Aspiring lawyers can benefit greatly from social media as it enables them to gain further insight into the legal profession, as well as broaden their access to opportunities within the legal market. However, those who wish to pursue a career in law should be aware of the potential affects of social media.

My interest in this topic was sparked after watching the Netflix documentary, The Social Dilemma, which highlighted the detrimental affects of social media. They stated, “if you are not paying for the product, then you are the product”. This intrigued me, as it drew a clear distinction between other technology and services, and social media. When using a streaming service the consumers pay for such product, whereby such companies make their products attractive to consumers in order to make money. Contrastively, social media platforms largely earn their income through hyper-targeted advertisements. It is, therefore, unsurprising that the Chief Operating Officer of Meta has a background in advertising.

The Social Dilemma highlights a key problem regarding mental health. The American Journal of Epidemiology correlated higher social media usage with a decline in life satisfaction and mental health. It is unsurprising to me that social media would have this impact. While it provides entertainment and relaxation, it can also distort one’s perception of reality. This is particularly harmful for young people who may be influenced by warped images and marketing.

In light of the harmful affects of social media, aspiring lawyers should be mindful of their social media usage. Undoubtedly, the various social media platforms enable you to promote yourself for opportunities, as well as gain access to opportunities which can advance your legal career. Nonetheless, social media should be used with caution, for example seeing those who have qualified as lawyers by their mid-20s and achieved other milestones should not deter you. Remember, social media can distort reality and lead to unfair comparisons. Thus, utilise social media to your advantage, but do not allow the negative aspects of it discourage you from pursuing a legal career.