In 1997, society changed forever when Andrew Weinreich created “Six Degrees,” the first social media site (Hendricks). Social media has become the new way for people to relate to other people, communicate with the world, and interact as a society. Today there is a huge variety of social networking sites available to the public. Through the use of platforms such as Six Degrees, Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook, social media has seen exponential growth in popularity, especially among young people. Our younger generations know no other means by which to tackle this great adventure of life other than the fast and furious transit of social media. Along with these platforms come the benefits of faster communication, faster news, and lots of instant entertainment. Over the past twenty years or so, the Internet has become one of the most essential tools for everyday activities. Although it helps people stay connected and facilitates the sharing of different media contents, there are many negative aspects associated with its use. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Social media has become a widely discussed form of communication and has often been criticized negatively, as the harmful aspects, especially for younger users, far outweigh the positive risks. For starters, social media platforms have become an essential part of young people's lives. Studies have shown that the average high school teenager spends at least two hours using media every day (A Day in the Life of a High School Teen). This has numerous effects on young people and their behaviors. When individuals come into contact with media content, their social reality changes. For young people of this generation the social world is massive, complicated and never silent. It is a force stronger and greater than any other aspect of life. One of the major issues facing today's youth is the ability to use social media to create a person's identity. Identity construction is the basic formation of a person's values and beliefs about themselves and is shaped largely by an individual's actions. At a time in life when labels can be so controlling and harmful, teens are creating identities in such a broad arena that shedding the label may be too daunting a task to accomplish. And an identity can be created in an instant, at the speed of a button. It can be intentional or completely accidental. In any case, the final result carries with it the weight of this purpose. And even those who may not participate in the actual construction of identity on social media can be negatively affected simply by experiencing extreme emotions from the “scrolling” of others' posts and created existence. There is a feeling among viewers that perhaps the rest of the world is having a better life experience. Users can share their opinions, emotions and thoughts without having to impose self-censorship. The question is whether social media, which has gained strength due to its effect on the masses, reaches different segments of society. Human nature tends to look for like-minded people rather than looking for differences. People will seek out those who have common emotions, thoughts and opinions with themselves by sharing on social communication platforms and turn themselves into an active power by establishing a community with like-minded users. Maintaining a social media presence can be fun but stressful. With comments and "Mi.
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