Examples of public opinion influencing government

Public opinion is the collective opinion of the people of a society on a specific topic or voting intention. Democracy requires public opinion because it derives authority from the public.

How does public opinion affect policy making? Public opinion does not make public policy; rather, it restrains government officials from making truly unpopular actions/laws.

The influence of mass media has an effect on many aspects of human life, which can include voting a certain way, individual views and beliefs, or skewing a person’s knowledge of a specific topic due to being provided false information. Not all effects result in change; some media messages reinforce an existing belief.

Multiple studies have shown that unlimited use of social media causes stress, bad moods and negative mental health. Many people wake up in the morning and immediately check their Instagram, Snapchat or Twitter.

The bad impact of social media:

People become unhappy with their current circumstances, leading to problems with self-esteem and depression. Most studies have shown that, social media’s violent games result in increase in violent tendencies and behaviours in children.

The negative aspects of social media

However, multiple studies have found a strong link between heavy social media and an increased risk for depression, anxiety, loneliness, self-harm, and even suicidal thoughts. Social media may promote negative experiences such as: Inadequacy about your life or appearance.

It can affect our mental health.

Even though social media is meant to promote connection, multiple studies have linked social media use with loneliness, mood disorders, and poor self-esteem.

The positive impact of Social media on human behaviour:

People are expanding knowledge through social media. Most of the social media content creators encourage people to pursue the career they love, to take care of themselves, and learn new skills etc. This creates a positive impact on human behaviour.

It was found that social media usage influences most of the students psychosocial behaviour thereby they become addictive psychologically, while spending most of their time on internet networking, resulting to the fact that less attention is been paid to other activities and aspects that relate to their life this could

There are a number of reasons why people allow social influences to affect their thoughts and behavior. One reason is that we often conform to the norms of a group to gain acceptance of its members. Additionally, group conformity enables a sense of cohesion within a society.

Hence modern day living is majorly influenced by social media, which in turn is enhancing the evolution of human behavior. A study was therefore conducted to assess the influence of social media on behavior patterns of different age groups.

Does social media truly affect your mental health and self–esteem? According to different studies and research, social media has indeed been linked to higher levels of loneliness, envy, anxiety, depression, stress, and hindered social skills.

Our insecurities increase when we compare ourselves to others on social media networks, like Instagram or Facebook. Influencers and famous people set high and unachievable standards. Moreover, as it connects people with each other, it disconnects them at the same time.

Social media can negatively affect body image because users are typically exposed to thin, fit, and “idealized” body types and will often compare themselves to peers and celebrities.

Through these frameworks, social media users can maintain a healthy and positive outlook on their body image. The study “found that brief exposure to body-positive Instagram posts resulted in improved body image and mood in young women, compared to idealized and appearance-neutral posts.”

Celebrities give us unprecedented access to their lives through their posts, images, and tweets that allow us to sip the sweet nectar of fame and fortune. The downside is, some people get too addicted to sugar, and social media becomes a double-edged sword of bullying, hate, harassment, and stones.

negative body image – social media is often blamed as a ‘toxic mirror‘ portraying an ideal body image that causes people to question their looks and lose confidence (especially common in adolescence when teenagers are particularly vulnerable)