The Effects of Social Media and Technology

In a society of youth growing up surrounded by technology, social media has affected the next generation of children tremendously. Almost every corner of the world is affected by developing technology to some extent, and changes the perspectives of humans, globally. The film The Social Dilemma and the editorial Big Tech, Out-of-Control Capitalism and the End of Civilization explores the damaging effects of technology and social media, and how these forms of communication are detrimental to the integrity of society. Social media and developing technology have affected society to different extents, as they are used for different purposes. While social media has a negative impact on people and society would be better without it, developing technology is good for society and benefits people tremendously. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat are all incredibly great ways to communicate with others, and make global connections. When used with caution, social media can be beneficial to globalization and gives people an opportunity to talk with each other and share about their lives. Although these opportunities given by social media can be good, when used too much or incorrectly, social media can become a dangerous tool that can harm anyone in its midst. As outlined in the film, spreading inaccurate information about politics and other important topics on social media can do the opposite of what it was intended to: not bring people together, rather, divide them. While social media can be used as a method of exercising free speech, it can harm democracy when it is used to spread false information. Accurate information known by all is integral to democracy. When incorrect facts are spread about topics that affect everyone, such as politics or government, the ability for a country to function with decisions made by the people is weakened. No matter if the false information is good or not, it will only harm the global community and turn people against each other, and social media is the biggest factor in spreading misinformation. The Scientific American alludes to the fact that when someone talks about a product physically or googles it on their phone, they will often get advertisements pertaining to that product. The extent to which social media companies and technology companies can track activity of their users is not regulated, thus imposing on the privacy and security tech users rely on when using social media and technology. When considering the benefits of technology, in many instances, advancements in technology can do incredibly beneficial things for mankind. In terms of medical technology, prosthetic limbs and internal cameras can medically give people much better qualities of life. Those who are suffering can be looked at with a high-intensity machine and camera, and the issue can be identified. In terms of entertainment, movies and television shows continuously prove to be entertaining methods of enjoying works created. Better film equipment and forms of watching entertainment can do good for humanity and create new opportunities for humans to live life in a different way. However, some technology developments can be detrimental to society, such as upgraded robots that can manipulate people, and gaming systems that control people and prevent them from taking care of themselves. Both social media and technology can do great things for society, and impact society negatively. Social media and technology have not broken civilization, but could with their advancement. The more technology and social media that becomes prevalent in society and takes away from the natural enjoyments of life. Humans generally do not understand how easily they can be controlled, and how easily it is for the government to choose what humans do and do not see, and what they can and cannot use. Although it may not be ethical, it is hard to stop due to the fact that humans do not realize it is happening to them. Social media and technology advancements hold the sole responsibility of shaping the opinions of the masses and indoctrination. Near the end of Social Dilemma, an interviewer asks tech-visionary-turned-critic Jaron Lanier to peer into our future. As John Horgan outlined in his article analyzing The Social Dilemma, “If we go down the current status quo,’ Lanier replies, ‘for let’s say another 20 years, we probably destroy our civilization through willful ignorance. We probably fail to meet the challenge of climate change. We probably degrade the world’s democracies, so they fall into some bizarre autocratic dysfunction. We probably ruin the global economy. We probably”—he shrugs—“don’t survive” (Horgan 1). The power to separate oneself from social media and technology adds to a person's moral character and gives a person the strength to refuse mental control by what is being forced. The responsibility of corporate companies to do what is best for the general public is often not followed, and rather companies are not held accountable for their actions. By spreading false information, propaganda, and allowing humans to be on their sites or using their technology for amounts of time that are detrimental to human health, the responsibility of a corporate organization to do what is best is never followed. Hogan alludes to the corporate idea of benefiting from consumerism by outlining the fact that “The more time we spend on our screens, the more the companies learn about us, the more money they make from advertising—commercial and political—tailored to our fears and desires” (Hogan 1). Facing challenges presented by the fault of companies not regulating their products is left up to the will of humans, and their own willpower to separate themselves from their devices. The fact that companies care more about receiving profit from their buyers and not about their buyers wellbeing shows the dangerous motives that tech companies are fueled by. Incredible amounts of money at the expense of the health of people gives more of a reason for new tech companies to become prevalent, thus causing the slow downfall of civilization due to technology and social media.