Oversharing Online

 Do Different Social Networking Sites Offer Other Benefits and Drawbacks?

From my understanding, there are many different social networking sites that were made with different purposes in mind. For example, sites like LinkedIn or Indeed were created with a professional aspect in mind. That could be job searching, career development, etc. While sites like Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) can also be used for professional purposes, the main user population on those sites are there for visual sharing or quick news updates that are prone to spreading misinformation. I have also found Instagram to be prone to cyber bullying compared to other social networking sites from my own personal experience. Sites like YouTube and TikTok are mainly for video sharing and niche interested and entertainment. One thing that most social networking sites share in common is the effect they have on a platform user’s mental health. Upon comparison with the people on the platform, many users may deal with low self esteem, anxiety, and/or depression. Other possible drawbacks from social networking sites could be cyber bullying, scams, security hazards, etc. Most social networking sites allow users to private their accounts and have control over who has access to their posts and can interact with them. Turning on this option would decrease the amount of negative effects that social networking has on an individual.

Is There an Ideal Number of “Friends” or Connections Individuals Have on Facebook That Can Improve Their Mental Health?

I believe there is no such thing as an ideal number of friends or connections on social networking sites like Facebook. Although it changes from person to person, I prefer to have only a small circle of friends and family that I know in person, be following me on social platforms like Instagram and Facebook. The reasoning behind this decision was because I wanted to feel comfortable enough to share photos from my day without feeling like I was being judged by people who I don’t exactly trust very much. Having complementary relationships, especially online, where people are helping you grow as a person, rather than bringing you down is something I prioritize when accepting friend requests and choosing who can see my posts and interact with them (Pearson, 2021). I personally am a big fan of the platform Pinterest. It allows me to be visually stimulated and curates my home page to be exactly what catches my interest. The main thing I like about this site however, is how little user interaction there is. Though there are likes and comment options, they aren’t as accessible as they are on sites like Instagram or X. The lack of user interaction through comments reduces the amount of cyber bullying and harm that most social networking sites have on one’s mental health. Overall, I think rather than the number of friends or connections that an individual has on a social networking site, the quality and trust that an individual has in their friends or followers changes the effect that social media has on their mental health. 

References

Pearson, J. C., Nelson, P. E., Titsworth, S., & Hosek, A. M. (Eds.). (2021). Human communication (7th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education