The use of social media has been rising sharply following the advent of smartphones. Facebook and Twitter added to the acceleration and platforms such as Orkut fell by the wayside. The fact that social media, by providing us with a platform for group interaction, has changed our world is now irrefutable.

It’s also irrefutable that there are views that are critical about social media. The critics hold the platforms as responsible for spreading unsubstantiated content that can be misleading or harmful rumours.

Be that as it may, the pandemic is credited with transforming even the sceptics into neo-converts on social media. Look at the figures of newspaper reading. In April this year, one of the largest newspaper houses in India did a survey and found that 72 per cent of the total readership is getting their daily newsfeed online. A large chunk of the increased readership is sourcing their newsfeed from the social media itself!

People have also started hitting social media more to check on national and global developments. Politicians are tweeting their thoughts, individuals are sharing their issues, and organisations are telling us what they are up to. From Sushant Singh Rajput’s suicide to Big B’s COVID-19, we are now getting to know about everything even before the TV channels get it. In short, the information-consumers have never had it so good. Whatever may be the area of your interest, you click a "like" on some news or comment on social media and more of similar content will be headed your way.

The pandemic has singularly contributed more to the rise of social media subscriptions than any other events in recent history. There has been a 100 per cent rise in screen-time use even among the children and adolescents. Those who were denied access to smartphones by their parents now own smartphones because classroom teaching has shifted online and schools demand it.

This is also getting psychologists worried. What is interesting is that even this fact is getting streamed to us through social media! While social media indeed has been the greatest information sharing and updating platform in human civilisation, critics, including the not-so-conservatives, are worried about its impact on mental and physical health. Even a large section of adults is not equipped to handle information that is not mediated. For example, all the medical "facts" about corona on social media have created more confusion than awareness.

Similarly, staring at a mobile phone’s screen for hours on end has implications for our eyes and general health. This addiction is keeping us away from physical movement and affecting our general health as well. What is interesting is the fact that doctors and others are reaching out to us through the social media!

Weighing the pros and cons and of course from personal experience, I would say use social media to the hilt. But use filters so that facts are mediated so to minimise the chances of being misinformed. And please don’t stay hooked to a level that your health suffers. And yes, teach your children to benefit from it and how not to get sunk by the sirens on social media.

Stay safe. Stay well by staying well-informed.