Downsides of Social Media & Streaming Services

By: Savannah Lopez
Blog Content Contributor

With all the drama surrounding the app, TikTok, it has got me and a lot of my friends thinking about its actual purpose. I will spend hours scrolling TikTok or Instagram when I’m bored instead of doing something more meaningful in my spare time.

I feel like quick viewing social media like TikTok and Instagram have shortened my attention span. In fact, I think it has shortened a lot of people’s attention spans. My friends and I half-heartedly joke about deleting TikTok, but then we think about the fear of missing out when everybody else still has it. A goal of mine for the summer is legitimately going to be deleting TikTok and maybe even Instagram.

However, the more I really think about it, I’m not missing out on much. With the hours I spend on TikTok every week, I could try to learn something new, start a hobby, or finish a book I’ve been wanting to read instead of staring at my phone screen. Our minds have a need to be constantly busy now.

The other day, I caught myself with Netflix on my television while I was trying to do homework, but then took a break to watch TikTok on my phone. At that point, I realized that it was ridiculous. I set time limits on my apps, but everyone knows that when it goes off, you just press ignore. The best solution would be to delete the apps.

The number of streaming services people subscribe to nowadays is also becoming an issue. There seems to be a new service popping up every day, as we now have Netflix, HBO Max, Hulu, Paramount +, Peacock, Discovery +, Prime Video, Disney +, etc. Shows and movies are constantly switching between platforms, so you have to be subscribed to multiple if you want to watch what you want to watch, when you want to watch it.

My favorite show, New Girl, has been on Netflix for years, but just this past month, it was taken off and put on Hulu, making die-hard New Girl fans subscribe to Hulu. These streaming services make so much money that it is ridiculous. You don’t need to subscribe to thirty different services. I think everyone has realized that this is a problem, but it’s one we aren’t ready to fix yet.

Most people enjoy scrolling through TikTok and Instagram, and we like watching Netflix or HBO Max original shows, but all of these things aren’t the best in the long run. Social media is draining our minds, and streaming services are draining our bank accounts.

I will hold myself to deleting TikTok this summer though, well fingers crossed!

Featured Image from Savannah Lopez