Social Media Statement
Psychologists estimate that tens of millions of Americans are addicted to social media apps such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. While adults and teens both use the platforms, social media addiction statistics indicate that the younger generation is more easily addicted and more susceptible to negative effects such as depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts leading to an increase in social media addiction lawsuits.
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Free speech is unpopular, especially among young people — a problematic notion, considering the future of this constitutional principle depends on them. One study of American college students showed a sharp decrease in the portion of students who think the right to freedom of speech is secure — down to 64 percent this year from 73 percent in 2016. These trends reveal the urgency of renewing our country’s commitment to freedom of speech, but also the responsibilities that come with that freedom.
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Horror stories about social media often include some serious consequences. But if we learn to use social media responsibly and in a safe way, it can have some big benefits by help us connect, share, and learn. SmartSocial.com/post/using-social-media-responsibly
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Giles Crouch, managing partner at Thistlewood digital research firm in Halifax, says social media is playing a key role in community organizing as 25,000 refugees arrive in Canada...“It’s a much faster way to organize, to have consistent messaging amongst groups and to share on a national and international basis. It’s almost zero cost and makes it very easy to coordinate. Without social media, just think—you’d have to be mailing out letters, making phone calls, and sending faxes.” TheEpochtimes.com/social-media-playing-key-role-as-syrian-refugees-arrive-in-canada
Social Media Issues
“The researchers grouped the negative effects into six themes:
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Cost of social exchange: includes both psychological harms, such as depression, anxiety or jealousy, and other costs such as wasted time, energy and money
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Annoying content: includes a wide range of content that annoys, upsets or irritates, such as disturbing or violent content or sexual or obscene content
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Privacy concerns: includes any threats to personal privacy related to storing, repurposing or sharing personal information with third parties
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Security threats: refers to harms from fraud or deception such as phishing or social engineering
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Cyberbullying: includes any abuse or harassment by groups or individuals such as abusive messages, lying, stalking or spreading rumours
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Low performance: refers to negative impact on job or academic performance.”
Mental Health Concerns
Addiction, Depression,
Sleep Disruption
Judging & unhealthy thought life about yourself or comparing yourself to others
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https://www.studyfinds.org/category/society-culture/social-media/
Physiological Health Concerns
EMFs & Radiation
Cancer
"The electro-pollution emitted by various electric or electronic gadgets in your home is a Class 2B carcinogen [1] which has been linked with symptoms of “headaches, concentration difficulties, sleep problems, depression, a lack of energy, fatigue, and flu-like symptoms” [2].
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In the long term, these chaotic frequencies also represent “a risk factor for diseases such as certain cancers, Alzheimer’s disease, and male infertility [2].
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The good news is that by using just a few of the strategies in this report, you’ll be able to start reducing the amount of electro-pollution in your home, and minimize these health hazards for you and your family."
The Metaverse
Facebook now Meta
What are the motivations behind metaverse technology and how does it intersect with the global movement towards biodigitalism? Especially in light of the Great Reset or the 4th Industrial Revolution ushered in by the World Economic Forum. (This deep-dive is just the beginning,
please contact us if you'd like more info in this arena.)
Add this podcast to the conversation, Facebook-and-the-Metaverse-with-Ryan-Cristin by Whitney Webb, an investigative journalist on tech and other topics. She looks at (and kind of makes fun of) the bigger picture in terms of the potential this technology has to contribute to a tech state.
"There is [also] a blurring between what is considered natural or organic and what is digital, engineered, or synthetic." Exploring Biodigital Convergence Policy Horizons Canada part of the Government of Canada.
At what point do we draw the ethical line? I think it's interesting and worth talking about. I hope you do too.