It’s not hard to see that, over the last decade, social media has taken over the world—especially for young people. Nowadays, it seems impossible to drag a young adult away from their online profiles, and to dive even deeper into this, we’ll be talking about some ways social media has become dominant.
Mental Health Impact
Social media causes young people to constantly compare their lives with those of other people, ruining their self-esteem and mental health. Seeing curated versions of others’ lives often leads to feelings of inadequacy and anxiety, making their life feel like the only one with problems. In reality, this isn’t true, but they’ll still try to lead a perfect life to fit in.
Career Building
If a young person wants to build a career today, social media platforms are pretty much unavoidable. They serve as vital tools for career development, with websites such as LinkedIn offering valuable networking opportunities, job listings, and industry insights. Young professionals leverage these resources to advance their careers and establish professional connections, and without them, they’d be stuck in the past.
Educational Resources
Contrary to popular belief, social media isn’t all bad; educational content is widely available on popular platforms, making learning far more accessible for young adults. Platforms like YouTube and TikTok host countless tutorials and lectures on almost any subject you could imagine, catering to different learning styles and preferences.
Communication Overhaul
Social media platforms have revolutionized communication, making it instant and global. Because of this, young adults now prefer messaging apps over traditional calls and emails, and no matter how they justify it, messaging apps are still social media. This means they’re constantly using it, so much so that Discover Magazine claims it’s even changing the way we use language.
Information Consumption
Young adults primarily access news and updates through social media feeds, with platform algorithms tailoring content to personal preferences and creating echo chambers. This personalized news consumption can become addictive, even shaping the opinions and perceptions of our youth, which is deeply concerning.
Influencer Culture
Nowadays, celebrities have been replaced by influencers, who significantly impact the purchasing decisions and lifestyle choices of young adults. By sharing their experiences and endorsing certain products, influencers create trends and shape consumer behavior. Shockingly, some influencers are even starting to target children, which just isn’t fair.
Political Engagement
One of the most concerning ways social media dominates young adults’ lives is its role in politics. Social media algorithms play a crucial role in political mobilization and activism, with young adults using these platforms to voice their opinions, organize events, and participate in discussions. Sadly, they often don’t realize that they exist in an echo chamber, and their political views have, in fact, been synthesized by political parties.
Relationship Dynamics
Social media has dramatically changed the way young adults form and maintain relationships. Platforms offer new avenues for meeting people and staying connected, such as dating apps and community group pages. However, the constant online presence can also introduce challenges, such as ruining real-life confidence, managing social expectations, and preserving privacy.
Entertainment Source
One of the core reasons social media dominates the lives of young adults so much is that it serves as their primary form of entertainment. Platforms like TikTok and YouTube offer endless streams of content, including music, podcasts, long-form videos, quick memes, and constant live streams. It’s all very hyperstimulating, making it hard for them to turn social media off.
Identity Expression
Young adults express their identities through social media profiles, curating their online presence to reflect personal interests, beliefs, and aesthetics. This digital self-expression can influence how others perceive them and how they perceive themselves and can be compared to the old-fashioned activity of decorating your locker or books in college.
Consumer Behavior
Yet another way social media has changed the lives of young people is their shopping habits, which have been transformed due to personalized ads, influencer recommendations, and peer reviews. This trend has led to the rise of social commerce, where purchases are made directly through social platforms, for better or worse.
Travel Planning
Whereas their parents and grandparents used travel agents, young adults often rely on reviews, travel blogs, and influencers for vacation destination inspiration and tips. This influence shapes their travel experiences and choices, and many digital vacation booking platforms have appeared to accommodate this.
Fitness Trends
Social media isn’t just about sitting around on your phone; young adults are obsessed with fitness niches on their favorite social networks, following workout routines, nutrition advice, and fitness challenges. Sadly, these are usually recommended to them by their favorite influencers, which can be a little concerning when you consider how unqualified they are to provide such advice.
Environmental Awareness
There’s no denying that social media has played a huge part in raising awareness about environmental issues. Young adults engage with content related to sustainability, climate change, and conservation every day, and this exposure encourages eco-friendly practices and participation in environmental movements. It’s one of the few universally accepted benefits of social media.
Fashion Influence
Of all the products influencers push, fashion has to be the most popular niche, with trends long since being dictated by social media. Young adults follow influencers and brands for style inspiration, and this constant flow of new trends encourages fast fashion and frequent wardrobe updates.
Food Culture
Even the world of food has changed dramatically because of social media; young adults now share and discover recipes, dining experiences, and food-related content with each other every day. Many even watch “muk bang” videos, which involve watching other people eat large amounts of food, helping to emulate the wholesome interactions of eating dinner with other people. Most people agree that this is somewhat concerning and dystopian.
Health Information
Access to health information is enhanced through social media, but not always in a good way. Young adults can certainly find advice on wellness, medical conditions, and lifestyle changes online. However, the accuracy of this information can vary, highlighting the need for critical evaluation.
Community Building
Perhaps the biggest benefit that social media has brought to young adults is the creation of niche communities. Young adults can now create and join groups and forums centered around shared interests, hobbies, or causes, and there’s always a community for just about everything you can imagine. It’s a great way for young people to connect, although it undeniably does create echo chambers.
Time Management
On the more negative side of social media is the sheer amount of time that young adults spend using it. It has gotten so bad that it often impacts their daily routines and productivity, with hours upon hours being set aside for social media use. Thankfully, screen-time limits and “digital detoxes” are now becoming popular, showing that even social media fans want change.
Cultural Trends
Overall, social media has had a truly profound impact on the cultural trends and movements that dominate the lives of young adults. Whether we like it or not, it looks like this is here to stay, so at least we can enjoy the fascinating cultural trends that come out of social media. However, most people are certainly a bit concerned that it’s starting to get out of control.