Is Social Media Making You Anti-Social?
BBC Knowledge|August 2017

Many of us have experienced the ways in which social media has changed the online world. But should we be worried about it altering our behaviour too?

Dr Dean Burnett
Is Social Media Making You Anti-Social?

Recently, I witnessed the unpleasant breakdown of a relationship. One partner accused the other of infidelity and promiscuity; the other retaliated with claims of emotional abuse, drunken behaviour and an inability to perform sexually. All this, in much more sweary language than that conveyed here. It got nasty fast, with children being dragged into it, and friends taking sides and furiously rowing with those who’d taken the other side. All very grim, and it made me vow to avoid any and all of those involved as a result.

That wasn’t difficult though, as I’d never actually met any of them to begin with. This whole breakdown happened on Facebook. Some friends of friends had asked to add me to their network, I’d unthinkingly agreed, and thus I ended up with a front-row seat to their hideous break-up. Ironic, that a social network was essentially responsible for the destruction of so many social bonds.

You’ve no doubt heard many complaints about social networks before. They’re time-consuming, invasive, confusing, compromise your privacy and so on. But do they actually make us antisocial? Is there any credibility to that claim?

Denne historien er fra August 2017-utgaven av BBC Knowledge.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra August 2017-utgaven av BBC Knowledge.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA BBC KNOWLEDGESe alt
Are We Close To Making Our Home Away From Earth?
BBC Knowledge

Are We Close To Making Our Home Away From Earth?

Our exploration of the cosmos is hampered by our bodies and minds, which struggle in space. So could we ever overcome our Biology and settle among the stars?

time-read
10 mins  |
August 2017
The Viruses That Made Us Human
BBC Knowledge

The Viruses That Made Us Human

Viruses give us infections, from the common cold to Ebola and Aids. But new research shows that they may also have played a key role in shaping the evolution of homo sapiens.

time-read
9 mins  |
June 2017
Can You Supercharge Your Brain?
BBC Knowledge

Can You Supercharge Your Brain?

Your brain is the finely-tuned machine that controls all your actions and emotions, so it makes sense to keep it well-oiled. But, asks Rita Carter, are there any scientifically proven methods to ensure it works better for longer?

time-read
7 mins  |
June 2017
The Yaksha's Quiz
BBC Knowledge

The Yaksha's Quiz

One day, a man approached the Pandavas while they were in exile in the forest.

time-read
6 mins  |
February 2017
Are Dogs Making Us Healthy Too?
BBC Knowledge

Are Dogs Making Us Healthy Too?

While we know our furry friends are brilliant companions, Dr John Bradshaw finds out if they could actually be making us healthier too.

time-read
6 mins  |
February 2017
Welcome to the Jungle
BBC Knowledge

Welcome to the Jungle

As our cities grow, animals are having to carve out a niche in this most human of habitats. Fredi Devas, producer of the urban episode of Planet Earth II, spent four years getting to know these metropolitan pioneers.

time-read
6 mins  |
April 2017
How Should History Remember Fidel Castro?
BBC Knowledge

How Should History Remember Fidel Castro?

To many, he was a heroic champion of the disenfranchised; to others, a cruel tyrant. Following Fidel Castro’s death in November 2016, we asked five historians to offer their verdicts on the Cuban leader’s life and legacy.

time-read
5 mins  |
April 2017
Ismat Chughtai
BBC Knowledge

Ismat Chughtai

Author and historian Urvashi Butalia details the life and words of a feminist powerhouse.

time-read
8 mins  |
April 2017
NASA's Compact Nuclear Reactors Could Power Colonies On Mars
BBC Knowledge

NASA's Compact Nuclear Reactors Could Power Colonies On Mars

IF humans are ever to build colonies on the Moon or on Mars, we are going to need a reliable way of powering essentials such as lighting, water and oxygen supply – not to mention a means of producing fuel for the long schlep home.

time-read
1 min  |
April 2018
Acoustic Tractor Beam Breakthrough Could Lead To Levitating Humans
BBC Knowledge

Acoustic Tractor Beam Breakthrough Could Lead To Levitating Humans

HERE’S an idea that is really gaining traction: for the first time, University of Bristol engineers have created an acoustic tractor beam capable of trapping objects larger than the wavelength of the sound being used.

time-read
1 min  |
April 2018