It is no doubt that social media is shaping the world; however, is it for the best?

Many people grow up in a generation where phones are in every back pocket.

Study, by the University of Salford in the UK, has proven that a person’s confidence can diminish due to the unrealistic images social media portrays.

Society has painted a picture that looks define who you are. Young women are compared to airbrushed magazines and an unrealistic size, which makes growing up with confidence difficult. In fact, many models have come out talking about the pressure they are under.

“Your looks are not everything, and it’s not what’s ultimately important.” Counselor Kirstin Gregg stated, “The kind of person you are is important, but how do you judge that on social media? It’s fake.”

Actually, these disadvantages reveal the corruption within our society. From Real Girls, Real Pressure: National Report on the State of Self-Esteem, Dove Self-Esteem Fund states, “7 in 10 girls believe they are not good enough or do not measure up in some way, including their looks, performance in school and relationships with family and friends.”

Social media also negatively influences one’s ability to work. Whether it is at their passion or in school, low self-esteem promotes unhealthy relationships with themselves.

Steven Hinshaw’s The Triple Blend, explains that one in four girls adopt eating disorders, cutting, depression, etc., because of the pressure they are under. People every day feel the impact. From constant comparisons to cyber bullying, other extremes take advantage of social media.

Senior Mariah Drake says, “Most things on social media are negative. It impacts me, and I like to show people that I’m positive and that you can be positive in the world.”

People can use social media for positive things, such as connecting to relatives or distant friends. However, it can disconnect us as individuals from reality.

Gregg states a bonus of not having social media saying, “It makes me make an effort to be genuine with them and connect with them on a more personal level.”

Despite the false influences society paints for young men and women, there are still many facts to commemorate. Everyone is unique, and it is important to stay authentic.

Little gives motion to a plan of action, “The best advice is to always find your self-worth and value in things that are actually tangible and real and that actually matter to you and other people.”

Schools should encourage students to be themselves, despite their differences and create a campaign that brings light to social media’s pessimistic aspects.