The dark side of “likes” on social media

Social media is in every activity of daily life today. It is used in the business environment but more so in the personal one. Many people develop a dependence on online approval, or dependence on this acceptance. Which could be a sign of low self-esteem.

Personal insecurity is the engine that normally leads those who are part of social networks to seek the approval of their contacts. This happens in purely interactive networks such as Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, where approval of the shared content is always expected.

Nottingham Trent University conducted a study where it determined that “people with low self-esteem are more likely to spend more time on social networks, actively seeking the approval of others through these mechanisms.”

The impact that these people experience on their personal perception causes negative judgments not only of themselves but of their capabilities. “As a result, they depend more on the opinion of others to feel valued. Social networks, with their structure based on immediate feedback, provide a constant supply of external validation, which can be addictive for those who lack self-confidence.”

People with low self-esteem are always making comparisons with others in terms of achievements, physical beauty or wealth, and this causes anxiety, stress, depression, as demonstrated by a study by the University of Pennsylvania.

Excessive use of networks, as a consequence of the search for validation, leads people to greater exposure on these platforms, as they are always looking to fit into a profile. In this regard, it is useful to mention a study by the Royal Society for Public Health in the United Kingdom, where “70 % of young people between 14 and 24 years old claim that social networks negatively affect their self-esteem.”

To end this dependence on external acceptance, particularly on social media and similar platforms, campaigns are required to promote healthy self-esteem and self-acceptance, as well as to educate about the dangers of social media addiction.

M.Pino

Source: elplural

(Reference image source: Alex Shuper for Unsplash+)

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