Analyzing the Mitigation of the Negative Impact of Passive Social Media Use

Abstract

This research examines the adverse effects of passive social media usage on the subjective well-being of young individuals in the digital era, where social media is closely integrated into everyday life. The opening portion establishes the context by examining the profound alterations in communication and social exchanges resulting from the digital age. The next focal point is passive engagement with social media, defined as non-participatory behaviors, and its prevalence among young users. It specifically seeks to explore the effects of passive use on well-being in terms of diminished self-esteem, increased loneliness, anxiety, and depression, thereby filling an unaddressed gap in the literature. The presented research recognizes the importance of understanding the processes that underpin these effects and presents methods to reduce them. The article suggests interventions at multiple levels (individual, community, and policy) focusing on educational efforts, platform redesign, and broad public awareness campaigns. The role of key stakeholderseducators, parents, and policymakersas architects for youth's effective mode of digital navigation is underscored.