CENTENNIAL HIGH SCHOOL- Over the last few months, the world has experienced many unprecedented events. From the rise of the coronavirus, to extended quarantine, to new ways of schooling, the way of living has drastically changed in most places across the globe. These changes have all come with their own consequences, however, one effect that is common throughout is increased social media usage. Studies show that in the months after the end of March 2020, social media usage has risen moderately. This increase in social media usage has many effects, both physically and mentally, which are imperative for each individual to understand.

Social media has such a thorough impact on society and has several impacts on the public. One of the effects from the recent surge in social media usage includes less time spent on actual physical activity. As social media has become far easier to access and grown in popularity across the nation, more and more people are choosing to spend their time scrolling through their feed rather than being physically active. Due to this, it is important to remember to get some exercise in between spending time online.

When talking about social media, the issue of cyberbullying always arises. One of the greatest issues of social media is the way people treat each other online. Increased social media usage in turn leads to somewhat of an increase in cyberbullying. According to Comparitech, cyberbullying incidents are rising at a steady pace, with just about one-fifth of the cases occurring over or due to social media. In the last few months, as social media use has increased, so has cyberbullying. This is imperative to understand because cyberbullying has an immense impact and it is one the the biggest effects of social media.

There are several reasons that many people are against social media, due to the case that those who use increased amounts of social media are more inclined to isolation, which can lead to cases of depression. According to Sciencenorway, a rise in use of social media, along the lines of what has been seen in the past few months, has been shown to cause users to develop anxiety and depression. A long time spent on social media with no breaks can cause this type of thinking to rise. Taking breaks from social media once in a while might help to curb these feelings.

However, not all aspects and impacts of social media are negative. The recent increase in social media usage has opened up an easier way of communication between people across the world. Social networking allows people to connect with others virtually, something that is so important right now considering the situation in the world. As stated in an article by Wharton University, social media helps one connect with others in a safe way and increases communication between people. As more people start to use social media, they are able to strengthen bonds from across the world. In a time where it is hard to meet others and communication is stunted in a sense, social media allows people to easily contact their friends and family. 

Over the past few months, the increase in social media usage has sequentially led to more people being on social media sites and apps. This has turned these sites into a channel for people of all types to spread a message that they believe in. Many are using social media as an outlet to spread important information and educate others about issues going on around them. The social media surge has created a larger means for people to be able to spread knowledge and material which has become beneficial in so many ways.

The increase in social media usage may not seem like a big deal to some, however, the effects and impacts of this are extremely important. The impacts of social media on society are both positive and negative, as they have the potential to both help and hurt an individual. Therefore, it is imperative for each person to understand the physical and mental effects of social media and how it can impact their own lives.