Maggie’s Mind: social media

Social media has not only changed the way we communicate, but how we interpret the world around us. We think we are just scrolling for fun, but it’s really algorithms giving us things we want to see that we’ll engage with. The algorithm tracks what we like, see and share, then it shows us more of the same things. We get stuck in a cycle of only seeing things we want to and that doesn’t allow us to grow. When we see things we like and enjoy, we’re more likely to stay on social media longer.

There is good that comes with social media. It can educate when information is true and has been fact-checked through a trustworthy source. Social media has also given people who don’t have a voice the opportunity to share after being silenced. It allows for popular movements to be shared, such as Black Lives Matter, #MeToo, and ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. It can be a way for people to find a community that understands what they’re going through and can connect with. Even though there is good, there is also some bad. Social media is breeding ground for things like cyberbullying, scams and targeted advertising that know too much about us. Through these things misinformation spreads like a wildfire online.

As users of social media, we need to take control back for ourselves. We need to follow people who may not have the same beliefs or values as us to break the cycle of staying in one little corner of the internet. Ensuring information is true through trustworthy sources before reposting will help keep the internet free from misinformation. Sometimes we take in so much information and opinions that we need to take a break, which means logging off of social media apps. Social media is a tool to be used, but we have to recognize and understand how it shapes us.