Caught in the Digital Bubble

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 In the age of rapidly blooming technology, social media has occupied a significant position in human life. From grabbing attention to influencing minds, these platforms encourage users to spend long hours scrolling endlessly. This raises an important question: is the growth of social media platforms a boon or a bane?

As a child, I was unaware of how technology functioned. Gradually, with the emergence of various applications and social media platforms, I began to understand how individuals are drawn into a digital bubble for different causes and reasons.

WhatsApp initially served as a platform to exchange wishes and greetings—especially “good morning” and “good night” messages. Over time, it evolved into a medium for sharing news, which often includes both authentic and fake information. Many such messages appear convincing, leading people to assume they are true. As a result, misinformation is repeatedly reshared with numerous contacts, amplifying its impact.

On the positive side, technology has enabled meaningful virtual connections. My relatives working with the United Nations often connect with us through Skype, an application that allows people to communicate across the world via video and audio calls. Such platforms help individuals feel emotionally closer to home despite being physically distant from their hometowns or native places.

TikTok emerged as a social media platform where users mimicked, acted, and posted duet and transformation videos using film dialogues, songs, and scenes. This platform created opportunities for many consistent content creators to reach a wide audience. For some, passion gradually turned into a profession, earning them fame as TikTok influencers through public support in the form of likes and shares. However, after TikTok was banned in India, Instagram quickly filled the gap. Influencers who depended on collaborations and brand promotions suddenly found themselves without income, as overnight changes disrupted their digital careers.

Instagram offers a variety of features such as direct messaging, video chats, audio calls, and story updates. Users can choose to keep their accounts private or public according to their preferences. Influencers on this platform wield a powerful impact on the virtual audience, which can be either positive or negative—much like the two sides of a coin. Users belong to a wide range of age groups, and the constantly refreshing feed has the ability to turn users into addicts. Even after long hours of screen time, individuals often fail to realize the harmful effects.

Excessive use of Instagram not only drains energy but also affects eyesight, brain function, productivity, and overall mental health. Algorithms track search history, likes, and comments to curate personalized content. This ensures that users remain engaged by showing relatable posts. In some cases, the platform even reflects emotional states—for instance, a gloomy individual may be shown sad or melancholic content, intensifying the same emotion. This emotional reinforcement can distance users from reality and disrupt daily routines.

Over time, such relevance builds trust. Some influencers create a fictional world in the minds of innocent users and earn money by promoting gaming apps or unrealistic job opportunities. Though not all influencers engage in such practices, the few who do blur the line between reality and illusion. For example, an influencer may build a career over a year and begin living a luxurious life, while followers who idolize them excessively neglect their own responsibilities and commitments. This phenomenon is truly flabbergasting.

In conclusion, not everything that appears on our social media feed is as important as our real-life goals. While social media offers connectivity and opportunities, it must be used consciously and responsibly.

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