You may want to think twice after posting a new photo or update
to your Facebook profile. That’s because new research has found
that social media use can lower some users' sense of self-
control over their lives. "Using online social networks can have
a positive effect on self-esteem and well-being. However, these
increased feelings of self-worth can have a detrimental effect
on behavior," said researchers Keith Wilcox of Columbia
University and Andrew Stephen of the University of Pittsburgh.
"Because consumers care about the image they present to close
friends, social network use enhances self-esteem in users who
are focused on close friends while browsing their social
network. This momentary increase in self-esteem leads them to
display less self-control after browsing a social network." In
other words, social media users had more self-esteem after using
networks like Facebook. However, that momentary improvement in
self-esteem lowered their self-control and led them to indulge
in a number of negative behavi