In a world filled with online connections and virtual realities, it seems like the populace would enjoy the privilege of getting to present oneself in their own way, to craft their identities and shape people’s perception of them. As appealing as that proposition sounds, research is beginning to show another reality, one much darker and more pervasive is realized. Social media has been raised on a pedestal of glory, being flaunted as a way to connect with the world, to interact with more people faster and with more control than ever before. However, contrary to expectations, social media has turned into a virtual monster. It influences all aspects of its users lives, driving them to be more: more connected, yet independent, more beautiful,
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(Info-security magazine.com) It is in to this increasingly dangerous environment that children are being exposed. When youth act as independent adults, they expose themselves to a variety of threats and unintended consequences. Among the most prevalent of these is sexting. Sexting is “the action of sending sexually revealing pictures…or sexually explicit messages to another individual or group” (Huffington post) A nationwide survey found that twenty percent of teenagers were participating in sexting, and seventeen percent of those individuals shared the messages or images with other people. The ramifications of this are alarming, it results in the tarnishing of the victim’s reputation and can even present a threat to their life, as many victims contemplate suicide. Another common issue issue is the issue of “Facebook Depression.” Defined as “emotional disturbance that develops when preteens and teens spend a great deal of time on social media sites,” (huffington post) it is caused by the comparisons of individuals to other people on the site. When this occurs, the individuals feel inferior to others and this degrades their self esteem and outlook on life. Perhaps the worst consequence of youth putting their information online is the potential exposure they get to those who would exploit their bodies for profit, human traffickers. According to a report by Mark Latonero, done one the role of social networking cites in human trafficking online, between 12 and 27 million individuals were victims of trafficking, with the vast majority of these cases being sex trafficking. (Europa.eu) The rise of these issues in conjunction raises serious questions as to were the issue came from and why the parents of the victim didn’t play a greater role in preventing
(Info-security magazine.com) It is in to this increasingly dangerous environment that children are being exposed. When youth act as independent adults, they expose themselves to a variety of threats and unintended consequences. Among the most prevalent of these is sexting. Sexting is “the action of sending sexually revealing pictures…or sexually explicit messages to another individual or group” (Huffington post) A nationwide survey found that twenty percent of teenagers were participating in sexting, and seventeen percent of those individuals shared the messages or images with other people. The ramifications of this are alarming, it results in the tarnishing of the victim’s reputation and can even present a threat to their life, as many victims contemplate suicide. Another common issue issue is the issue of “Facebook Depression.” Defined as “emotional disturbance that develops when preteens and teens spend a great deal of time on social media sites,” (huffington post) it is caused by the comparisons of individuals to other people on the site. When this occurs, the individuals feel inferior to others and this degrades their self esteem and outlook on life. Perhaps the worst consequence of youth putting their information online is the potential exposure they get to those who would exploit their bodies for profit, human traffickers. According to a report by Mark Latonero, done one the role of social networking cites in human trafficking online, between 12 and 27 million individuals were victims of trafficking, with the vast majority of these cases being sex trafficking. (Europa.eu) The rise of these issues in conjunction raises serious questions as to were the issue came from and why the parents of the victim didn’t play a greater role in preventing