are the products while we are the users. In reality, it is the other way around. We are the products, and these tech companies know it. That is why they work to ensure that you are hooked onto your screen. From following your narrative, they make you follow their script. They choose your friends, suggest places to visit and things to buy, and while making it appear as though they are making life easier, they are in fact taking away your freedom to choose. That is gagging you.
Take another example: the infamous Cambridge Analytica scandal, known for allegedly pushing algorithms that shifted the agenda of elections in developed democracies like the United States and across the globe in Kenya. They used social media to create false campaigns and false followings for the political aspirants of their choosing—who then ended up winning. Meaning, the freedom that is found in democracy was taken away, and with just the push of a button, we were gagged.
The Decline of Human Interaction
My second argument is that social media has reduced human interaction, worsened mental health, and fueled suicide—leading to a loss of morality. According to a CBS News report on November 1, 2019, experts and parents in the United States credited the rise in teen suicides to social media bullying. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that teen suicide jumped by 56% from 2007 to 2017—around the same time social media platforms exploded. Facebook alone rose from 7.3 million users in 2006 to about 2 billion users in 2018.
To imagine that these platforms have weak or no policies regulating language or content is frightening. Anyone in the world can get a gadget and a Wi-Fi connection and be instantly connected with millions. That means a convicted pedophile can easily reach a teen and interact with them without parental knowledge. A young person can connect with a peddler and buy illegal drugs. And perhaps worst of all, people can use mean words, post racist content, and act as bigots—all at the expense of others. These realities have led to crimes and suicides that might otherwise have been prevented.
One case that stuck with me was that of a young man who posted daily hints about his impending suicide. Each day, he revealed more—and yet no real help came. Eventually, he followed through, and the world watched online as he walked to the bridge and drowned.
The Final Question
In conclusion, I acknowledge the good that social media has brought with it: blood donations, fundraisers, awareness campaigns, and more. But can we celebrate the good while turning a blind eye to the overwhelming bad? Can we count the deaths and depression as collateral damage? Have we lost our minds?
Social media is the now and the future—but it just might also be the end. The end of objective morality. The end of real human interaction. The end of free speech. The end of democracy. The end of mental health. The end of humanity.
