Duration: 5:31

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• How severe is the problem?
Very. Social Media is an excellent tool for meeting, reconnecting, and dating. What comes after becomes a problem.

This problem is severe enough that it actually needs to be focused further on a person’s use of social media as an extension of themself. The separation of their online persona vs. their real self. Viewing their significant other’s profile in that same frame of mind. Distrust leads to Obsession.

• What current precautions/mitigations are in place, are they effective?
Very little. Not really. There are certain applications and sources available for those that use social media in an unhealthy manner, however not enough people truly take advantage of the resources available. Limiting one’s use of social media or “E-Stalking” is basically up to the user themself to self-manage.

• What risk/consequences still exist?
People are losing touch with the human aspect of relationships.
If a person becomes obsessive over their social status or the status of others. Becomes concerned with their ex’s, their friends, and even their significant other’s “likes”, posts, and shares. All of that including the pandemic has created a toxic online relationship scene. Rather than taking a step back and building a relationship through “old fashioned” means of building trust and getting to know each other.


Every solution that I research or come up with always mentions taking a break of social
media.
Uninstalling applications from your phones and tablets and just taking a break.
Self-monitoring yourself is likely the solution that makes the most sense, but is also the
hardest.

• How would the new solutions work?
Getting people to take a breather from social media to reduce their time online is the leading candidate for a healthier lifestyle and balance between online and IRL persona’s. Uninstalling or forcing someone to take a break from social media are possible solutions too, but that would likely leave the person wondering what they’re missing out on and possibly leave them obsessing even more.

• How could these solutions help?
Forcing a person to get back to the basics and growing relationships in a healthy manner are a step in the right direction. However if a person has issues with obsessive/compulsive disorders then simply removing software from their devices might not be the true solution for some people.

• Would some risk still remain or new risk arise?
Some issues would still remain as new products or tools could present themselves for users to continue to lead unhealthy lifestyles of obsession.

• What is new about this solution that hasn’t been done before?
Nothing is new about these solutions, however that might just be the point. In a way it’s purpose is to pull back a bit on the issues of having all information and connections at the tips of your fingers. By pulling back the curtain a bit and allowing the users to get back to the basics it can encourage letting go a bit and relaxing while focusing on their lives and those around them and what truly matters. The human aspect.

References
Eddie Hernandez (Dec 2019). What is Facebook Dating? Should I try Facebook Dating? Link

Lucas Kelleher(August 2020). Online Persona Vs. The Real You Part II Link

Kaitlyn Cook (November 2019). The Demon Tattler Our Online and Offline Personalities: Why They Can’t Be Separate -Link

Chester County Hospital Penn Medicine (March 2020) The Facebook Effect: How is social media Impacting your Stress Levels -Link

Yerby, N. (2019, August 14). Study Reveals Gen Z As The Loneliest Generation In America. Addiction Center. -Link

Ghosh, D. (2021, January 14). Are We Entering a New Era of Social Media Regulation Harvard Business Review. -Link