Is Social Media Beneficial or Harmful to Our Well-Being?
I’m Yinqi, a first year undergraduate student at the University of Sheffield, and I created this blog for my Assessment, welcome!
Social media has transformed how we connect, express ourselves, and consume information. However, the effects of these platforms on users’ well-being remain a topic of serious debate. By analyzing the design of platforms, their underlying business models, and the types of practices and content they host—and by referencing academic research—we can better understand the impact of social media on mental and emotional health.
First, let’s consider platform design. Social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok are intentionally built to maximize engagement through features like algorithmically tailored feeds, infinite scroll, and push notifications. These elements are not just for convenience—they are psychologically persuasive. According to Alter (2017), platforms use behavioral psychology to keep users hooked, often triggering compulsive usage patterns. This constant engagement may result in increased anxiety and reduced real-life social interactions.
Second, the business models of these platforms play a crucial role. Most social media platforms profit through advertising, meaning their primary goal is to keep users online for as long as possible to maximize ad exposure. This attention-based model promotes sensational or emotionally charged content. As Andreassen et al. (2012) explain in their study on social media addiction, the more time users spend on these platforms, the more likely they are to experience negative psychological outcomes such as depression, especially when comparing their lives to idealized online portrayals.
Finally, the content and practices on these platforms can significantly influence well-being. While social media enables valuable communities and awareness campaigns, it also spreads misinformation, cyberbullying, and unattainable beauty standards. For instance, harmful content related to body image on platforms like Instagram has been linked to lower self-esteem in teens. The algorithm’s preference for highly engaging (often negative or extreme) content means that users are repeatedly exposed to posts that may impact their mental health over time.