More than 10 years ago, Facebook appeared. No one could’ve known it would become the titan of the internet that it is today. Since then, social media has grown tremendously. Now, it seems as though everybody has an account on 10 different social networks and uses each and every one on a daily basis. This allows them to communicate with virtually anybody they want to, no matter the distance or time away from them.. But what many don’t think about is the price that we pay in exchange for this ease of access. Social media affects our brains and the way we communicate in a way that may not be as great as some people think. We now have a constant need to be connected with other people, which hurts us in several ways. It can cause narcissism by inflating our sense of how important we are to other people. It can take away our capacity for solitude, making us feel more lonely. It  gives bullies, identity thieves, and sexual predators even more opportunities to hurt people.
 

First of all, social media use has been shown to cause symptoms of narcissism. Some of the symptoms of narcissism are: being preoccupied with oneself, inability to take criticism, and the belief that one is above others and that rules don’t apply to them. This An infographic titled, “The Selfie Syndrome” talks about narcissistic tendencies caused by a few social networking sites. It includes some information from a study conducted by the University of Michigan, which says that, among undergraduates at the school, “...those who scored higher in narcissism also posted more often on Twitter.” Basically, using social media tends to make people less concerned about others and gives them an inflated idea of how much people care about them and their lives. In the article “This Is How The Internet Is Rewiring Your Brain”, Jacqueline Howard, associate science editor for the Huffington Post, discusses some of the effects sites like Facebook and Twitter have on our brains. She states that sites like these can “...give you an addict’s brain.” She explains that people that are constantly online exhibit changes in their brains similar to those of someone who is addicted to a drug. Some can even show symptoms of withdrawal if disconnected. A lot of people think that the addicts are the ones who spend extreme amounts of time on  These are normal people, just like you, that are online a normal amount, excluding a very small few. These effects can happen to anyone as long as they use social sites.

Another cost that we pay when using social media is safety. Social media allows anyone to be anonymous and hide information they don’t want others to see. Although this is simply a nice privilege for most people, it’s used as a weapon by others. It gives bullies, identity thieves, and sexual predators a much easier way to pick out victims and commit their crimes, often without getting caught. The infographic “What is Cyberbullying?”, which discusses cyberbullying, claims that ”¼ teens and preteens have been victims of cyberbullying.” The reason cyberbullying is so widespread is because it’s much easier than normal bullying. Bullies can do all they would want to do to their victims without even leaving their bedrooms, and this is a real problem. Nathan Miller’s Op-Ed “Are teens sharing too much information online?” discusses the various dangers that come from sharing information too much on the internet. In it, he states that identity theft “...from 2005 to 2010 rose an estimated 33%.” Some of you will say that as long as you use your brain and be careful on the internet, it shouldn’t be a problem. In some cases, though, the victim is simply ignorant. Many people don’t know how cautious they need to be when they’re online, and the people that are careful experience oppression almost as often as the people who aren’t.

And finally, the greatest cost we pay when we use social media is our capacity for solitude. Sherry Turkle is a cultural analyst that studies the effect technology is having on modern human relationships. In her speech “Connected, But Alone”, she discusses the negative effect the internet has on our interactions with others. She argues that loneliness “...feels like a problem that needs a solution.” She goes on to say that the truth is, having time alone is an important part of keeping our minds healthy. It’s when we find ourselves so that we can reach out and make real connections. Without it, we are simply using others to feel less alone rather than appreciating who they are. We check our social media accounts and suddenly, it seems as though we aren’t alone anymore. But in reality, we are only setting ourselves up to be more lonely. In an infographic titled, “Is Social Media Making Us Socially Awkward?”, which gives some statistics about how social media is affecting our real life relationships, it is stated that “24% of people surveyed have missed important moments...” while trying to capture those moments using social networks. Overall, social media cuts us off from the real world rather than connecting us to it.

In conclusion, the cost of constant social media use is our ability to communicate. The ease with which we can use it changes the way we communicate, and definitely not in a beneficial way. Using social media too much can lead to narcissism, make identity theft, bullying, and sexual abuse easier, and take away our ability to be alone. So next time you’re on your phone texting someone or checking a social media, I implore you to put it down and experience what is around you, even if it’s not much. Set a place in your home where phones and social media aren’t allowed. Do everything you can to maintain your real relationships, because they are the real cost of social media.