As technology continues its progress, we need to constantly evaluate and re-evaluate our relationship with it. From just browsing the internet to scrolling through social media platforms, we are constantly working on a relationship that can, and many times does, impact our other relationships. What we search, post, read, and even see on the web influences our perceptions of ourselves and others, and this doesn't just occur on a personal level. Anything a person puts on the internet, from emails to text messages to Instagram posts, is there permanently in one form or another. Employers, schools, and our families all can see our posts and, with enough effort, all of our other data.
Beyond that, seeing other people's posts have been shown to cause mental health issues and body dysphoria in the youth of our society, making people think they have to look a certain way, buy certain brands or products and believe that if they don't they aren't considered hip or cool or interesting. It can accentuate a person's anxiety or depressive thoughts by making them feel like they don't fit in.
That's not to say that the internet is all bad though. It grants us the ability to find information more rapidly. It helps us stay in touch with old friends after they move away or after schooling. It can even be used to raise awareness for social issues or raise funds for those in need. In some cases, it can build new friendships that wouldn't be possible otherwise. It has even provided entertainment for many in the form of video games, it was only a short time ago that many online multiplayer games could be played in a web browser. The Internet has its shortcomings, as do most things, however, the internet is a tool, and just like every other tool to be developed, the way it is used determines both its safety and its effectiveness.
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