Today, the coronavirus pandemic has made in-person interactions unsafe for much of the population. Without herd immunity brought about by widespread vaccine distribution, many people do not feel safe visiting their friends and family. In today’s society, social media has become more important than ever, becoming a lifeline that connects people with their friends and loved ones.

Darren and Mike explain why social media is so important and give examples of how the technology is being used in different ways during the COVID pandemic.

Connecting People

Social media has many beneficial effects on the Canadian population. The primary benefit of social media is how it helps to connect friends and family. People of all ages use social media regularly, and each age group has its own platforms that they prefer. In these online communities, friends and family can share photos and reminiscences, share their opinions about current events, and stay in touch regarding the most important happenings in their lives.

Tweens and Teens

Social media has become particularly important for tweens and teens. With schools largely forced into hybrid or online learning, young people are not able to see their friends as frequently as they would like. Many young people have become lonely and isolated. Through social media, they are able to hang out, share funny videos, and arrange video gaming sessions. Online interaction cannot fully replace in-person interactions, but it does help to make teens and tweens feel more connected and less alone.

While social media and online interaction are largely positive, parents need to make sure that their children are not spending every waking moment online. Screen time-reducing settings like those built into iOS devices are very helpful. Shutting off the home Wi-Fi at certain hours can also help children unplug and get some sleep.

Young Adults

Millennials and Gen-Xers are equally online-ready, and many of them have been socializing online for over 20 years. Many millennials and Gen-X consumers have multiple social media accounts and maintain vibrant friend groups with people they met online. They share information about hobbies, books, movies, children, and pets. These social opportunities mean that people are more engaged in life and have fewer opportunities to become anxious and depressed.

Parents

Young parents are one of the groups experiencing the most stress during the pandemic. Daycare is not available to many of these families due to COVID, and many parents continue to work from home. The effects of isolation and not being able to drop a child off with a friend or with grandparents for a few hours wears on parents of all ages. Social media connections can enable parents to share the joys and problems that come with the job.

Seniors

If family members are able to help seniors access social media, they can also reap some of its benefits in combating isolation. Seniors who use social media are able to maintain better connections with the people they care about.

Working at Home

Another area in which social media and online programs have made a huge impact since the onset of the COVID pandemic is the shift to working at home. There are hundreds of thousands of Canadians working at home today, and StatCan estimates that over 10 percent of these people will continue to work remotely after the pandemic has passed.

At-home workers have to deal with a number of changing conditions, including interruptions caused by childcare and the pressure to work harder and longer hours. Social media can be a great way for coworkers to connect on a personal level, trading important information and spending social time together when it is appropriate to do so.

For example, video chats like Zoom, Webex, and Skype have become extremely important parts of the working landscape. Many Canadians attend multiple video calls each day. Some employers take the video call too far, expecting their employees to interrupt their work for meetings, but most employers have come to see video calls as an important tool in boosting productivity.

There are many great tools available to help companies connect their employees online. Many companies were already using programs like Slack which enable real-time communication and project management for teams. These programs have become even more important since the onset of COVID. They enable the virtual office to function much like it did when people were spending time together in person.

The Continuing Influence of Social Media

More people have come to rely on the opportunities afforded by social media during the COVID pandemic. 83 percent of all Canadians already have a Facebook account, among many other avenues to connect online.

Having the ability to connect with friends, loved ones, and coworkers is key to maintaining a socially and professionally rewarding life. It is hoped that people will be able to spend time together in person as the summer and fall of 2021 come about, but the population’s shift to social media will likely stay the same.

Darren and Mike remind everyone on social media to take a break and unplug from time to time. Spending too much time on social media could have negative effects on concentration and mental health. Striking the proper balance requires some practice, but it will be worthwhile in helping people organize their lives.