LISTEN | Is your social media use becoming a problem?

The national lockdown has seen a marked increase in social media use among South Africans. The restrictions have led to people interacting and keeping themselves busy by tweeting, liking, commenting, sharing and being much more active on social media. Since the Covid-19 pandemic started, these social media platforms have also highlighted a few behavioural changes such as social media users practising healthy eating and exercising on Instagram. There has also been a surge in arguments and debates trending on Twitter, binge watching of videos and consumption of content on YouTube. Senior lecturer in Psychology at Rhodes University Dr Liezille Jacobs says the sudden increase in social media activity lies in people's desperate need to socialise, as we are all social creatures by nature.