( Image: www.tosocialmediaworkshops.com )

Firstly, I wanted to share here at Bitlanders, in case for those who haven't come across a video uploaded by Coby Persin,  a social media blogger, on YouTube, that experimented on three teen age girls through making friends with them on Facebook. The video showed how vulnerable young girls on their teen years and how they have became an easy prey for an attacker, if the scenarios turned out to be true. The video was filmed in collaboration with the girls' parents to gather information on what would be the reaction of the parents and how would they confront on that given situation plus their daughters' responses.

Personally, I've been crying for the last five minutes of the the seven-minute clip, because as a mother with a daughter as well, you'd get to feel the guilt if something had really gone wrong with your child, I feel that there's a great responsibility that should be borne by us parents on educating and rearing our children, especially on the aspect of every decisions they might take and what consequences they may bring.

I'm so deeply touched with each parties' reaction and I hope this video could raise awareness and be spread to, if not totally eliminate sexual assaults or child trafficking, at least lessen.

or watch directly on the link here

Well the above-mentioned social media experiment have just shown just one of so many possible dangers that those social networking platforms could bring. The so-called "freedom of expression" has seemed to be abused and already uncontrollable. Whilst the popularity of those Social Networking Sites are continually growing, along with it, is actually opening up a very easy access for human predators to catch their prey taking advantage of the vulnerability especially of the young generations.

Personally, of all the social media platforms, Facebook seems to be the most popular in fact it is in the top three tech companies, and most abused site as well. Basing on the flood of statuses that's full of non-sense, crappy, provocative and other many psychologically-affecting posts that have lead already to many crimes worst is death, suicide specifically.

But regardless of the site, when Social Media came into existence and had gained popularity, it had seem to turn into something that we can't live without to the extent that opening or checking our account have already become a part of our daily lives' routine. And unlike the general perception that those Social Media platforms aims to "connect or socialize" they turned to be something different from the purpose why they were created.

They had been reports, aside from the possible risks that sample experiment cited above could bring, that using Social Media platforms have also brought stress to users' lives.

I recalled some time,  one photo status I had posted in my Facebook account saying "Social Media : Stress Innovators" expressing how I felt that time whilst wading through the flood of statuses that at times will leave you in awe, disbelief and even fear. Statuses that manifest how most people have been psychologically affected basing on their responses and shares made through another post.

Most common risks Social Media can bring:

• Low self-esteem issue:

( Image : Source )

You may not realize that you're already been poisoned slowly, like for instance just looking on the profile picture of one of your connection or friend pretty much all the time time as you logged in - which, by the way is also pretty much all the time. Soon eventually, you start looking on your own flaws and starting looking for something to do with it to fix it or buying products that will make you feel better. Viewing online photos frequently of beautiful people, increases low self-esteem issues that makes a person wish to have better facial feature or physique. 

• Or It Might Just Be The Other Way Around:

( Image : Source )

If you're the type of person that is so conscious about your daily make-up selfies are not getting as many   hits or likes or comments as you're used to before, chances are you might be having a narcissistic personality. Studies revealed, that vain people use social media as their technologically-enhanced mirror especially like Facebook, reflecting a preoccupation with one's own image, others' reaction to that image, and a desire to update that image as often as possible.

• It Makes You Lonely or Depressed

 

( Image : Source )

It's sounds ironic that those "social" media network would make you feel lonely? But unfortunately, it's true!

A study made my researchers at Churles State University in New South Wales, Australia that users who describe themselves as "lonely" or "depressed" on Facebook are more likely to share detailed personal information than those who are considered "connected" ( Source )

Socially, for as what we initially perceived that "social media" makes us "connected", well, for some, but for most it became like their virtual outlet where they could out pour all their feelings thinking that everybody would understand their plights, they have already forgotten that there's still the outside world where "real" socialization takes place. The true essence of connecting with others have been defined already by users the other way around.

• Feeling of Jealousy: 

 

( Image : Source )

It's just normal to people to feel guilty when they got those pangs of jealousy over viewing friend/s' vacation albums or travel getaways photos on their accounts. For some it is a sad reality because it's something that they have always wanted to do or would never able to. Envy developed in time as the the issues in one's self is not resolved or will never ever be for some reasons, the danger is that it may lead to issue on low-self esteem and eventually doing the consequences of such feeling.

• Addiction

 

( Image : www.guardianlv.com )

When doing something becomes part of one's daily life's routine it becomes a habit, such as watching television, reading newspaper or books, listening to radio etc. But, when a habit starts to interfere with our daily lives where one can't simply live without, it becomes an "addiction". 

Social Media is like a "habit-forming" platform where activity like tweeting, posting or poking are part of it. Once one get hooked into it like a day won't be complete without posting a picture, tweeting or poking  or fixing their  "social-media" first before anything else, then it may be an addiction.

Most of us use social media as a hobby, but for many it become a must to do task, which does interfere in people's lives.

One can’t seem to talk to anyone right away when going to a family dinner, without first posting about the arrival on a social network, or even don’t go to that family dinner, because they are so engaged in social media – then they’re probably are a social media addict.

Social Media addiction are perilous because generally it could affect one's well-being. Physically, headache is the initial manifestation that there's something not good going on inside us, because the more time spent on being online could lead to possible health risks such as acquiring insomnia especially for those who devote their time mostly at night and their sleeping hours got lessened which could possibly lead to anemia. Hands are susceptible to have carpal tunnel syndrome for obvious reasons.

Not all may be prone to social media addiction, - but there are factors that could lead one to greater risks such as anxiety because people use social media as distraction from dealing with greater problem in life through communicating their problems with anonymous people, they tend to forget their own issues in life. Depression, loneliness and those who of course have addictive personality who could add social media to their addiction.

Soon enough, just because of the stress caused and risks brought by social media addiction, many would be needing to be rehabilitated, who knows one day a Facebook or Twitter, etc., Rehab Center may be built just to accommodate victims.

All of us have guilty pleasures, remember one is not alone, one just need a little more help moving onto other things other than "Social Media".

 -------------------------------------------------ooo000OOOOOO000ooo---------------------------------------------------------