Ah, social media. Do you have a love-hate relationship with it? Possibly for almost a year now, I’ve hated social media more than I’ve loved it. I know I’m not alone because I’ve observed quite a lot of ‘quitting social media’ videos on YouTube (full disclosure – my second home).
The big role that social media plays in many of our lives today is undeniable. In this post, we will take a look at some of the key problems with social media for creators (the potential lack of substance, the issue of unpaid labour) and for both creators and their audience (the effect on mental health). If you’re interested in reading more on other issues with social media, please check out my very first blog post after you finish this article.
The potential lack of substance
I came across a brutally honest video by YouTube creator, struthless, titled ‘The problem with the internet that no one is talking about.’ In the video, he made two points that really stood out to me:
- Catering to an algorithm and likes might cause a content creator (or even just someone who regularly posts on social media) to not fully or freely express themselves
- “Branding and audience size becomes more important than the work you actually produce”
To fully appreciate these points, we need to go deep. It’s got me wondering whether the work being created (e.g. art, music etc.) is a compromised version and not the genuine vision of the creator? This is not to say that artists, for example, have always been free to create whatever they want to create. But in the age of social media (where one is open to more scrutiny), not all artists and creators may feel they can showcase their authentic self/work. All of this may resonate more for certain genres, niches or content that aspires to have an impact.
Unpaid labour
Julia Bausenhardt is an artist who was on social media. Over the years, she has posted a number of videos on YouTube sharing her reasons for quitting social media. One of her strongest arguments was that “on social media platforms you agree to produce an endless stream of content for free, making it even harder to convince people to pay you for your work [e.g. your art, writing, videos, skills].”
There are people making good money through social media such as mega influencers and people with several hundred thousand or millions of followers, but they represent the tip of the iceberg. Everyone else is languishing beneath the surface.
Another point Julia made was that a “[social media] post … will only have attention for a maximum of a few hours and then it’s gone in a digital nirvana.” Think of all the time, creativity and effort that goes into producing the raw product (this doesn’t have to be limited to just ‘art’) that is then shared on social media. What more, when the post barely causes a ripple.
Mental health
Warnings on the detrimental effect of excessive social media use go back several years. As early as 2016, Dr Cal Newport (a well-known computer scientist) gave a TED Talk advocating for a life without social media. He claimed that social media platforms were intentionally designed to be addictive and that one of the consequences of social media use is the comparison to others, which tends to have a negative effect on mental health. Whenever social media and mental health is discussed, this basic argument always comes out because it’s so simple and so true.
Some personal observations
I’m grateful that social media didn’t exist when I was a teenager and I’m also glad that I didn’t rush out to get onto social media (I’ve only been on it for the past three years). Although I haven’t quit social media, I have cut back on the time spent on some platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter, which has made me less irritable.
Recently, I’ve noticed that I’m happier with social media when I simply comment (i.e. reply) rather than post (i.e. initiate content). Instead of letting social media control me, I’m taking my power back and controlling the role social media plays in my life.
A parting thought I’ll leave you with is a quote from social media expert, Bailey Parnell – “Anything we spend this much time doing [using social media] has lasting effects on us.”
Careers, Personal Development and More 