Negative Effects of Social Media Usage on College Students

My capstone project focuses on the negative effects of social media use on college students. Social media has become the primary source of communication for college students, but its impact on self-esteem presents a mix of effects. One of the major effects that social media can have is on self-esteem, and "individuals with low self-esteem try to compensate by becoming active in on-line activities” (Pineiro, 2016, p. 9). To address the negative impacts of social media usage, I created a two-day lesson plan for lower-division HDFS students at CSUMB. The lesson focuses on the adverse effects on self-esteem that can lead to eating disorders, self-harm, procrastination, decreased productivity, and misinformation. By teaching students how to use social media safely, I can set the students up for success.