It is evident, especially with students in school full-time now, that social networking platforms such as Tik Tok, Snapchat, and Instagram have become a serious problem and addiction amongst society. As of today, people spend hours each day scrolling through social media without realizing the time they waste, to the extent that teachers now have to take away students' phones in the classroom setting. 

 

Last year, hair clips were a normal, unpopular accessory. Hair claw clips were around for quite some time, yet social media gave this product tons of publicity through people online trying out this product live on  platforms such as Tik Tok and Youtube. As of today, almost everyone (especially females) have hair clips, and wear them to school or other social events. What is more important to note is that society may not realize, but people tend to follow what they see online through social networking, leading oneself to lack individuality and creative flair when it comes to clothing and even behavior. 

 

In addition to the concept of following social media trends and increased screen time, teenagers, as well as other citizens, engage in social networking platforms that are not entirely safe, as there are few restrictions on what can be posted or sent. Therefore, people are easily exposed to inappropriate content that can scare viewers or even make citizens comfortable viewing absurd content that should not be normalized or approved of.

 

Imagine a future world where the “norm” is found through social networking platforms, and the only acceptable opinions are those widely mentioned online. People would be glued to devices, attempting to keep up trends created by social media influences, and only stores with popularity online will still be in business. 

 

This world lacks creativity, social freedom, and, most importantly, intriguing activities outside of social networking. Less people will be aware of the outdoors and less will enjoy their surroundings; in turn, we will see a large impact on one’s driving skills, overall knowledge, and spatial awareness. 

 

Unfortunately, these social networking platforms (also known as social media) are high-end vacuums, rapidly sucking beneficial life qualities and proper social norms from society, leaving citizens stuck in a pile of online influences and unhealthy behavioral norms. The above imagined world is a serious danger we all face.