A recent study found that when ordered to stop using Facebook for a week, a group of participants ex ...

---

A recent study found that when ordered to stop using Facebook for a week, a group of participants experienced increased levels of "happiness" and lowered levels of stress or depression. So what is really going on? On one hand, we are "high" on social media and instant gratification. On the other, the very same stimulants that reward us when experiencing instant gratification cause us to be sadder, more preoccupied, or stressed. Has social media become an unhealthy method of communication? Do marketers exploit this "digital drug" that acts too much like an abusive substance? People who stop "cold-turkey" initially experience withdrawal and anxiety, before feeling happy and relaxed after an extended period. So based on your knowledge and use of Social Media, and on the statement from L1 (about marketing not being manipulative, it just learns how to be influential), can social media marketing be an abusive marketing tool? Where do we draw the line, if there should be one at all? Please submit a 2-page, dbl-spaced, font-12 response, with supporting citations (5 minimum) for your arguments and answers. https://www.independent.co.uk/tech/staying-off-facebook-can-make-you-happier-study-claims- a6728056.html https://www.ama.org/marketing-news/marketings-ethical-line-between-social-media-habit-and-addiction/