Jordan RangitschENG 102Laura OfstadFinal DraftEffects of Social Media on Today's SocietySocial media can affect the lives of young and old people, socially and psychologically. Websites such as Facebook and Twitter have introduced new means of communication; In today's world, social networks have become one of the most popular ways of communicating between people. These websites may look good and offer many interaction benefits, but are they doing more harm than good? Our lives can be affected in many ways by social media. This article will explain why social media is harmful to society, how it is harmful and its psychological effects on the human mind. One of the effects of social media on society is the implication of online relationships and online dating. According to Thomas Wells Brignall III, “unlike face-to-face interactions, computer-mediated interactions rarely provide many opportunities to practice face-saving practices” (Brignall III, Valey 341). There are so many people who rely on online dating rather than taking a chance in the real world for a face-to-face relationship. People involved in online dating may have difficulty learning how to socialize on a real date. The reasons why people may experience problems on a real date is because they don't realize that a virtual date is not close to a real date. Virtual dates are different from real dates because "there is no shared physical space to disrupt, there is no implicit social contrast, and there are few rituals of social interaction to prevent individuals to be rude when giving their response” (341). Extensive use of virtual dating is not an effective way to create a relationship with someone. User...... middle of paper......daters, it's best for kids to stay away. If children stay away from social media, they will benefit more. They can avoid the risks of becoming addicted and focus on more productive things such as schoolwork and real relationships. Social media seems to have more negatives than positives. They are useful for maintaining friendships and staying in touch with family, but they are not necessary. No one should depend on social media to stay in touch with whoever they want. If they really want to stay in touch, they should make more of an effort to communicate face-to-face. The takeaway from using social media in this article is that if you use it, make sure you are safe and aware of what could happen if something goes wrong. If you are not part of a social network, it is best to abandon the idea of ​​creating one. You would probably be better.