The Dark and Light Side of Social Media

In the span of a few short years, social media has completely changed our culture in ways we couldn’t have imagined. It’s a news source. It’s how we stay in touch with our family and friends. It’s entertainment. It’s how we discover new products and services. And get this: The average amount of time Americans spend on social media is now coming in at a whopping 145 minutes every day. That’s more than 36 days a year. Given that we’re clocking in that much time on social media, it’s worth taking a closer look not only at what social media has become in our society and role it’s playing in our daily lives, but also its lighter and darker sides. Join associate professor of marketing Michael Myers as he examines the opportunities social media affords us along with the darker side of social media’s impact on all of our lives. “I know for a fact that there are many positive aspects of social networking, but I also know there are some serious downsides that warrant our attention and our scrutiny,” Myers says. “Issues like misinformation, mental health, cyberbullying and ironically, even social isolation along with many other problems have now surfaced. Despite the positives of social media, expect to be surprised by just how dark social media can be.”

Two Zoom sessions
Mon., Mar. 20, 27, 2023, 6:30-8:30 pm MT

Michael Myers is the academic director and associate professor for the Department of Marketing at the University of Denver’s Daniels College of Business. He has 18 years of experience in digital marketing and has been consulting for the past 12 years—creating value for clients such as Intuit, Tory Burch and Sony.