Before this pandemic happened many of us used social media in a very moderate way, but when the lockdown was announced many of us were stuck to our phones using social media every hour of the day. Instagram announced that when the lockdown measures had been going for a couple of months, there was an 80% increase in their amount of active users.
Social media had multiple positive impacts such as helping us connect with our friends and family while we were in quarantine. Social media was also used for exercise videos, cooking, watching movies, and many other things. The news was spreading faster due to the number of active users in social media, multiple small businesses started to open, many trends started blowing up. Many applications blew up such as TikTok which many of us still use as a source of entertainment. Social media was also used as a distraction from the real world and the tough times that we were and are still going through. This has helped many people with their mental health.
Social media also had its negative impact during the lockdown, it created an addiction since many people were on their phones 24/7. It also somehow managed to separate families because everyone was distracted with their phones in their rooms and they wouldn’t enjoy family time. Many people stopped going to their gardens and enjoying the outdoors because they were on their phones. Social media also caused stress among some people because they were constantly checking the news on COVID and all of the deaths. People were also less productive because they were stuck home looking at their phones laid down in bed. Many people were also getting headaches and their eyes were red because of the amount of time they would spend on their phones.
Social media has had both a positive and a negative impact on use during the lockdown. Even though we are still going through these tough times, we still have to remember that family comes first and that we should stop using our phones so much and enjoy family time instead. Talking, playing, and having family time are much more effective for stress release. Instead of using our phones for social media and online games, we should be watching videos for our own personal growth and learn new things. Remember, don’t let social media control your life, you can control the time that is invested in social media vs your family life and time.
