An unsettling increase in abductions and murders have been linked to social media sites. Just recently, 13-year-old Nicole Lovell was murdered by a Virginia tech student due to unmonitored social media activity and an exchange in luring messages from the college student. In instances like this one, social media enables predators to easily manipulate victims. Not only has social media made us much more vulnerable to danger, but it has also hindered our ability to communicate in the real-world by serving as a distraction from reality, causing several mental health issues, and facilitating the destruction of relationships.

With the rise of social networking, online sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and a plethora of others, are beginning to facilitate antisocial behavior among the majority of society. Shea Bennett of Social Times, reports that %28 of time spent online is social networking. What this could mean is that while we’re out and about, whether it be at lunch with friends, at a ball game, or running errands, instead of communicating face-to-face with the people around us, our minds are locked into our phones and are oblivious to our surroundings. A study conducted by psychology professor, Larry Rosen of California State University, also found a correlation between social media use and a myriad of mental health issues. Including anxiety, depression, antisocial behavior, and narcissistic tendencies. For example, “fads” such as selfies can often create these narcissistic tendencies and those who partake in selfie culture may experience obsessive behavior in regards to physical appearance (i.e. is this lighting okay? Does my hair look good? What about this angle?). Social media also allows users to hide behind it rather than socialize in person, resulting in the aforementioned mental issues: depression and antisocial behavior. However, Alex Alvarez, like many others believes that social networking “allows us to better connect with people who share their interests”. On the contrary, a study by Oxford University Psychology professor Robin Dunbar revealed that the average Facebook user may have hundreds or thousands of friends on Facebook, but only a small number of those friends can be counted on during difficult times. In other words, when you need a shoulder to cry on, 2,000 Instagram followers just won’t do. Having people in your life that can speak to you in person and in real-time is much more comforting than reading messages through a computer screen. Sometimes you just need someone to hold you, hand you tissues and tell you everything will be okay. In times like this, a DM, no matter how caring the words are, doesn’t have the same effect. The same can be said about happy times as well. Who better to revel in your accomplishments and share a laugh with than your best friend? Certainly not the account found in your Instagram likes.
   

On the subject of relationships, it seems as though online friendships today often outweigh genuine, real-life friendships. Some like ProCon may argue that “Social networking sites allow people to improve their relationships and make new friends,” but a Hong Kong study found that offline friendships, in comparison to online relationships, involve more interdependence, depth, understanding and commitment, all of which exhibit tremendous mental health benefits. Not only do online sites hinder relationships, but they also harm them. As you can imagine, miscommunication is much more prominent online due to the lack of tone of voice and body language. This leads to misunderstanding for all parties involved and eventually, the relationship is altered or even ended. But misunderstanding isn’t the only factor that goes into fallen relationships. For instance, gossip about an individual could easily be turned into cyberbullying and cause some major damage. Author Kim Stolz shined a light on social media interfering with the real world, calling it “competitive” and “detrimental” to many relationships. In her book, Unfriending My Ex: And Other Things I’ll Never Do, Stolz cites and discusses studies that have found a lack of empathy in many social media users, creating a not-so positive foundation for friendships. Social media platforms can even set unrealistic expectations in romantic relationships, or more commonly known as “goals”. When those “goals” aren’t met and Ashley doesn’t receive the giant teddy bear and chocolates that she retweeted on twitter, arguments may ensue.
   

More frightening than unrealistic expectations and less than satisfactory friendships, is the exploitation of personal information and the increasing prevalence of misrepresentation online. Being able to connect with others based on similar interests is great, but how far is too far? How much information is too much? Many social media platforms provide the option of adding your phone number, birth date, your entire name, and even your address. Computer security expert, Bill Dean discusses how the information we share online is sometimes “too much” and can even be used to “create a new identity” or “to know much more about us” than we would prefer. People from all over the world have access to this information when it is publicly displayed. This puts a target on your profile, making it even easier for predators to engage in crime and possibly cause some serious harm. Though, as many have claimed, it is possible to block seemingly dangerous accounts and make an account private, the risk of an account being hacked still remains. Unfortunately, the popularity of social networking has also attracted criminals. Just a fraction of the devastating truth is that 81% of internet initiated crime involves social media networking sites, mainly Facebook and Twitter, according to Drew Hendricks in “The Shocking Truth About Social Media and Crime”. This can involve anything from identity theft, to abduction.
   

There is no denying that social media has a large role in society today. Although they provide a place for people of all kinds to engage in conversation, social networks definitely have a dark side and a negative effect on us and our ability to communicate effectively. That’s not to say that everyone should go off the grid, but the next time you’re at a restaurant with family members or even just walking down the street, take a break from the phone. Logout of Instagram. Put your Iphone on silent and try to connect with the world around you and the people in it.