Impact of Social Media on Health

This essay explores the impact of social media usage on the health of its users and the reliability of different informative sources. It discusses the positive and negative influences of social media on health, including back pain, obesity, and eyesight weakness. The essay also highlights the preventive measures to minimize the negative impact and the influence of mass media on public opinion.

Documentary Evidence
of Reading
Contemporary Society

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................2
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7
.........................................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
Social media is the platform that allows digital dissemination of information from one
person to another. This also provides an opportunity to present views in public about any
particular topic. In current period of time, large number of benefits attached with use of different
social media platforms. The various amount of benefits getting by an individual with the use of
this includes easy form of communication, effective presentation of views and ascertainment of
information in less period of time. While, the benefits gained by an organisation through the use
of social media platforms include feedback of consumers, easy presentation of offerings among
tarted consumers, improved level of communication, determination of market position,
ascertainment of information about competitors and overall marketing of organisational products
and services at world wide level. There are numerous platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and
Pinterest where billions of people spend average time of 8 hours per day. Such intense level of
existence over these all different platforms leads many different kind of health issues to
individuals such as back pain due to long term sitting, issues in eyesight due to harmful rays
coming of out of screen and problem of obesity due to presence at one place (Benetoli, Chen and
Aslani, 2019). These all further leads large number of other health issues such heart problems
and diabetes due to obesity. The main aim of this essay is also to ascertain the impact of social
media usage on health of its users along with identification of the reliability of different
informative sources.
The main aspects covering in this essay includes determination of sources that have
agreeable and disagreeable statement in relation to topic, identification of the quality of such
sources along with ascertainment of aspect that they were academic or not, determination of the
ways in which information was presented among different sources along with reason,
ascertainment of the impact of presented information on public opinion in relation to selected
topic and determination of the media varieties through which information will be gained. This
also covering the contribution of mass media in shaping of understanding , perception and
everyday thinking along with ascertaining influence of same over general population and
ascertainment of the sources which are not opinion based along with writing techniques used in
same.
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MAIN BODY
The topic of current essay is impact of social media on the health of its users. There are
large number of benefits associated with the use of social media platforms. It not only help in
gaining information but also aid in development of career along with earning money. Still, some
of the authors have opinion that its long usage has negative impact over health. In general view,
all the aspects have the positive and negative influences. The beneficence of same depends over
the point that how much it contributes in development society and have benefits towards its
users. The negative health impacts will be ascertained by individuals due to the excess use of
such platforms include back pain, obesity and eyesight weakness (Berryman, Ferguson and
Negy, 2018). It is around nil against to the benefits gained by different parties in society like
individuals and organisations. Here, individuals get the additional option to earn profit and build
career in digital marketing activities from where possible for them to earn their livelihood and
add new skills in personality. While talking about the organisations, then this will present as
most beneficial marketing feature that allows to reach maximum level of public in leas period of
time. This provides an opportunity to improve the reach at world level on expense of least
amount of cost. There are many other aspects that become possible after coming of the social
media platforms for organisations such as improved level of communication with consumers,
feedback from consumers about services and product offerings, market positioning of own
organisation and analysis of the information about other competitors along with specialist
features attached with their offerings. The benefit of all such information was gained by many
organisations in different specialised forms. This supports many of them to expand business at
local and and international level.
According to Faulkner (2020), social media is the effective tool that help the individuals
of society to build career and stronger personality. This author has the option that social media
does not have its own individual impact over the health of persons. If any kind of negative
influence ascertained by persons, then this will be the reason of rays coming out of the sources
using for accessing social media platforms and sitting at one place for long period of time. This
can be minimised and eliminated with the adoption of preventive measures. Here, author defined
in the article that social media is the evolutionary medium that attached with large number of
benefits for its users whether it would be individuals or organisations. This was considered as the
innovative source which is perfect in such digitalised environment. This creates the opportunities
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for individuals to bring improvements in their personality and new skills through which able to
perform activities that further contribute in framing professional career. Author also mentioned
about the preventive measures that will help to eliminate the indirect negative influence of social
media platforms usage over the health of individuals include implementation of screen that
restrict the rays or specs that will help to protect eyes from direct contact with harmful rays.
Such kind of action help in safeguarding eyesight and allows to work for longer period of time
without ascertaining any negative influence over health. Also, physical exercise and timely gaps
during the usage help in getting rid of the issues like back pain and obesity. This further allows
the person to work longer period of time through optimum utilisation of body's energy by
creating difference with harmful health issues. It further aid in getting of positive results along
with building professional career.
According to DiRenzo (2016), social media platforms has significant level of benefits but
attached with large number of negative aspects. This includes negative impact over health and
other relevant determinants that have effective level of importance in life. As per the opinion of
author, social media platforms exist with lack of security and regulation. Even the operators
indulged in the activities of data breaching which is the serous crime as no one allowed to use the
personal information of someone another without their permission. Also, author said that lack of
regulation results into spreading of irrelevant or unbiased information that did not have any
actual existence and only provided for the purpose of influencing opinion of other individuals in
benefit of its own or some other party in consideration of money. It was mentioned by author that
it increases the number of illegal activities in society where they use digital platforms to commit
crimes and data breaches. It was clearly determined from the presence of threatening comments,
fake profiles and false informations. This simultaneously have negative impact over the health
and wealth of individuals. For ex., data breaches can be used for both purposes to diminish the
wealth and health of individuals. Here, author also have another perspective regarding the
influence of social media over the health of individuals i.e. users. In this regard, mentioned by
author in article that users who consume social media services for long period of time have
numerous amount of health issues like obesity, back pain and eyesight weakness. The presence
of preventive measures are correct in nature but these will work only in the situation if followed
properly. The large number of users are belong from the average income group and not possible
for all of them to establish all preventive measures perfectly. Also, the amount of youth who
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consumes the services of social media is in high amount as compared to other age groups. The
careless behaviour and effectiveness of the current body's nature, resultant into usage without
application of measures that brings long term negative impact over their health. So, in actual
ground application of preventive measures is insignificant where not possible to limit the
negative impact of social media usage over the health of its users.
Both the articles are academic in nature and equivalent qualitative. The difference is that
both presenting the social media usage from different perspectives. The view of both is quite
significant in their field and having the actual existence too in current working environment.
Afterwards, the amount of benefits are much higher as compared to negative influences (Bryan
and et al., 2020).
The main reason behind the presentation of information in both positive and negative
manner under the chosen area of topic is their equivalent level of importance. The positive
aspects help in determination of the opportunities exist in environment from where an individual
able to gain the benefits. While, negative aspects presented to aware the individuals along with
motivating towards the usage of measures that will help to prevent the negative impact of same.
In overall nature, the main aim is to develop the concept more strengthened and attain higher
number of possible advantages. There is also one another reason behind the presentation of
different perspective information i.e. support to one from where able to gain possible number of
benefits in future. In this regard, there are many media sources that focused over presentation of
negative aspect only because of creating negative perspective of consumers about the same. In
most of the cases, this will be done by them due to the reason of political biases or attaining of
power in future in regards of supporting other in their actions (Goodyear, Armour and Wood,
2018).
It was noticed that there is huge impact of information and others views on the opinion of
general public. They have the belief over the functioning of news sources and considered the
same as true without performing any kind of analysis from own side. The presence of negative
side of social media from the large number of media sources resultant into creating of same
image where public also having the belief that the particular is not good for society and its
presence only ruining the life of society individuals irrespective of considering their attached
benefits (Ukoha and Stranieri, 2019).
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The sources which are effective in direction of providing true and reliable information is
government authorities. They did the research by accepting all the necessary factors and
determine the results in accordance to same. Such attained information is further clear and
reliable in nature that will be effective in direction of taking informed decisions. The criterion
that can be followed to assess any kind of information is focusing over their source, authority,
past records and perception of other parties over reliability of such particular source. This
provide an opportunity to determine that how much effective the source is and the presented
information is true or not. Ascertaining information from the governmental sources is the most
academic in nature and considerable as the highly authentic in formulation of any kind of further
decision makings (Housman, 2017).
There are many type of media varieties from where general public gain the information
such as news channels, social media platforms, newspapers and government authorities. All
these are different from each other and having their own contribution in dissemination of
information. New-channels are fastest source of ascertaining information but there is no
guarantee regarding their reliability and effectiveness. Similarly, social media platforms are
effective in nature of getting information but there is no guarantee regarding reliability of the
information they provided. Even, these are not much reliable in line with news channels. They
have some source from where information was provided but on social media there was huge
chance regarding spreading of false information. Afterwards, newspapers came where they
provide information only after getting the accurate information about some aspect. But they takes
to present the information so public has to wait till they not delivered the information. In last,
governmental authorities provide the information which is the most effective channel of getting
true and reliable information. They confirm the facts only after getting approval from the
significant authorities. They always provide the information on the basis of evidences. Here, the
most effective and honest source of information is governmental authorities. This is so because
they provide information only after getting the authentication from appropriate authorities
(Maher and et al., 2016). Here, to deliver information different theories are using by media
sources in accordance to their processes. Determination of these theories further aid in
ascertaining reliability of information too. There is some criterion in equivalent to business
model that further will be used in selection of appropriate theory. There are different type of
theories like Authoritarian, Libertarian, Social Responsibility and Soviet Communist. The
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detailed explanation of two is provided below along with application at ground level media
sources. Social Responsibility theory has the major focus over the dissemination of actual day to
day information so general public can aware about the facts that exist in nation and happened at
regular level. This will be done with the aim of fulfilling social responsibility towards society so
able to contribute in the positive direction of growth. This theory of media is generally adopted
by newspapers. Here, they have main aim related to disseminate general information on daily
basis to create base regarding spreading of authenticate and true information. This create the
perception among the readers that some is working outside to deliver true and actual information
from where possible for them to take effective decisions. This ability of taking improved level
decisions help in building of positive culture within society. The another theory is about
Authoritarian. This is most pervasive in nature both historically and geographically. This theory
automatically adopted by different nations on the basis of the capability of society and
technology they have and developed over the period of time. This works as the basis for
developing press systems in modern society. In case, if anyone abandon the same then must will
facing negative consequences. In current period of time, all the developed nations including UK
having media sources that using the same theory to disseminate information and operative
functions. In this regard, the support is provided by all media sources such as new-channels and
newspapers.
There is huge contribution of mass media in shaping perception and everyday thinking.
Whatever they present has influencing impact over the behaviour of individual. This is so
because they have belief over the sources and start ignoring the other aspects in respect of which
information was not provided by them. Mass media channels using the tactics in respect to the
presentation of information. For their benefit, they just provide information from only one side
and influence the perceptive of general public. This works as dual benefit where channels get
support from supporting parties whereas they get benefit by creating perception of public in their
behaviour. The extent to which they have impact over opinion of general public is high. This is
so because they have faith over the sources and considered the provided information s true. The
reason for their faith that they were regulated by governmental legislatives. But, they work by
identifying loop holes and safeguarding themselves against any kind of negative actions. In
overall manner, this creates the trust of individuals over channel that they provide effective level
of reliable information. While, talking about my own then simultaneously having significant
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level of impact own behaviour and perception through considering the news or information
provided different mass media channels (Roland, 2018).
For presentation of information within different channels, there is need of using effective
style of writing and presenting i.e. simple, creative, concise, precise and clear in nature. This is
so because large number of people living in society that belongs from different culture and
diversified beliefs, norms and language. Also, there is no equal time and educational level have
by all. So, in consideration to these all factors must needed to use the effective method of writing
which is easy to understand and effective in getting of reliable information.
CONCLUSION
It has been concluded from the above report that social media platforms have both
positive and negative impacts over general public and its users. The different authors having
different perception but in actual social media platforms are positive contributor towards society.
The way of presenting information is the one aspect that creating the perceptions of general
public upon same as positive or negative.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Benetoli, A., Chen, T. F. and Aslani, P., 2019. Consumer perceptions of using social media for
health purposes: Benefits and drawbacks. Health Informatics Journal. 25(4). pp.1661-
1674.
Berryman, C., Ferguson, C. J. and Negy, C., 2018. Social media use and mental health among
young adults. Psychiatric quarterly. 89(2). pp.307-314.
Bryan, M. A. and et al., 2020. Parental perceptions of the internet and social media as a source of
pediatric health information. Academic Pediatrics. 20(1). pp.31-38.
Goodyear, V., Armour, K. and Wood, H., 2018. The impact of social media on young people’s
health and wellbeing: Evidence, guidelines and actions.
Housman, L. T., 2017. “I’m Home (screen)!”: social media in health care has arrived. Clinical
Therapeutics. 39(11). pp.2189-2195.
Maher, C. and et al., 2016. Social media and applications to health behavior. Current Opinion in
Psychology. 9. pp.50-55.
Roland, D., 2018. Social media, health policy, and knowledge translation. Journal of the
American College of Radiology. 15(1). pp.149-152.
Ukoha, C. and Stranieri, A., 2019. Criteria to measure social media value in health care settings:
narrative literature review. Journal of Medical Internet Research. 21(12). p.e14684.
Online
DiRenzo. A., 2016. How Can Social Media Affect Your Health? [Online]. Available
through:<https://sysomos.com/2016/10/27/can-social-media-affect-health/>.
Faulkner, 2020. Healthcare. [Online]. Available
through:<https://getreferralmd.com/2019/03/social-media-impact-on-healthcare/>.
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