Facebook Side Effects. Facebook virtual reality threatens its users’ happiness

Abstract

Facebook connects more than one billion people in the world’s largest social network. On a daily basis Facebook users spend on average time approximated as 20 years trying to "socialize".

Undeniably, Facebook is an invaluable source for fulfilling the basic human need for social connection. However, recently there has been a vigorous debate about the "side effects" of social networking.

On one side, Facebook is deemed to harm real-life relationships both with our close friends and with our general friends. In a way the traditional formula for maintaining lasting relationships – "the more you put into a relationship, the more you will get out of it" is challenged as increased Facebook sharing is more likely to result in Facebook unfriending and even real life avoidance.

On the other side – the social network is believed to foster frustration and resentment, which might endanger the platform’s sustainability. Moreover, it is questionable if everything that we see and impress us on Facebook is real. The virtual reality enables users to manage the way they represent themselves and provides infinite grounds for intentional boosting of the physical appearance, job achievements and even personal happiness of people.

The following research based on a sample of 123 respondents examines the extent to which Facebook threatens the pillars of our happiness – relationships, friendships, self-esteem and subjective wellbeing. More narrowly it aims to investigate the online as well as the offline consequences related to the use of the social network and to highlight the importance of maintaining a healthy balance between real-life and virtual reality.