The Dark Side of Social Networks: Unveiling Hidden Challenges

Social networking services (SNS) have become an essential part of modern life. Through SNS, we can communicate with friends, gain information, and express our thoughts. However, alongside these conveniences, SNS also bring a host of challenges. This article delves into the key issues associated with existing SNS platforms.

1. Mental Health Deterioration

Numerous studies have shown that SNS usage can negatively impact mental health. Common problems include:

• Comparison and Inferiority: Users often compare their lives to the glamorous posts of others, leading to feelings of inadequacy.

• Addiction Due to Overuse: Notifications and feed algorithms are designed to keep users engaged longer, making it hard to control usage time.

• Cyberbullying: Instances of harassment and malicious comments are rampant due to the anonymity provided by these platforms.

2. Privacy Infringement

Traditional SNS platforms manage user data through centralized databases, leading to issues such as:

• Data Collection and Commercial Use: User data is often sold to advertisers or used for targeted advertising without explicit consent.

• Security Breaches: Data leaks are frequent, exposing sensitive user information to malicious actors.

• Compromised Privacy: Users often lack full control over what they share and with whom.

3. Superficial Relationships

While SNS enable the quantitative expansion of relationships, the quality of these connections often suffers. For instance:

• Focus on Likes and Followers: Relationships are often evaluated by numbers rather than authenticity.

• Lack of Deep Communication: Short comments or reaction emojis fail to replace meaningful conversations or emotional connections.

• Algorithmic Relationship Restrictions: Algorithms prioritize certain posts or friends, limiting users’ ability to form diverse connections.

4. Advertising and Commercialization

Many SNS platforms rely on ad-based revenue models, which can detract from the user experience:

• Excessive Ad Exposure: Feeds are overwhelmed with ads, diluting the platform’s original purpose.

• Algorithm Manipulation: Platforms prioritize advertiser interests, exposing users to irrelevant or unwanted content.

• Inadequate Creator Compensation: Platforms profit from user-generated content, yet creators often receive minimal financial rewards.

Thus,

While existing SNS have deeply integrated into our daily lives, they come with a range of challenges including mental health issues, privacy concerns, superficial connections, and excessive commercialization. These issues highlight the need for alternative platforms that go beyond the limitations of traditional SNS. In the next article, we will introduce the vision of Whoomi as a potential solution to these challenges.