# data[].attributes.body
The purpose of our class is to study the way media impacts our society. We are learning about responsible internet research by identifying a topic to study and conducting research to develop a webpage and inform people about it. My project is about trying to see if social media is bad and if its really affecting our lives.

# data[].attributes.headline
Social Media Affects Girls More Than Boys 

# data[].attributes.subject
Social Media Affects Girls More Than Boys 

# data[].attributes.body
There has been another issue regarding cyberbullying and how its also affecting our lives.In the article titled SOCIAL MEDIA HURTS GIRLS MORE THAN BOYS BY:JAMIE DUCHARME Website girls mental health
“For one thing, girls tend to be more susceptible than boys to mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety regardless of screen time. Girls also experience more cyberbullying than boys, and Nicholls says they may be uniquely bothered by certain aspects of it.”With girls it's all about popularity,having money,nice clothes, and being pretty.
If you don't have that you will get put down for being broke and dirty.Than people will get on social media to try and expose people or start rumors and that leads to bullying on a social network which is CYBERBULLYING and it can also lead to suicide.

# data[].attributes.body
Social Media is messing up people's lives.Social media can have a negative impact on society in the following ways cyberbullying,obsession with popularity and catfishing.The point is to find out if social media is bad for others and affecting our mental health.

# data[].attributes.headline
Why Do We Get So Obsessed With Likes On  Social  Media?

# data[].attributes.subject
Why Do We Get So Obsessed With Likes On  Social  Media?

# data[].attributes.body
There has been issues about us people letting social media dictate our lives and one of the reasons is popularity. In the article titled,WHY DO WE GET SO OBSESSED WITH ´LIKES´ ON SOCIAL MEDIA  By:CHEMMIE SQUIER  website  grazia daily it explains that “I’ve asked friends to like a particular picture before, just to bump it up. If I put something on Facebook I closely monitor its popularity.If you have low self-esteem and you don’t do well on social media, you’re going to feel particularly bad. But who can honestly say that they’re so secure in this world that when they do something on social media, and it isn’t liked at all, it doesn’t eat you a little bit inside?” This states that people take the time out of their day to study their posts to see how many likes they get .They go as far as to ask other people  to like their post .Social media is getting out of control because its starting to change the way people act and it’s  bringing down their self esteem and making their insecurities worse. Everyone on the social network is seeking for likes and popularity when social media is not for that.

# data[].attributes.body
Catfishing has been another issue regarding social media being bad for us humans. In article titled THE CYBERSMILE FOUNDATION BY:UNKNOWN AUTHOR Website catfishing  “Although catfishing used to be seen more among adults using online dating platforms, it has now become a more widespread problem among adults and teenagers.Catfishing then went on to become a recognized term in 2012 after the MTV series “Catfish” premiered.” It use to be adults catfishing but now it has gotten worse to the point  that kids (teenagers) are starting to do it This is saying that catfishing has gotten worse they went and made a show about it and it's ruining people's lives

# data[].attributes.body
After going through this whole process of researching I found all the right sources to prove my issue at first I felt like this was a waste of time because it never took this long for me to finish a essay, But than I had to realize that it’s what people do in college.

# data[].attributes.headline
source1:Social Media Hurts Girls More Than Boys

# data[].attributes.subject
source1:Social Media Hurts Girls More Than Boys

# data[].attributes.body
author:  JAMIE DUCHARME

website name: https://time.com/5650266/social-media-girls-mental-health/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The public and experts alike have blamed social media for a long list of mental health issues, including rising rates of depression, anxiety and suicidal behavior among America’s youth. But research on the subject is conflicting. One study published this spring, for example, found that social media use likely doesn’t have a terribly large impact on teenagers’ life satisfaction, despite all those expert warnings.

A new study published in the Lancet Child & Adolescent Health suggests the issue is even more nuanced. Social media is associated with mental health issues, the research says—but only under certain circumstances, and only for certain people. In girls, frequent social-media use seemed to harm health when it led to either cyberbullying and/or inadequate sleep and exercise. But these factors did not seem to have the same effect on boys, and the study didn’t pick up on specific ways that social networks could be harming them.

“The message, really, is that it’s not social-media use, per se, that causes harm,” says study co-author Dasha Nicholls, who leads the Child and Adolescent Mental Health research team at Imperial College London. “It’s about getting a balance between social-media use and other age-appropriate activities, and ensuring that there aren’t specific negative things happening online.”

Researchers analyzed data from the Our Futures study, which tracked about 10,000 U.K. teenagers over three years. Starting in 2013, the teens—then aged 13-14—answered questions about the frequency of their social-media use and in-person social interaction, as well as their health and demographic profiles. In subsequent years, the same teenagers provided updated information about their social-media use, and responded to other questions about their mental health, sleep habits, physical activity and brushes with cyberbullying.

In 2013, only about 43% of the teens in the study said they regularly checked social media multiple times per day. That rose to 59% in year two, and 68.5% in year three. Over time, frequent social-media use was associated with decreased mental health and well-being, as measured by responses to questions about psychological distress, life satisfaction, happiness and anxiety. Social media seemed to have a stronger impact on girls, but the relationship was present for boys as well.

The picture grew more complicated when researchers examined which habitual social-media users also reported cyberbullying, lack of sleep and lack of exercise, which they thought could be responsible for much of the problem. They found that those three factors could almost completely predict whether frequent social-media use would harm a teenage girl’s well-being. Cyberbullying appeared to be the most damaging to girls, followed by lack of sleep and lack of exercise.

In boys, however, these factors only explained 12% of the relationship between social media and poor mental health. There are a few reasons that may be true. For one thing, girls tend to be more susceptible than boys to mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety regardless of screen time. Girls also experience more cyberbullying than boys, and Nicholls says they may be uniquely bothered by certain aspects of it, including comments about appearance and negative comparisons with others.

It’s perhaps more surprising that lack of rest and exercise stemming from online activity did not seem to affect boys, since both sleep quality and physical activity are strongly associated with mental health, regardless of gender. The discrepancy may boil down to use patterns, the study suggests. Since girls reported more frequent use of social media overall, it may be that boys are not sacrificing sleep and exercise to the same extent that girls are. The study, like most on this topic, was observational, meaning it could only look at patterns within its dataset, rather than designing a lab study that would dictate how much social media different kids used. It also couldn’t fully assess the duration of teens’ social-media use, only how many times per day they checked various apps and sites. But Nicholls says despite these limitations, the study can help guide teens toward healthier lifestyles, as one of the first to look into specific ways that social media may harm mental health over time.

“The key messages to young people are: Get enough sleep; don’t lose contact with your friends in real life; and physical activity is important for mental health and well-being,” Nicholls says. “If you look after yourself in those ways, you don’t have to worry about the impact of social media.”

Takeaways for parents of teens are similar, she says. They should encourage teenagers to stay active and turn off their phones at night—and perhaps more importantly, they should specifically ask about cyberbullying, since that seems to be a primary source of harm, Nicholls says.

“The emphasis needs to now be on the mechanisms and the content,” she says, “rather than just black-balling social media.”

Write to Jamie Ducharme at jamie.ducharme@time.com.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Social Media May Damage Teens' Mental Health. But a New Study Offers Advice on How to Use It Safely

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Social media can damage teens' mental health under certain circumstances, but a new study says it can be used safely. Here's how.

# data[].attributes.body
Author: UNKNOWN
website name:https://www.cybersmile.org/what-we-do/advice-help/catfishing

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
What is catfishing?

Catfishing is when someone uses images and information (often taken from other people's social media accounts) to create a new identity online - sometimes using an individual's entire identity as their own. Newly created social media accounts can then be used to damage the reputation of the true owner of the identity, or alternatively any fictional identities that are created using other people's images and information can be used to form dishonest relationships online. Although catfishing used to be seen more among adults using online dating platforms, it has now become a more widespread problem among adults and teenagers. Some people who catfish go to extreme lengths to create fake identities - having multiple social media accounts with the purpose of building up and validating their catfishing profiles.

Why is it called catfishing?

Although the practise of catfishing has been around almost as long as the internet, catfishing only gained its name in 2010 after a documentary titled "Catfish" was released. Catfishing then went on to became a recognized term in 2012 after the MTV series "Catfish" premiered.

Why do people catfish?

People choose to catfish other people for a variety of reasons. Some of the reasons people catfish include:

Insecurities - Someone might choose to catfish another person due to their own personal insecurities. They might consider themselves 'ugly' or 'not good enough' and feel more comfortable using the images or identity of another person that they consider 'attractive enough' or 'worthy'.

Mental illness - Somebody suffering from some forms of mental illness might feel too anxious to reveal their true or authentic self. Someone suffering from depression might have very low self-esteem and feel like they are not 'good enough'. There are many different conditions that can make people feel that the only way they can communicate with people effectively or with confidence is by pretending to be somebody else.

Hide their identity - Somebody who wants to hide their identity when using social media might use another person's images and/or information. They might want to hide who they are to troll others, talk to people outside of an existing relationship or in some cases, they might catfish with the intention of trying to extort money from the person they have targeted.

Revenge - Some people use catfishing as a tool of seeking revenge on previous partners or people they consider 'deserving'. Those seeking revenge often create social media accounts, which use the victim's images and information in order to humiliate them or damage their reputation. They can also use fabricated identities to lure the person into a fake relationship to hurt them emotionally.

Harassment - Some people set up multiple catfishing accounts to maximize the emotional impact when harassing someone online. They might set up several social media accounts because the recipient of the harassment has blocked their initial catfishing account or they might do it to create the impression that there are growing numbers of people participating in the abuse, in an attempt to overwhelm the victim.

Exploring sexual preference - When someone is confused or curious about their sexuality, they might create false profiles so they can confidently explore their curiosity without having to reveal their true identity.

The most common reason people will catfish others is a lack of confidence. If people aren't happy with themselves, they feel that by being someone more attractive, they are fully able to express themselves freely without their insecurities holding them back.

The effects of catfishing

When someone is catfished, it can be extremely damaging to their mental health - especially if they are emotionally invested in a friendship or romantic relationship with the catfisher. Victims of catfishing can find it extremely difficult to trust after their experience - affecting relationships both personal and professional.

As well as the emotional devastation that someone who has been catfished can potentially go through, they can also face embarrassment and regret for believing and 'falling for' a completely non-existent person. Financial loss and mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression can all come about because of catfishing.

If the person that has been catfished has sent any explicit images or ' sexted' with the catfisher, the victim will feel that their trust has been completely betrayed and become paranoid that they might be exposed publicly in the form of revenge porn or be sextorted by the catfisher in the future. This can lead to serious longterm problems such as anxiety disorders and depression.

Signs that you might be being catfished

It can difficult to spot a catfish. Although the signs you might be getting catfished can be different for each situation, some of the most common signs that you could have fallen victim to catfishing include:

They don't have many friends or images on their social media accounts - When someone is catfishing, they will have to take the photos they choose to use from another source. Most commonly, they will take images from someone else's social media account. Because the images are taken from an authentic source, catfishers have no control over when or what is posted so will only have access to a few images at a time - when the 'real' person shares images themselves. They might also have very few friends and show little or no interaction with them online.

They never want to video call - Someone who is catfishing, will not want to video call if they are using another person's identity. In order to avoid video chatting, catfishers make up excuses. They might say their webcam is broken or they're always too busy.

They don't want to meet up - For obvious reasons, catfishers will never want to meet up. To avoid this, some catfishers will agree to meet up with you (to seem more authentic) only to back out at the last moment.

If they don't use Snapchat - It sounds strange but Snapchat has now become so popular that if somebody is active on various social media platforms but doesn't use Snapchat, this could be suspicious. Snapchat is based around sharing 'live' selfies - making it impossible to use images taken from other people's accounts. If you are being catfished, they might say they don't use snapchat or add you on it and then refuse to send you a photo of themselves.

Although most people feel confident that they would know if they were communicating with a completely fabricated identity, it is also very easy to assume after seeing a few images and some conversation that you are communicating with exactly who you are looking at in the images! It is important to remember that although many of the signs that you are being catfished listed above can be indicative of something sinister - they can also be completely innocent too.

How can I prevent being catfished?

Avoiding getting catfished can be very difficult, because of the sheer volume of people we interact with online each day. Therefore it can be difficult to check each identity for authenticity, however there are tips to prevent or reduce your chances of being catfished. Some of the ways you can prevent being catfished are:

Being cautious - When talking to anybody that you don't know online, always remain slightly cautious, especially if you have only just started speaking with them or have no solid evidence that they are who they say they are.

Never giving out money - Some catfishers will target people in order to scam money from them. You should never give money to anybody who asks for it online.

Taking your time - Always be careful when sending images or sexually explicit messages to another person online. Once you press send, it can't be taken back!

Talking to someone - If you have concerns about someone you are speaking to online, confide in someone you trust. Tell them about your concerns as they may be able to help you identify any "red flags" you may have not noticed yourself. New perspectives often bring new solutions!

Not being afraid to ask questions - As uncomfortable as it might be, don't be afraid to ask as many questions as you need to in order to feel comfortable talking to someone. If they are a catfish, they might not be able to answer all the questions accurately and then you'll be more likely to know that something isn't right.

Adjusting your privacy settings - Catfishers will commonly look for potential victims to target, and by having your privacy settings adjusted on your social media accounts to 'private', you are less likely to fall victim to catfishing because nobody can see the information on your profile.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Catfishing can have devastating consequences. Use our guide to learn what catfishing is, how to avoid getting catfished and what to do if you are targeted.

# data[].attributes.headline
Source4:Why Do We Get So Obsessed With 'Likes' On Social Media?                                      

# data[].attributes.subject
Source4:Why Do We Get So Obsessed With 'Likes' On Social Media?                                      

# data[].attributes.body
author:CHEMMIE SQUIER
website name:https://graziadaily.co.uk/life/opinion/care-likes-social-media/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
BY Chemmie Squier | Posted on 13 05 2016

11 is the magic number. On Instagram that is. Because that's the number of likes you typically need to get a neat number nestled beneath your picture. That little number which simultaneously means so little but so much, despite our unwillingness to admit it. I'm not unwilling.

Every picture I post on Instagram is an attempt to get at least 11 likes. I've asked friends to like a particular picture before, just to bump it up. If I put something on Facebook I closely monitor its popularity. A like on a tweet is, for me, like gold dust. I'm acutely aware that this kind of behaviour is deeply uncool and I'm also acutely aware that I'm just saying what a lot of people are already thinking and doing.

There are far more important things that we, as 20-something adults, should be worrying about; Brexit, what's for dinner, how we'll never afford a house, what's really up with Justin Bieber right now... Instead, I'm busy counting the Instagram likes (or lackof) on my most recent picture. I like to think of myself as a reasonably together woman, but my social media anxiety would disagree.

Facebook introduced their like button in 2009 - five years after its initial launch. Now, seven years down the line, and after a facelift, it's difficult to imagine life without the 'like' icon. Would we all be walking around wondering what people thought about our latest profile picture or would that not even be a consideration, because it never even existed? There have been 1.13 trillion likes on Facebook since it launched in 2004, 4.5 billion every day and 3,125,000 new likes a minute. That;'s a lot of likes: we obviously like to 'like'. On Instagram, Justin Bieber recently overtook Kendall Jenner for the most liked picture with a not-modest-at-all 3.6 million likes.

I asked psychologist Dr Max Blumberg why a lot of us suddenly seem to care about this kind of thing and he laughed. Because it's not a new thing at all. 'People have always needed approval because human beings are social creatures, so it's no coincidence that it's called social media,' he explained. 'There are very few living creatures that can do it on their own and generally one does better in groups, so social media takes the group concept to the extreme, where we can now communicate with each other even more.' This makes a lot of sense, fitting in and being part of The Group, is written into our DNA - we need others to survive. Literally; studies have actually shown that loneliness can kill us. What social media has done is take this ancient concept and added a modern, more obvious, dimension.

A lot of how we relate to social media comes down to personality types. 'People definitely do differ in the extent to which they need external approval. In psychology we'd say that people who are very "together" or developed mentally mature, are less reliant on approval or likes,' Dr Blumberg explained. Which makes total sense because essentially, when we put something into the public domain it's because we're inviting feedback; hopefully positive feedback at that.

In 2014 Thailand's Department of Mental Health issued a warning that young people's obsession with likes could affecting their mental health and could 'affect the development of the country' and 'hinder the country's creativity and innovation'. This line on social media is well-rehearsed: that social media is ruining us, destroying our self-esteem. The Dove Self Esteem project found that two-thirds of women felt prettier online than in real life and 60% of university age students admitting it negatively affects their confidence and a study by Anxiety UK found that over half of the 298 people polled, over half felt that social media changed their behaviour negatively.

So the stats seem to be there, but how far is social media actually changing us? 'I think it's more noticeable because you didn't see those people when there wasn't social media, but I don't think the percentage of insecure people has changed because Facebook has come along,' Dr Blumberg told me. 'You've got to make a distinction between behaviour - what people do on the outside - and what people are like on the inside. I'm suggesting that social media hasn't changed what people are like on the inside, your personality hasn't changed - if you were insecure before Facebook, you're insecure on Facebook.' However, it has changed how people act on the outside because it provides an outlet that didn't exist before. Facebook and other social media platforms are tools that have allowed us to put ourselves out there and be more open and vocal about these feelings. It's easy to forget the positive side of social media though because whilst it does open up the floor to more outside criticism, by the same token it does the opposite - it makes the person open to positive feedback.

Some people even go so far as to delete something if it doesn't get enough likes like Bella, 23, who told me she's deleted Instagram posts that didn't get many likes before. 'I have absolutely no idea why I care about it and objectively know it's stupid - but I feel so much happier after I hit the 11 likes,' she explained. 'I also wouldn't say I care a lot about it - it doesn't ruin my day or anything. If I put up an Instagram that didn't get any likes, I'd probably just think lol, that's a bit embarrassing, and maybe take it down depending on my mood.' Which is exactly it really, isn't it? By putting a picture on social media or a witty remark you're opening yourself up to judgement in the hope that you'll get positive feedback. In a way, you're making yourself vulnerable to the thoughts of others, so it's not surprising that if it doesn't elicit the reaction you'd hoped for your pride takes a hit. We're seeking approval from our peers and it's not nice when we don't get it - you want people to think your 'content' is funny/interesting/likeable. 'If you have low self-esteem and you don't do well on social media, you're going to feel particularly bad. But who can honestly say that they're so secure in this world that when they do something on social media, and it isn't liked at all, it doesn't eat you a little bit inside?' said Dr Blumberg.

He also doesn't think there's anything wrong with wanting 'likes' on social media; it's nothing to be ashamed of, which is reassuring to hear. 'It's worse to pretend you're not human and not care - you msut embrace your humanity and say, "that hurt!"' he explains. As with anything there's a fine line between caring and becoming obsessed. 'If you find that you are constantly seeking approval that is a problem, that shouldn't be the case. It's based on how happy you feel - if you're feeling unhappy more than 30% of the time in your life, you should be asking yourself why.' Identifying this distinction is important and if the number of engagments or likes you're getting on social media is starting to take over your life, it's time to take a step back.

Naturally, we seek the approval of those around us. We want to be likedm to feel part of a pack, because going it alone is risky business. It even explains why we dress the way we do. It's not bad to be concerned about what others think of us - it's natural and it's what makes us human - but equally, it's important to be comfortable in our own thoughts and feelings. To know that what we like and think and believe is enough and that we don't need a mouse click to validate that.
Like this? You might also be interested in: The Politics Of Social Media Social Climbing In Defence Of Being On Social Media. All Day, Every Day. Here's What Your Life Would Be Like Without Social Media Follow Chemmie on Twitter @chemsquier This article originally appeared on The Debrief.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Why Do We Get So Obsessed With 'Likes' On Social Media?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
BY Chemmie Squier | Posted on 13 05 2016 11 is the magic number. On Instagram that is. Because that's the number of likes you typically need to get a neat number nestled beneath your picture. That little number which simultaneously means so little but so much, despite our unwillingness to admit it.

# data[].attributes.body
In conclusion I found all the sources that I needed to prove my point that social media is really bad for our health and affecting our lives I think everyone needs a break from their phones and the internet.