When it comes to technology and social media use, younger generations widely differ from older generations. Though older generations use primarily Facebook as their source of social media, if any, younger people are drawn to Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter. Over the years older generations have begun using social media more frequently, but it still does not compare to the quantity that young people use it. 

With the constant rise of new social media platforms and new technology, the popularity of social media outlets is always changing. For instance, though Facebook was the most prominent platform for young users in the past, newer platforms have blossomed in popularity in recent years. If you were to ask anyone in the younger generation what their favorite platform of social media is, Facebook would not be the majority of the answers. 

According to The Manifest, one reason for the decline in Facebook’s popularity is that younger generations tend to only want to see the information that they are interested in. Though that is understandable, it can create a world of sheltered people. Instagram and Snapchat are more appealing because these platforms specialize in mainly short-lived and visual content. Another aspect of Snapchat that is appealing to young people is the user’s ability to share what they are doing at any moment in time. Though this can be perceived as conceded, it is a quick and effective way for friends to stay connected and up to date with each other’s lives. 

The younger generation strives on being connected with others, that is the main reason why social media is so popular among that age group. Social interaction is necessary for everyone. Although social media may have negative aspects, overall it is a very beneficial tool in our daily lives if utilized correctly. Social media gives people the ability to interact with others whom they would not be able to otherwise. For example, you can stay connected with someone in a different country via social media. A downfall of social media is that it can be addicting, can lower someone’s social abilities, and cause isolation in real life.   

According to psycom.net social interaction skills take practice so people that overuse social media can lack the ability to communicate well with others. This is a necessary tool to have, but it only applies to people who use social media in unhealthy ways. For many young people the positives way out the negatives when it comes to social media. 

A common issue that people in older generations have with young people is that they have too short of an attention span. There is truth to this. Instagram is meant for the user to quickly swipe to view new posts where the photo is the prominent appeal and the caption is often left unnoticed. Snapchat is even more extreme since a message is erased after just a few seconds. 

On the other hand, this also means that younger generations are quicker to evolve with new technologies. According to a study done by pewresearch.org, they have found that the older generation has a harder time adopting new technologies because of their lack of confidence and physical challenges. Without technology, we would not have social media.  

Though it is usually seen as a flaw that young people are on their phones and other devices constantly, there can be positive results from it. Being on social media keeps you aware and updated on what is happening in the world at the present time. Another advantage of this is that younger generations are overall more tech-savvy and able to keep up in the fast-growing technical world while older generations cannot. With the constant advancement of new technology and new social media platforms, it will be interesting to see how newer generations will cope with these changes.