One may very easily get absorbed in the lives of others as one scrolls through a Facebook news feed, Instagram images, or even Snapchat tales, which are all readily available to see. With its own tale engraved into the surface of each photo or video on social media, anything from a happy couple's smiling smiles to an old acquaintance who is travelling the globe may be found.

In spite of the fact that social media may be a very good outlet, it's also quite simple for its users to fall victim to the terrible talons of envy and get envious of what they see on the platform. The use of social media has grown at an exponential rate over the last few years. In 2004, Facebook had a user base of around one million people. However, according to HuffPost, by 2015, Facebook's user base had grown to such an extent that:
If Facebook were a country, it would have been the most populated nation on the planet.

Social media continues to increase in popularity and to occupy a prominent position in the lives of many people. However, as the usage of social media grows, so do the affects it has on those who use it, some of which are detrimental. It has been shown in studies, according to the American Psychiatric Association, that spending a lot of time on social media might be detrimental to one's mental health.

Social media is used by the majority of users to keep in touch with their pals. According to the findings of a University of Missouri study, many individuals use social media platforms for "monitoring purposes" without even realising it. This entails keeping track of what friends are up to and then comparing their activities to one's own living circumstances. According to the research, this often draws attention to one's own faults and, as a result, might lead to feelings of despair.

The overwhelming influence of social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and others is dragging down our generation in ways that we have unfortunately gotten used to. We live more for the approval of others than we do for our own happiness. Since when has it been customary to announce your new haircut to your social media followers with a theatrical presentation and a well-thought-out accompanying caption?

Who knows when we started placing so much importance on introducing the world to a new beau via the use of a Woman Crush Wednesday or Man Crush Monday photo? Why are we required to continually discuss our everyday activities with hundreds of individuals with whom we have no interaction? We are certainly more concerned with what others are seeing than with what we are doing.

After digging more into these unfortunate societal standards, we begin to question what really is going on behind the scenes of these documentaries. Does your Facebook timeline reflect your true feelings, or is it just a thorough presentation for the general public? The truth will inevitably come out, and the act of concealing oneself behind an app will fast become obsolete when reality settles in - or is exposed.

The facade of social media is sadly overpowering to the point that the things that people post are about as credible as the legitimacy of Nicki Minaj's buttocks, which is to say, about as unlikely. Many individuals seek for acceptance and are working toward their own agendas, and I have been taught to question everything I read on social media. It is common information that many people yearn for acceptance and are working toward their own objectives.

You may believe you are looking at a basic snapshot with a little light filtering, but in reality, you are gazing at a world that you are completely unaware of. The fact is that every photo, every tweet, and every post is most often the result of extensive deliberation in an effort to build an image that will be accepted (ideally) by one's social circle.

In the unfortunate event that your life lacks the appropriate excitement or glamour to get the desired approval ratings, the façade may be modified with better angling and more sophisticated phrasing to achieve the desired results. A filter may bring out the best in a beautiful face, and the perfect perspective can transform a modest gathering into a high-class party. It's the witchcraft of our age, if you will.

However, I'll leave you with one bit of advice: do not be fooled by the façade that is social media. As a result, the information shown on these panels is often framed for judgement and cannot be taken literally in any way.

Written By: Samridhi Sharma, B.com LLB -Chandigarh University
Email: [email protected]