ONLINE VS REALITY: OPTIMIZING EXPECTATIONS IN MEDIA

The term ‘online’ refers to information that is available over, or delivered from the Internet. Online communication has become the fastest means of exchanging information compared to ancient methods in the past. Media today consists of television, internet, cinema, newspapers, radio, magazines etc and is now facilitated by online mediums(The Internet). The media influence online has become so powerful today that it can influence individuals positively or negatively.

We live in a society where the media is a major source of entertainment and information. There’s no doubt that our life would remain incomplete without media. It has provided easy means of communication where we are able to contact with friends and family from another part of the world, at the same time enhancing our knowledge by providing access to information from all over the world. It has allowed for a larger(and quicker) distribution of information. We can respond in real time to happenings around the world via the Internet. The media online has the resources to expose injustices, corruption, or abuse of power that an average citizen would never be able to expose.

Online activity has led to advocacy against social issues such as Rape, Racism, Black lives matter, anti-corruption etc. This can lead to positive change in nations all over the world.

Online media activity has had a lot of drawbacks on individuals, families, organization and the society as a whole. Social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, WhatsApp, Snapchat etc comprises of audiences(friends or followers) who view, react and engage with shared content. Some of these drawbacks include:

Creation of false personae on social media: 

People on social media can now present themselves and their content in any way that they choose for their audiences. Individual online persona could be very different from who they are in reality, and the boundary between the two is getting blurrier. Most people project the best events of their lives, their achievements and accomplishments online but that cannot be used as a yardstick to perceive the individual’s condition in reality.

For instance, there are heavily edited outfit, travel, and beauty posts on Instagram which creates a false sense of reality. Research has shown that 73% of women compare their bodies to images they see in the media. 50% of those women make unfavorable comparisons when they look at the images. The young generation should realize that the people in these seemingly 'perfect' posts don't look like that all of the time. We have to realize that this perfection we're chasing doesn't actually exist, and we should learn to start appreciating ourselves for how we are naturally.

Psychological problems: 

Research has already shown that out of all social media platforms, Instagram is the worst when it comes to mental health, in terms of depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem. Although social media is not itself the cause of the person's mental health problems, it may be a vehicle for distress in those with unhelpful patterns of thinking. This may result to depression, suicide, eating disorders, anxiety, poorer sleep quality, internet addiction, lower self-esteem, inattention, and hyperactivity often in teens and adolescents.

Affectation of social relationships: 

Online communication can cause disconnection among families. Younger generations spend more time on social media where they interact more with their peers and are exposed to vices such as internet fraud, pornography etc. Some outrightly neglect their parents advice and follow current trends and peer activities online. There are now also online dating sites where people can meet up and start a relationship virtually without seeing one another, this has been mismanaged as people create a false image of who they are. 42% of people aged 18-29 reported their partner was distracted by cell phone use when together.

-There is also a risk of inaccurate reporting and a loss of privacy online. Many celebrities have suffered from malicious and slanderous allegations online, conspiracy posts, hacking of social media accounts for dubious purposes and this has affected them socially and emotionally in reality.

Online activity has led to the creation of a ‘virtual reality’ or fantasy world which has bound individuals that many can no longer live without. Social media has unleashed a myriad of complex psychological issues that have altered our collective sense of reality. Technology is advancing globally and we must adapt to these changes especially the Internet. As thought leaders, we must have a holistic view and understand that every tool at our disposal has the potential to use us. We must understand the dangers online communication can cause on us as individuals when used wrongly and not live in a false virtual reality online. We must strive for self improvement and development and not make false comparison with ‘perfect’ scenarios online. There must be a balance between ‘online’ and ‘reality’. Online communication should enhance our social relationships and not cause us to neglect our values and real life expectations.

COMPILED BY LAKE BRIENZ

SPRING 1 LDH

JUNE 2020