When I started using social media, I was amazed at how it can affect our relationships with others because the excitement to communicate with them was there. My interactions with other people were also so consistent and easy.
Social media has greatly changed the way people build and maintain relationships. It also provided new opportunities for connecting with others. While social media has the potential to strengthen relationships, it can also create tensions and misunderstandings that can negatively impact the quality of a relationship.
In this article, you’ll learn:
How Social Media Influenced Relationships
We are now in the modern era and we can’t deny the fact that social media platforms today had a huge influence on how relationship works.
There are two ways that social media has influenced relationships, it is increased accessibility and it transformed the way we communicate with each other in relationships.
Now that messaging applications are widely available, communicating with our friends, lovers, and family is easier.
This is due to increased accessibility. Additionally, since these apps can make impossible things possible, we don’t need to worry about the location.
This accessibility also has led to the creation of many long-distance relationships because couples don’t need to worry about how they will communicate.
The rate of long-distance relationships is now increasing because they are confident that these social media platforms would assist them.
The next one is it transformed the way we communicate with each other in relationships because it is easy for us to be connected and maintain the intimacy of the relationship.
If you want to see them in real time, you can use the platforms like Skype, FaceTime, or WhatsApp.
However, social media has also influenced some negative effects and that’s what we are going to discuss in the next chapter.
Negative Effects of Social Media on Relationships
Here are some of the negative effects of social media on relationships
1. It Presents Unrealistic Expectations
When we are scrolling through our social media feeds, the platform often presents us with idealized versions of people’s lives.
These posts can lead to unrealistic expectations in relationships. To better understand, I want to share my experience.
There was a time that I saw a post on one of my friend’s “perfect relationship” on Instagram.
It was so romantic because they had dinner dates, surprise gifts, and even exotic vacations. That was also our dream with my partner.
I can’t help but compare my relationship and there are times I feel that my effort is not enough. It wasn’t until later that I found out that my friend’s relationship has also its own set of challenges just like any other relationship.
This is just one example of how social media can present us with unrealistic expectations that can affect our relationship and it’s not healthy.
We see pictures of other couples then suddenly we want to measure up when in reality, those pictures are just one small snapshot of their relationship.
We must always remember that social media is not an accurate reflection of what’s truly happening. We should strive to focus on our relationship and stop comparing ourselves.
2. Misunderstandings Due to Misinterpreted Messages
I always experience this most of the time because I had some conversations with my friends that went wrong and they misunderstood it.
I know you also experienced these kinds of situations. It can be easy to misinterpret a message on social media because there’s no tone.
There was a time that we had a misunderstanding with my friend over a comment that I left on his post.
That time I was just being playful and I thought he also knew that I wasn’t serious. My friend took my comment the wrong way but I explained to him that he misinterpreted the message.
If I wasn’t able to tell him that he understood it the wrong way, it may take a toll on our friendship.
Social media can cause a lot of misunderstandings because we miss a lot of nonverbal cues like tone of voice.
There is also no body language which can affect the meaning of the message. This is really very difficult in conveying our intended message which leads to misunderstandings.
3. It can Decrease Face-to-face Communication
This is a very obvious negative effect of social media because most people today are always looking at their phones or tablets. They are so addicted to the content that they see on their feeds.
The decrease in face-to-face communication has already been an issue for several years when social media platforms was invented and they added new features on their platform so that people don’t need to see each other anymore.
This decrease in face-to-face communication can negatively affect our relationships with others. When we always avoid communicating with them in person, we miss out on important things.
We couldn’t see their nonverbal cues like body language and tone of voice. It will be challenging for us to develop genuine connections with people and long-lasting partnerships.
To avoid this negative effect which has already become rampant for most people, we must make an effort to put our own devices and communicate with them in person.
We should prioritize face-to-face communication because that’s what builds a quality relationship.
4. It can be a Platform for Cyberbullying
Cases of cyberbullying on social media platforms are increasing and this can negatively affect relationships.
There are many forms of cyberbullying that could happen on social media, it can be through rumors, hurtful words, and even threats.
I’ve witnessed a lot of scenarios where people I know were targeted by cyberbullying by their friends. It destroyed their relationship and it can be devastating to see this kind of situation.
The sad thing about cyber bullying is they can create fake accounts to bully others. They might also post mean comments to your post and they’re not afraid because it’s hard to identify them. Since social media is always there 24/7, it feels like you have no escape from bullying.
Cyberbullying will never be accepted on the internet and it’s not something that we should be proud of because it can negatively affect our relationship with others.
Try to defend the person being bullied and demonstrate your genuine concern if you notice someone being bullied.
5. Increased Potential for Infidelity
Oh well, this is not good and it will never be.
One of the negative effects of social media on relationships is that it can increase the potential for infidelity and this has already been happening for many years.
This means that one person in a relationship is not faithful to their partner.
Oftentimes, some people use social media to connect with others in a way that they shouldn’t be doing.
For example, a person may begin communicating with someone they find attractive online despite being in a relationship. Or, they might want to get back in touch with their ex and experience love at first sight.
I’ve heard and seen a lot of stories when a relationship ended because their partner started talking to someone on social media. This can be hard to figure out sometimes because it is all happening online.
The problem is that social media has made it possible for people to make it simple to conceal their conduct from their romantic interests.
Messaging apps today have features like secret conversations or unsent messages without their partner ever finding out.
And because social media will always be there, the temptation to be unfaithful can really be strong.
How to Use Social Media to Strengthen Relationships
When social media platforms were developed, they already became a vital aspect of our lives because they can be a great tool for strengthening relationships. It has already proven its value in making relationships strong.
Here are some suggestions on how you may utilize social media to strengthen your relationships. The tips that I’m going to share with you are applicable to any type of relationship.
- Connect Regularly: Maintain regular communication with your relationship through social media. Send each other messages, post images, and provide status updates on your everyday activities. Building closeness and trust may both be facilitated by regular communication.
- Share Positive Moments: Post images from your trip, a well-executed assignment at work, or a pleasant day with pals to social media to share your good moments. The climate in your relationship may be made more gratifying and encouraging by sharing these times with your partner.
- Show Appreciation: Make use of social media to express your partner’s appreciation. Post a romantic greeting, a letter of love, or a photo of the two of you. Making your partner feel loved and appreciated in front of others might help.
- Use Social Media for Surprise Gestures: Surprise your sweetheart on social media with a kind remark or a pretty photo. It’s a terrific approach to show your lover you’re thinking about them.
- Respect Each Other’s Privacy: Be mindful of each other’s online privacy. Don’t upload any compromising images or messages, and don’t disclose anything that your friend or partner wouldn’t want to be made public.
- Be Mindful of Social Media Habits: Always use caution when using social media because overspending can harm your relationships with others. Make sure you utilize technology to strengthen relationships rather than replace them.
Once again, social media has long been demonstrated to be a fantastic tool for fostering relationships.
There won’t be any issues as long as you know how to utilize it appropriately. I can guarantee that by using the advice I provided, your relationships will improve.
The Role of Social Media in Modern Relationships
I love how social media is helping our society today and I saw 5 main things on what’s the role of social media in modern relationships.
It Helps Us Stay Connected
Couples or Friends may communicate online even when they are geographically apart thanks to social media.
For example, there are popular messaging services today like WhatsApp or Messenger where you can communicate with your friends or partner. It allows you to share photos and keep each other
Builds Trust in a Relationship
Social networking may also aid in establishing trust in a partnership. Social media sharing by couples about their everyday activities might promote openness and honesty.
There are times when our parents or partner wants to know where we at right now and what we are doing because it will provide them with peace of mind.
Provides a Sense of Support
When people are facing difficult times, social media platforms can be a source of support because your close friends can be one call away.
There are also groups of communities that can help you. Whether it’s a bad day at work or a personal issue, sharing your thoughts with them can make you feel heard and supported.
Promotes Shared Interests
Couples might find new mutual interests on social media. Following each other on social media, for instance, might help you find new music, movies, or activities that you both like.
Offers Easy Access to Information
Social networking is a fantastic tool for getting to know your partner better. You may get to know your spouse better on social media while you two are first dating. Through their posts, likes, and shares, you can determine the activities they typically engage in.
Final Thoughts
That was a long read but surely you learned a lot of things! Social media will continue to have a significant influence on the nature of the connection for years to come, a lot of experts believe in this.
People would never want to return to the past when maintaining connections and communicating with one another was incredibly challenging.
Always keep in mind that social media may be a strong instrument for enhancing connections as well as its bad impacts when it comes to partnerships. Always use it wisely and responsibly.
