Social media is a form of high speed communication. That, in and of itself, it's not "bad". What makes it have a negative impact on society are the algorithms t

Social media is a form of high speed communication. That, in and of itself, it's not "bad". What makes it have a negative impact on society are the algorithms that have been put in place to sculpt what users experience on the platform. It brings together users with similar (sometimes irrational) thought patterns. This creates echo chambers and the illusion that a person's illogical beliefs are held by a majority of people. That can lead to polarization and galvanization of extremist beliefs. That is a very bad thing indeed. On a more superficial level, it often creates a culture of comparison, where people judge themselves in relation to the lifestyles they see others apparently living. I use the word "apparently" because most of those lifestyles are complete fiction. None the less, that comparison can convince a person that they're "losing at life", which can lead to depression and all of the problems that come with it. Why are people using it? To satisfy the innate human need for social connection.