By Scarlett Fierro
Lots of responsibility comes with having social media, especially when you have a bigger audience. With having a social media platform, you have to be careful of what you post, whether it’s a picture, a video, or even a quote.
Part of the responsibility of having followers is keeping your audience happy. You want to make sure you’re entertaining your viewers. Most of the time, this eats up all the creator’s time and thoughts. It becomes a big stress wave, always overthinking every picture or video. Yes, be aware of what you post, but don’t let it drain you.
Social media definitely provides entertainment to its users, so much enjoyment that it can become a major distraction. Coming from someone who has a fair number of TikTok followers, staying on task is tough. For teens it can cause them to get sidetracked in school, often resulting in bad grades. With adults, they won’t be able to do their best at work.
Getting addicted to how and when you post your life on social media is super time consuming and very unhealthy for your mental state. Spending too much time thinking about your next post — and being on social media in general — can trigger insecurities and increase your risk of depression. All these social media apps were created to help people connect in a virtual way, but over the years it has incited cyber bullying, addiction, and even suicide.
Although social media can be a big distraction it’s also a place where you can be creative and productive. You can use your platform to inspire and influence others as well as to share ideas or creations. Many people on the internet don’t only use their platforms to share what’s going on in their lives, but they also make it a career path. Making it such takes a lot of work and responsibility, going back to making sure you’re entertaining your audience and dedicating your life to social media.
With all the negative aspects of having social media in your life, you might be wondering, “Why do kids like it so much?” Coming from a kid, here are some reasons why I like it and continue to use it regularly: On my TikTok platform I love making funny, weird videos with my friends. We dance, we laugh, and it’s great bonding time! We can be creative and silly and share those feelings and experiences with our friends online. The positive feedback is very rewarding. I also enjoy watching others’ content. A lot of it is hilarious, inspirational, and makes you say “wow.” Overall, I have fun posting and watching videos on my platform.
When I first asked my parents if I could create a social media account, they were both very hesitant. I’d gone through lots of bullying at school and they didn’t want it to start happening online as well. So,
I came up with a solution! I created accounts for both my parents so they can monitor everything I post on my TikTok platform to make sure I am being safe and respected online. Now they can see me online in all my ridiculous, fabulous glory!
In all, social media can be a lot. With the right control and mindset, it can be an amazing experience! So much to do, so much to see. It’s a pretty cool creation.
