I believe that depending on the individual, social media could tear people apart or help bring them together. For example, someone who uses Facebook or other social media multiple times a day would be affected much more than someone who barely uses it once a month. Furthermore, each person would react differently in situations caused by social media. Every individual is unique in their responses and thoughts, which could cause both positive and negative effects on that person and the people they are communicating with.

Although social media has created an easier, more efficient, and often convenient way of communication between people, it has also helped create a non-physical relationship between people. With the large amount of people online, Siegel explains that the ability to choose between so many could cause a “devaluing [of] real people, real interactions.” This could then lead to the thought that people may be giving up physical relationships for interactions online. If people are relying fully on online relationships, they are lacking in “opportunities for deep and lasting emotional closeness”,  the ability to “read tone or body language” in written messages, and the self control to not write something that would not normally be said in person. Although Siegel argues that social media causes depreciation of human lives and interactions, Tufekci argues that “social media is a counterweight to the ongoing devaluation of human lives.” She describes how social media is a “factor in modern life that can increase connection in a world divided by the vagaries of capitalism, the disengagement of television, and the isolation of suburban sprawl.”

Even though this is true, for others who are more shy and reserved and find it hard to communicate in real life situations, social media could be an outlet for them to express their thoughts and feelings they could not in a physical relationship. At the same time, someone who is extroverted in the physical world may find it difficult to communicate online and would have adverse effects. Not all extroverts and introverts react the same way to social media though. An introvert could still find it hard to communicate online and an extrovert might find it easy. It all depends on the person.

Additionally, different relationships would be affected in different ways as well. Romantic relationships and friendships have very similar reactions, but there are a few differences when it comes to social media. Both relationships require some type of physicality to them. A relationship can start online, but it cannot survive online alone. Romance needs time and less distance between people. They cannot build trust very well only through a small window of someone’s life. Social media shows only a snapshot of what someone’s life is like, meaning that there is no way to know how correct the first impressions based off of those snapshots could really be. To truly know someone is to be there for them in all aspects of their life and social media is just one of them. The big difference would be the amount of time needed between partners to keep the relationship in a good position. Friendships take much time to develop and keep, but romantic relationships require more effort and time. Each hug, kiss, conversation, and more allows for a much deeper understanding of someone’s partner, but more than half of those need to be in the physical world. Partners could connect online and use social media as a way to learn more about a person, but to make a relationship fulfilling, they must utilize both the physical and virtual world.

For example, the amount of time spent on social media could take up the moments in life that could be used to get closer to someone in near proximity, but it could also help people get together who are farther away and aren’t readily able to hang out physically.  A balance must be made to figure out the amount of online time and the amount of offline time. Once that balance is made, people could reap the benefits of social media and lower the negatives.

Nevertheless, even if someone does not use social media or uses it all of the time, that does not mean an imbalance is created. Instead, some people may find that using social media creates more bonds between themselves and someone else, while some believe that social media is a block on a relationship that causes problems. Again, this all depends on the individual. I cannot say society as a whole is being torn apart or brought together by social media, instead I will say that there have been many times throughout the history in which social media was here that people have had opposing reactions.