Digital platforms have made it easier for people to connect with each other across the world at the click of a button. The platforms and software have transformed the world into a ‘global village.’ Despite the illusion of unity, the excessive usage of digital platforms promotes anti-social and aggressive behavior. Studies have shown that the use of social media enables the spread of Social Media Self-Control Failure (SMSCF), which is “the tendency of the individual to use social media in situations even when it coincides with other important goals” (Hameed and Irfan). Most people prefer to spend time on their technological devices instead of engaging with their peers in personal meetings.
Digital platforms have also created room for people to openly share their opinions without any form of accountability. Cases of cyberbullying have been on the rise on platforms such as Facebook and Twitter (Carter). Perpetrators use pseudo accounts to bully other users, which is a rising concern among most teenagers.
Unfortunately, very few nations have established laws that govern the use of social media, which means that in countries with no guiding principles, most of the offenders are not held accountable for their actions; instead, they are allowed to carry on using the same platforms.
Works Cited
Carter, Caprice. “Social Media Encourages Antisocial, Aggressive Behavior.” The Cougar, 28 July 2016, thedailycougar.com/2016/07/27/social-media-encourages-antisocial-aggressive-behavior/.
Choudhary, Mishi, and Eben Moglen. “The social media crisis: Why Facebook and other “platforms” must be made liable for their content.” 2020, timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/toi-edit-page/the-social-media-crisis-why-facebook-and-other-platforms-must-be-made-liable-for-their-content/. Accessed 7 Feb. 2022.
Hameed, Irfan, and Bibi Z. Irfan. “Social Media Self‐Control Failure leading to antisocial aggressive behaviour.” Human Behavior and Emerging Technologies, vol. 3, no. 2, 2020, pp. 296-303.
Kayal, Zachary. “Social Media Is Dividing Us More Then Connecting Us.” July 2016, http://www.theodysseyonline.com/social-media-is-dividing-us-more-then-connecting-us. Accessed 7 Feb. 2022.
U Penn Social Book 
The theme of the negative impact of social media, specifically FB and Instagram and now more visibly TikTok, is resonating among students in the class, raising important and constructive issues to discuss. Let’s do that at the start of class tomorrow. I hadn’t know about the syndrome called Social Media Self-Control Failure (SMSCF), “the tendency of the individual to use social media in situations even when it coincides with other important goals” Great post.