Even though social media is seen as an important way of communicating with one another, it’s also an easy distraction from things that are more important.

“When I’m trying to do homework or work on something school-related, social media can often distract me from what I need to do,” Fischer Carr, junior, said. “But at the same time, if i’m trying to organize an event among friends, social media is a great way to get the word out and to communicate”

Whether time on social media is spent looking at Snapchat, or Facebook, or Instagram, nearly a quarter of students said they spend at least 5 hours on social media every day. When put into perspective, this is almost one-third of the average teenager’s conscious day. So, how much of this actually time well spent?

“Inevitably, you’re going to run across things that waste your time,” Grace Hatesohl, junior, said. “and that’s literally impossible to stop because of the transmission of memes and memes as like a memetic idea.”

Distraction from tasks is not the only troubling thing about social media. When it comes to broadcasting ideas and opinions, the easy platform can get people in trouble. For example, if someone posts an opinion that contrasts the vast majority of their peers, it has the potential to negatively affect them in the real world.

“I think social media probably isn’t the best way to have an argument with someone or really try to say something that you believe in.” Benjy Zhang, senior, said. “I feel like saying it physically, vocalizing yourself in the real world is more important.”

Other than spreading potentially controversial opinions, social media has a tendency to let fake information go viral in less than an hour. In 2016, the U.S. Presidential Election had Americans more at odds with each other than they have been in a long time. Almost everyone was placed inside their own conservative or liberal bubble without much consideration for whether or not what they were hearing was true. This social phenomena brought about “fake news,” a term that is hard to escape.

“Just because a piece of information is on a meme, doesn’t mean that it’s completely true,” Derek Jensen, acting teacher and thespian troupe sponsor, said.  “Whoever wrote that meme has a slant and a bias that probably is obvious within the meme itself.”

Whether it’s bringing internet fame or causing friends to turn against each other, the rise of social media is causing people to communicate unlike they ever have before.