The Ups and Downs of a Social Media Footprint

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Social Media is a huge part of my life, and I use it everyday. I am currently signed up for almost every platform you can think of: Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Snapchat, Spotify, Twitter, etc. Each platform serves a different purpose, but collectively they all let me interact with others online and share posts I am interested in. For example, I use Facebook to post pictures and keep my family members updated on my life every now and then. I mostly use this specific platform to see what my relatives are posting and keep myself updated with their lives, since their generation uses Facebook much more than mine. To connect with my generation and my close friends, I go to Instagram and Snapchat. There, I can post trendier photos and message my friends directly. Twitter is where I can connect with anyone around the world, and share creative or funny messages back and forth to each other. Twitter is also where I primarily stay up to date with important news stories revolving politics, economics, local news, and celebrity updates. On the other hand, Spotify and Pinterest are platforms that are more individualized--as they are not used primarily to engage with others, but to be creative and freely express yourself. Even though I am a user of all of these social media sites, it has never truly occurred to me that my privacy may be at risk. 
A large part of my generation is addicted to social media, but are not focusing on the risks of using such applications. When signing up for a social network, we have to give our phone number, email, full name, and potentially even our location to become a member. We, including myself, do this with such ease. We never stop to think and question, “should i be giving this information out to a stranger? To this platform?” I have heard of incidents where people’s accounts have been hacked and manipulated, with the account taking weeks to get back to the original owner. In fact, I have had this happen to several friends and family members. Despite all of the examples and times I have seen this hacking occuring, I have never worried about my own digital footprint. As i research this, i am realizing that i should not be so naive and instead take steps to protect myself on my social media accounts. As seen before, passwords can easily be discovered by hackers and I need to do additional steps to protect my information. 
Not only can social media be a potential breeding ground of information for hackers, but it can also be responsible for taking an emotional toll on it’s users. Sites, especially Instagram, can be extremely hazardous to people’s mental health and self-esteem. I have personally experienced such mental exhaustion from Instagram, specifically in terms of body issues. Instagram is a place where people can post whatever photos they wish, which can be a problem for those who have insecurities. Seeing a model post a bikini photo can be alarming to someone with a different body type--often leaving those who see it to be left wondering why they don’t have a figure like that. This is demonstrated on all social media platforms, with studies showing that just 30 minutes can make someone reflect negatively on their appearance and body weight. Even though social media is meant to serve the purpose of bringing people together and allowing creativity to flow, it can sometimes have more detrimental effects rather than positive. 




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