DARK SIDE OF SOCIAL MEDIA

By Andrea Trina Boqueo

Many of us spend a large amount of time on social media, updating statuses, sharing images, liking things, and conversing back and forth with contacts on our phones. It is where we go to stay up to date with our friends and family, exchange our experiences, and kill time. The consequences of social media can be favorable in many circumstances. For its numerous applications, social media is a beneficial tool for a wide range of people. Indeed, the options are truly limitless. However, there is still a critical side.

While applications like Instagram and TikTok are meant to connect people, there are millions of profiles and trends that publicize unhealthy behaviors, like extreme diet and lifestyle. As a result, eating disorders and other types of self-harm become more prevalent. These trends existed before the pandemic, but they have only gotten worse since then. For instance, TikTok has thousands of recent videos tagged "diet hack" or "drop 12 pounds in a week," and the hashtag “#quarantinediet” videos even have 12.7 million views.

Starvation and other fad diets are proven to be extremely harmful to one's health. They can lead to a decrease in bone density and potentially long-term metabolic abnormalities. If someone truly thinks they need to lose weight, they should take assistance from a specialist rather than their favorite influencer. Social media profiles who promote unhealthy weight loss methods are somehow telling their followers that they are not good enough unless they have to live like them to be thin and accepted.

Diet culture's obsession must come to an end. According to research, there is a definite connection between social media and the onset of eating problems, particularly among teenagers. People are depending on social media as an alternative to in-person social connections while CoVID-19 continues to restrict us from doing so, which has been shown to have a negative impact on mental health.

To prevent the detrimental effects of social media, many websites and applications have created laws and developed special features. For instance, Instagram changed its standards to restrict users under the age of 18 from seeing weight loss supplements and other related products. These modifications are extremely important, but not enough.

The internet should be a safe space where you can find people who accept you for who you are and can give you a sense of belonging.