Likes over life

Did You Like My Insta? T O D A Y ' S O B S E S S I O N W I T H

G E T T I N G " L I K E S "

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lAURA RUBINO

L A U R E N D O B S O N - H U G H E S ,

P R E S I D E N T O F P L A N N E D P A R E N T H O O D O T T A W A

"We know that social media is not a

separate thing to them [today's youth], it is part of their lives."

Today's youth is overly exposed to

forms of social media that have

negative impacts on mental health

and social inclusion.

Photo CC: Pixabay

On average....

Teens spend about 9 hours

a day with media.

45 per cent of teens

reported using social

media every day and only

36 per cent said they

enjoyed that activity a lot.

Photo CC: Pexels

An online survey conducted by Joseph Grenny and David Maxfield of more than 1,600 participants concluded that we have become social media

“trophy hunters.” 

58% of respondents claimed that attempting to hone the perfect post has prevented them from enjoying life.

Photo CC: CANVA

Getting a "LIKE"over having a "LIFE"

Societies New Addiction:

Photo CC: Pixabay

36% of teens said they check social media to see if their friends are doing things without

them

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"Since my friends and I started high

school, we've started to see the Instagram

like as a social status. We use it as a

way to judge popularity almost." 

Michael, a 15-year-old high

school sophomore from New

Jersey explained.

Photo CC: Pexels

FOMO Fear Of Missing Out

Through social media posts,

such as Snapchat stories,

Facebook statuses, and

tweets; teens constantly

question what they are

missing out on, rather than

what they are experiencing.

Photo CC: Canva

Today, there are a number of

apps that allow people to purchase

"followers."

Photo CC: Google Images

Fake Followers

Having a high number

of followers can

attribute to your level

of popularity, and

ultimately your social

confidence.

Photo CC: Pixabay

Photo CC: Pixabay

Social Stalking

  "Online stalking is definitely happening

more often because there is such an

array of powerful tools at stalkers'

disposal making it easier to do."

- Jennifer Perry, author of Digital

Stalking: A Guide to Technology Risks

for Victims.

Photo CC: Pexels

S O M E R E S E A R C H I N D I C A T E S T H A T F E E L I N G

C O M P E L L E D T O P O R T R A Y A " M Y F U N - F I L L E D

L I F E " V E R S I O N O F R E A L I T Y C A N C O M E A T A

S E V E R E P S Y C H O L O G I C A L C O S T . I T C A N B E

V E R Y D A M A G I N G T O A Y O U N G P E R S O N ' S S E L F -

E S T E E M I F P O S T S A N D P H O T O S R E C E I V E F E W

L I K E S O R C O M M E N T S . . . T H I S C A N L E A D T O S E L F -

D O U B T A N D S E L F - L O A T H I N G .

- ROBERT WHITELY, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AT MCGILL UNIVERSITY

Photo CC: Canva

Photo CC: Google Images

Complex social networks

allow us to engage, and

possibly question our

emotional intelligence. 

Photo CC: Google Images

The Pressure

to be "Picture Perfect"

Photo CC: Canva

If we are consumed with showing people how happy we are, are we

really able to enjoy our experiences?

Photo CC: Entrepreneur Infographic

“’Likes' are a low- effort way to

produce a counterfeit feeling

of social well- being that takes more effort to

achieve in the real world.” 

 -Joseph Grenny 

Photo CC: Flickr

Photo CC: Pixabay

References 1. Forbes Welcome. (2017). Forbes.com. Retrieved March 3 2017, from

https://www.forbes.com/sites/melodywilding/2016/07/06/career-fomo-how-to-stop-fear-of-missing-out-

from-ruining-your-happiness/#192e45512924

2. Kelly Wallace, C. (2017). Teen 'like' and 'FOMO' anxiety. CNN. Retrieved March 2 2017, from

http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/16/living/teens-on-social-media-like-and-fomo-anxiety-digital-life/

3. Kelly Wallace, C. (2017). Teens spend 9 hours a day using media, report says. CNN. Retrieved

March 1 2017, from http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/03/health/teens-tweens-media-screen-use-report/

4. Martrix Sidneyeve. "Media Convergence" 2017. Lecture.

5. Payne, E. (2015). Teens' poor mental health linked to social media use. The Ottawa Citizen.

6. Payne, E. (2017). Study links teens who spend at least two hours per day on social media to

suicidal thoughts, poor mental health. National Post. Retrieved March 1 2017, from

http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/study-links-teens-that-spend-at-least-two-hours-per-day-

on-social-media-to-suicidal-thoughts-poor-mental-health

7. Reddy, S. (2014). Teen Researchers Defend Media Multitasking: Doing Homework with music,

texts, tweets works better for some." Wall Street Journal.

8. Teens spend an average of 9 hours a day with media. (2017). Global News. Retrieved 5 March

2017, from http://globalnews.ca/news/2314977/teens-spend-an-average-of-9-hours-a-day-with-media/

9. Weiss, G. & more, R. (2017). How Wanting 'Likes' on Social Media Is Killing Our Capacity for Actual

Joy (Infographic). Entrepreneur. Retrieved 5 March 2017, from

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/243924

10. Why Do Facebook "Likes" Have So Much Power Over Us?. (2017). The Huffington Post.

Retrieved March 3 2017, from http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/natasha-koifman/facebook-

likes_b_5062696.html