Social Media Triggers Jealousy, Negativity: Kaspersky
Jakarta. Research conducted by global cybersecurity firm Kaspersky Lab revealed that social media triggers jealousy.
According to the survey, 42 percent of 16,750 respondents from all over the world felt envious when their friends gained more "likes" than them.
According to Kaspersky Lab social media head, Evgeny Chereshnev, social media has become a vicious cycle that has turned from a positive platform to a competitive one.
“The reality is that everyone is doing the same thing [sharing positive memories on social media], so when we log onto social media we’re bombarded with images and posts of our friends having fun – and it looks like they’re enjoying life more than us,” Evgeny Chereshnev said in a statement.
From the survey, Kaspersky Lab found that respondents believe that social media has positive intentions, with 65 percent of its respondents using social networks to stay in touch with friends and colleagues, and 43 percent who use social media to share their holiday and vacation experiences.
However, the survey also found that 59 percent of respondents felt bitter after seeing friends going to parties they were not invited to and 45 percent felt negative when viewing their friends' holiday pictures.
It also revealed that 37 percent of respondents felt the need to compare past happy posts with their current life, which left them feeling that the past was better.
When negative feelings are caused, social media users tend to leave their platforms. Previous Kaspersky Lab research found that 78 percent of users left out of frustration. Some respondents revealed that the only reason they stayed is the fear of losing their digital memories.
In Indonesia, over 132 million people are online, meaning more than half of Indonesians are Internet users.
According to the Indonesian Internet Service Provider Association, or APJII, 71.6 million are Facebook users and 19.9 million are active on Instagram – the two most popular social media platforms in the archipelago.
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