Social media is designed to be, well, social. But does it actually have the opposite effect, isolating users?
People who use a social media platform do it to keep in touch with people.
You might use Facebook to keep tabs on your family, or maybe LinkedIn to see what your co-workers or others in your field are up to. You might find people who share your interests on Meetup, or perhaps you follow your favorite celebrities on Instagram. Or, alternately, you may just like watching funny videos from random strangers on Tik Tok.
Whichever platform you use, one of the frameworks commonly used is to track and display your connections. They literally display the size of your social network.
That doesn’t sound isolating at all. Just the opposite, in fact. You are plugged in to everything that is happening with the people that interest you.
The end result, though, can be quite different. While you are socially connected to people, that connection is most often just online. There is no body language, no touch, no physical interaction at all. For animals that evolved in a tribe, that lack of in-person communication can be isolating.
In addition, seeing pictures from your friends and family of their highlights might only remind you of your own shortcomings. Look at the delicious meal that you are not eating! On the vacation you are not taking! With the beautiful family that you don’t have!
On top of that, there is the possibility of doom scrolling, and being bombarded with dis- and mis-information.
How do you see this? Is social media a new way to connect with others? Or is it instead a way to make you feel more alone than ever?
Related questions: What do you get out of social media? How has social media changed your social life? Why does social media often bring out the worst in us? Can an Internet friend be a true companion?
Does social media isolate people? The answer isn’t simple—it depends on how it’s used. As the context for the question suggests, some people feel inadequate or alone when they compare their lives to the highly selective feeds of others they see online. And for many, time spent on social media too often replaces meaningful, in-person interactions.
For me, however, social media has done the opposite. It has deepened my connections with people I already know while also introducing me to others I will never meet face-to-face. Anyone who follows me on Facebook knows a lot about who I am: an heirloom vegetable gardener, someone who lives with anxiety (and at times depression), an advocate for stronger government action to address homelessness and poverty, and a lover of music. I don’t use my feed to sugarcoat my life, and because of that honesty, people seem more willing to engage with me in meaningful ways.
Through my posts about heirloom gardening, I’ve connected with people across the country and even internationally. Sharing my experiences with anxiety has encouraged others to open up about their own struggles, leading to thoughtful and supportive conversations about mental health—some of which have even continued offline. My posts on homelessness and poverty have sparked discussions about how we can push for a more compassionate and effective government response. And my love of music has led to fun, engaging exchanges, with recommendations that have found their way into my own playlists.
In my experience, social media hasn’t been isolating—it’s been enriching. I only wish more people could experience it that way.