Over the past few decades, social media has completely taken the world by storm. As of 2021, social media sites had 4.26 billion users around the globe, and being an influencer has become a viable career for many (something our grandparents could have never dreamed of). Nowadays, we have the opportunity to curate whatever persona we like online, and perhaps even monetize it, but the role of social media and how it has impacted our world is a highly nuanced topic. So to gain some insight, we reached out to an expert in the field: Dr. Zoetanya Sujon.

Educator, researcher and author of The Social Media Age, Dr. Sujon explained that discussing the prevalence of how social media has affected our “real lives” is a complicated topic. “I would first begin by saying social media is real, and we live our lives on and off line,” she explained. “It can be unhelpful to think of what happens online as somehow separate from our lives. That said, as the expression ‘IRL’, we do often question what happens on social media - in terms of social connection, truth, and authenticity.”

“From an individual perspective, social media has reshaped our relationship with the world in at least three ways,” Dr. Sujon noted. “First, it has made social connection more available, more frequent, and more accessible. Consequently, this amplifies (good and bad) communication. Taking 'likes' as an example, we are more deeply embedded into a constant cycle of validation and affirmation (Does this look good? Is this funny? Relatable? Meaningful?). Second, people are more easily able to find others like them. Here we see the growth of niche or formerly marginalized communities, often stemming from social media as a vehicle for identity expression.”

“Third, social media has fundamentally changed our relationship with popular culture and cultural production,” Dr. Sujon told Bored Panda. “For example, we have seen a shift from celebrities as distant and untouchable stars, to the demand for quite intense relationships between creators/cultural producers and their audiences. In this way, it is possible to make connections with musicians, authors, government officials, artists etc. and meaningful interactions via social media.”