Does Social Media Harm Relationships

Does Social Media Harm Relationships
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Does Social Media Harm Relationships
Social media is a computer-based technology that helps share ideas and thoughts by facilitating the building of virtual communities and networks. Some of the largest and popular platforms include Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter which are generally characterized by user-generated content and personalized profiles. Video and image content provides users with an opportunity to interact with the content or between each other. Such interactions have revolutionized how people keep in touch with friends, family, business partners, and advertisers. People across the globe with like-minded interests have the opportunity to share their thoughts, emotions, and insights on any topic. Topics on relationships have been a major discussion point since the invention of the internet. While romanticizing relationships is not a new concept, social media has given people access to other people's personal information. Consequently, it begs the question of whether social media helps or harms relationships.
Rom-coms and written scripts have romanticized relationships and managed to create a fairy tale representation of relationships far from reality. However, with social media, the content shows real couples living real lives. Therefore, looking at seemingly perfect couples online interferes with the reality of other people's romantic relationships. Whether it's sharing a funny meme, a quote, or a voice message, social media is an effective tool for people in relationships to keep connected. This is especially useful for individuals in long-distance relationships that use the platforms to maintain their daily interactions. Finding advice on relationships can be daunting for new couples, especially with no role model or access to a professional. In a bid to promote their business, psychotherapists and relationship bloggers have turned to social media for new clients.
Consequently, there are reputable accounts that create content that can be useful in developing and maintaining a healthy relationship. Social media has also made it easier for single people to meet each other. A survey conducted in 2017 found that 39% of heterosexual couples stated that they meet their partners online compared to 22% in 2009. Therefore, there is a feeling that the internet is replacing the role of families in bringing people together CITATION Kri20 \l 1033 (Kristina Hallett, 2020).
Personal profiles have replaced printed photograph albums as the place to store and share memories. Consequently, individuals only post the best highlights of their lives which are curated and filtered to create a perception of success. Such images create unrealistic expectations of what a relationship is supposed to look like. Couples are therefore put pressure upon themselves to measure up to their favorite social media personality. Inevitably, they will neglect their identities and relationship in search of the life portrayed by the highlight reels on social media. The same idea is supported by research that shows social media increases jealous tendencies and relationship dissatisfaction in college students. Life on social media is fast-paced, and individuals ar...