Is Social Media Brainwashing People?

Question

I just want to see how other people feel on this topic. I think it does in ways.

Answer

I don’t believe it’s brainwashing anyone. 
I do think many social media outlets need to step up their game in removing disinformation *cough*facebook*cough*. 
They also make it easier for people to confirm already existing biases by only showing them things that feed into them.

Answer

I don't know about brainwashing but I do believe it can cause a fear of going against the masses. I see a lot of people being "dragged" when they don't agree with all the others.

Answer

In a way?  My parents for example, don’t understand that you can’t believe everything you read on FB (or links from FB). They got all 4 of us vaccinated when we were kids. They did not raise an eyebrow when I had my older children vaccinated 14 years ago. However I mentioned having my infant daughter vaccinated and suddenly they are asking if I think it’s a good idea because “You hear so much about the risks now” 🙄 My MIL, who truly is a wonderful woman, is afraid that transgendered people are molesting children in bathrooms at some astronomical rate.  It’s super awkward now that one of my kids has come out as trans... 
It’s not *exactly* brainwashing, but social media definitely does expose people to misinformation more rapidly than ever before. I feel like the older generations in particular are susceptible because they are used to being able to trust what they read in books or heard on the local news.  Yes some was a bit sensational, but typically it wasn’t blatant lies parading as the truth. There is rapid access to so much *stuff* that I can see why people are more fearful, less optimistic, and more vulnerable to depression than they might have been if they weren’t being flooded by sad/scary stories, politics, and the feeling that their lives are comparatively lacking when measured against those of friends, family, celebrities, etc.

Answer

It absolutely does, this is a no brainer!!

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Feel like it’s more polarizing people because there’s no true rules or laws against spreading misinformation online, and that mixed with the fact that if you don’t want to see something you don’t actually have to see it, you end up with massive polarization.  (Like liberals never seeing Fox News type stuff and conservatives never seeing anything other than Fox News type stuff). 
Back in the day the media was held to a standard way they had to show the whole story (and that was by law), now they can frame things however they want with no true repercussions, or they can just choose to not report the story at all. So you end up with half the population getting one story and the other getting a different story (and both stories makes the other side look horrible).

Answer

It only “brainwashes” you if you let it...I may like some of the trends I see, but I’m not going to go get plastic surgery just so I can look like a Barbie doll because “that’s what everyone else is doing”

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I don't see how. You control your social media. My Facebook and Instagram contains almost nothing but cute animal videos/pictures.

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No I don’t believe it’s brainwashing people. I think it tends to lead people to confirm whatever they’re biased towards already. 
I think it creates some sort of disconnect. It started when myspace and top 8 got big. Now everyone needs to know where they stand socially based of social media. 
I think in age groups it can vary. The older my circle gets, we don’t need social media to connect personally as much. We know each other is busy irl and we make time to communicate outside of social media as well. We still all post our best life though. It’s a weird thing, but I don’t mind it.

Answer

Brainwash, no. 
Desensitize, yes. 
Spread fake news and misinformation, yes.

Answer

Depending what sites you follow absolutely.

Is Social Media Brainwashing People?

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