Social media users: We struggle to keep our private life sacred

Social media users: We struggle to keep our private life sacred
Young woman using smart phone

In the age of social media platforms, the probability of making every little detail of our lives exposed to the public and the entities working in the digital field is high. The traditional way of making our special moments known to each other has gone and is now spread in a click. 

 

There is variance in social media users. Some like to share every single moment of their lives in an Instagram story or a post on Facebook, while others keep it private unless it is important, such as a career promotion, marriage, or the death of someone dear. However, all types of users have shared in one way or another important news in their lives using these platforms. 

 

To what extent is this novel way of communication controlling our lives? The answer is that excessive use of such platforms may lead to depression, mental health problems, frustration and social comparison. 

 

According to Social Media Victims, a 2017 study found that young women who used social media platforms experienced reduced body satisfaction and self-esteem due to comparisons with actors and models.

 

According to research published in the European Scientific Journal, 88% of Facebook users participate in social comparison, demonstrating a clear connection between using social media and having low self-esteem.

 

According to a University of Pennsylvania study, accessing social media sites like Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram can make people feel lonelier and more depressed.

 

Forbes reported that an estimated 4.9 billion individuals use social media in 2023. With this many users worldwide, social media usage has reached a new high. Furthermore, it is anticipated that by 2027, this number will increase to 5.85 billion users. 

 

However, projections indicate that between 2023 and 2030, this number will expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 26.2%.

 

Jusoor Post asked a number of users about social media platforms and what it represents in their lives. 

 

Egyptian fashion blogger Donia Tawfik, a 28-year-old data analyst at Ferrero Egypt, told Jusoor Post:

I have been using Instagram for 10 years. When I first used Instagram, I was eager to share my daily routine, fashionable outfits, and happy moments with my family. Later, I stopped sharing everything and I started filtering the part of my life I would be willing to share with other people. Moreover, I stopped sharing things on the spot. I share moments weeks or months after it takes place. The transformation happened after an unfortunate incident. I was sharing a very happy family outing live. Later, I had family issues for one year and my mom had cancer. 

People see the good part of our lives on Instagram and think we are enjoying life. However, we don’t post the bad parts, the struggle, the quarrels, the grief. Instagram is not 100% real. People see what others allow them to see. 

 

Ahmed Youssef, an Egyptian 3D motion graphic artist, was eager to tell us about his experience with social media platforms, especially Facebook: 

I can categorize social media users into normal and professional. The normal users use it as a tool to develop their social relationships, while the professional ones use it to improve their career. I am a 39-year-old artist and I use social media to market myself. It is a very important step in my career. I also slightly use it as a social tool. I have clients, family members, and friends in my friend list on my Facebook account. However, I don’t like excessive use of social media because it has a negative impact on our lives. 

Social media platforms have weakened our social interactions since we can know each other’s latest news without meeting in person. This has widened the gap between people and has reduced intimate human interaction. 

 

Jusoor Post also listened to the opinion to Reem Zakaria, a 36-year-old Egyptian IT product owner, about social media applications:

I do not like to share a lot about my life, especially my travels and precious moments. I care to share funny, not private, videos and comics to share joy with my friends. However, there is some news that should be immediately shared with people, and it is an easy way to inform people about it, like the death of someone dear. I did not like to seem melancholic in front of others. It was very painful to share the death of my uncle with people, but I wanted people to pray for him as much as they could. I think it is also a way of healing to let people know the grieving words I dedicate to him. 

Aside from grieving the death of someone, I adopt the idea that I do not have to share my life with people, because they ruin everything. I can love, travel, eat or do whatever I want without letting anybody know what I am doing. I believe sharing these precious moments takes away its specialty. Some people look like love birds, but in fact it is not their real life. While those who love each other without bragging about it, they are the truest. I am afraid of social media because we are seeking validation from others when we wait for a like or a good comment to boost our self-esteem. 


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