While on your pho
ne, have you ever thought I will stop watching my FYP in 5 minutes, but find yourself doom-scrolling for hours? If so, I’m guessing you’re probably on social media. Apps like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and more can be addictive. Curious if social media is good or bad for you? Then keep reading to find out!
First things first, when did Social media even start? Social media started in 1997 with a site called Six Degrees. This site introduced core features of social media that we use today: profile creation, friend lists, messaging features etc. However, people were already chatting online in games way back in the 1970s and 80s! Six Degrees didn’t become a massive success back then because of the limited internet infrastructure at the time.
Social media started becoming popular in the early to 2000s and still huge today. Websites like MySpace, Facebook, and YouTube each had phases where they became very popular and heavily used. These apps finally gave people a way to connect with others around the world faster than ever before. After 2010, apps like Instagram and TikTok (formerly known as Musical.ly) started gaining popularity. While Facebook and YouTube stayed strong, MySpace lost most of its users.
Ok, setting aside how Social Media was first created, here is the real question. Is it good for you? The answer is… sometimes! There are some benefits! It can help people stay in touch with friends and family, and help you find communities with shared interests. It can help you learn, and it can be educational. It can also be a way of expressing yourself and sharing your hobbies with other people. And when thinking about business, social media is a great tool to spread the word about your brand and engage with customers.
Even though there are a lot of benefits, don’t forget there are harmful effects. Social media is entertaining, but heavy use of social media can lead to increasing anxiety, depression, loneliness, and the fear of missing out (FOMO) It can also lead to sleep disruption. If you’re on social media for hours it can disrupt sleep patterns. Don’t forget that you can be cyber bullied and harassed online too. One study found that 43% of teens (13-17) have experienced cyber-bullying in the past year. And there can be some freaks trying to find your personal information on social media.
Social media can be good, and bad for you. It’s a way of expressing yourself and finding a community, but it can be a way of getting FOMO, anxiety, depression and other things. But that’s just my thoughts, what do you think?
Abigail David • Feb 25, 2026 at 6:51 pm
This article was really well written. There were a lot of good points made such as how it can help you communicate with others but it can also disrupt your sleep. This has convinced me that social media isn’t all bad but still shouldn’t be used too much. Great article!
Riaan Patel • Dec 9, 2025 at 12:42 pm
Social Media has positive effects such as being able to see others opinions. But negative effects can be using too long. Great job handling a debatable topic.