6 Reasons Why Using Social Media Is Bad For You

Before we proceed with explanation of social media side effects. We feel it necessary to start with the definition of Social Media. According to Wikipedia, Social media is a virtual place where people exchange information and ideas.
Social media started with internet forums in 1990's. Later social media sites developed that allowed users to share their own opinions in their accounts like Orkut, Facebook and Twitter. 
Today, there are almost 1 billion users on Facebook and 500 million users on twitter.

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But social media is not all good, there are many cases reported on news media outlets that tell how many people were hurt due to the usage of social media websites. Some report their identities were stolen and others tell how they were sexually assaulted due to social media.

Here, Logo Design Loot has formulated six points that specify why social media is bad for us?

1. Social media tells fake stories:

We all know that many people from different background use social media.Fake stories are becoming a norm on social media websites these days. because people who share them have some bad motive that they want to achieve, while users keep sharing them thinking they are the truth.

Solution:

In our opinion, the best solution to cope up with fake stories is to not accept them as reality and do a search by your self.

For example, their is a story on Facebook that lens can burn eye lids and how a person got blind while he was barbecuing wearing lenses. This story was shared by many users on different social media sites. However, its a fake story.

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2. Social media isolates you from reality

It is been seen that many nerd students and students who use computer a lot become anti social. They form their own world on the internet and try to get away from reality as much as they can. We all know that's not how it should work. because social media is just a part of the real reality and the world we live in is not on the cloud but in this world.

Solution:

The best thing you can do to avoid being anti social is to socialize in the real world. You can socialize in the real world by joining a club, playing sports or going to your local gym.

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3. Social media sites makes you low on self esteem

It is been observed that social websites are the best way to connect with your loved ones and even strangers. But are you the same person on social media and in reality? Because there are many people who are different in reality but act as a different being in the social media world. And when they have to go out in the real world they feel low on self esteem and lack the basic confidence. And they rely on their social network friends to ask about how they look in different pictures.

Solution:

As stated above the best way to gain confidence and self esteem is to socialize with people in the real world. The more you socialize with people in the real world the more your healthy habits will increase.

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4. Social Media sites wastes precious time

People spent hours online just chatting with their pals or virtual girl friends or even just playing Zynga games on social media networks like Facebook.

If we check reality, these games are a waste of time. Well they are good for those who want to make a career playing games in the future. Otherwise they just waste time and studies, most importantly, get affected by the social media.

Solution:

To avoid wastage of time, fix time for using social media. The more you stay with the amount of time you fixed the less are the chances that you will waste time online.

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5. Social Media Sites Blow Out your Privacy

If you are a regular reader of newspaper than you must have known by now about the PRISM program. Well that is not the only one collecting information. Even social media sites sell your information to advertisers so they can earn money by targeting you and selling you different products.

This all is a big game and is explained  in many places on internet.

many sites also emphasize the importance of protecting your privacy and they tell out different ways to do that. Like, using tor browser and using less of the social media.

Solution:

To protect your privacy the best solution is to avoid using social media as a whole. But we know that is not completely possible because it has become an essential source of connectivity these days.

So, the best way of protecting yourself is to stop uploading sensitive information on social media websites. Do not add strangers in your friends list. And do not specify interest on social media sites as these things give stalkers advantage of using your information.

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6. Stalkers can Steal Your Identity Through Social Media Sites

Why Facebook always brings in new privacy options? And why there is a long debate going on, on the identity issues online. There are many cases registered against unknown people who stole identity of innocent social media users. These people used the identities in malicious purposes of their own. 

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Hackers around the world target people who are specially under 18 years of age. They hack their accounts and use their identity as their own. Later if any misconduct is reported against the account or the person who was using the identity, the blame goes to the person whose identity was compromised.

Solution

Don't talk to strangers or person you don't know in real life. Do not give out information that is sensitive like your email address, or fathers name and other personal information (the information that is associated with you). If some one insists on getting the information and threatens you, don't give a shit to him but ignore him (he won't be able to do anything unless you provide him information).

The best rule that is known for protecting oneself is: No one can make you feel inferior without you consent - Eleanor Roosevelt 

Final Advice:

We don't suppose that you will stop using social media after reading this post. And we don't even want you to do that. Because with negative things that we observe on social media there are many positive results also. But an advice for you is to use your brain when using social media. This will save you from many problems.

Have safe browsing online.