Social Media: the Solution or the Problem?
Many parents are worried about their child’s early exposure to technology. Toddlers are glued to their iPads, and 7-year-olds have their own phones. But what about teenagers? Teenagers are old enough to understand; they won’t spend all their time online. Almost all teens have their own phone, and they are nearly guaranteed to have a social networking account. Most teens do spend all of their time online, usually on their social media account. From the first social media site created, to Snapchat and Instagram today, social media addiction has been negatively affecting teenagers’ physical and mental health.
Although social media may seem like a modern tool for the younger generation, sites like …show more content…
This early exposure can affect how teens develop. Experts worry that “...the social media and the text messages that have become so integral to teenage life are promoting anxiety and lowering self-esteem” (Ehmke). People use social media for many reasons, including to stay in touch with friends and family, to stay up-to-date with news and current events, and to fill up spare time. Some other reasons people use networking sites are to find funny or entertaining content, share information, opinions, photos, and videos, and to meet new people (Geoff). Geoff, who writes about social media in his article, says, “Most of the top reasons are all linked to ‘passive networking,’ which means that users come to social media to consume content rather than actively contribute” (Geoff). Accessing social networking sites is so easy today; with the click of a mouse or the touch of a phone, a person can communicate with millions of users halfway across the world. Social media allows users to talk to and share things with one another without even leaving their beds. The effortless satisfaction involved when it comes to social media is what makes it a point of interest for not only teens, but also adults. This makes it very easy to become addicted. Social media addiction is a massive problem, that people don’t really believe is an issue (Elgan). All over the world, users are addicted to networking sites and don’t even know it. While …show more content…
One of the major problems of networking sites are that they can make people compare themselves to the people they see online. They might start to think less of their own lives. Users get to choose what part of themselves to display to the world on social media, and they may choose to show the fun and exciting part of their lives. This can cause people to become withdrawn and lonely. Teenagers also might become friends with individuals they don’t know very well or at all, and this presents the risk of teens being influenced by the wrong people. Even kids who are younger than teens are very much in danger from being affected by social media. Some potential problems posed by social media include “...cyber-bullying, sexting, and exposure to inappropriate content” (O’Keeffe, Clarke-Pearson). There is no limit to the things kids can see online. And there is no limit to what they can post. Social media shares a lot of sometimes private information, and that information can fall into the wrong hands. Most of all, social media provides an alternative to having face-to-face conversations. People can communicate with others without even leaving their homes. Human interaction plays an immense role in feelings of happiness and relaxation. It is vital to human health, both physically and mentally. Social media diminishes the need for actually talking to someone. Why
Many parents are worried about their child’s early exposure to technology. Toddlers are glued to their iPads, and 7-year-olds have their own phones. But what about teenagers? Teenagers are old enough to understand; they won’t spend all their time online. Almost all teens have their own phone, and they are nearly guaranteed to have a social networking account. Most teens do spend all of their time online, usually on their social media account. From the first social media site created, to Snapchat and Instagram today, social media addiction has been negatively affecting teenagers’ physical and mental health.
Although social media may seem like a modern tool for the younger generation, sites like …show more content…
This early exposure can affect how teens develop. Experts worry that “...the social media and the text messages that have become so integral to teenage life are promoting anxiety and lowering self-esteem” (Ehmke). People use social media for many reasons, including to stay in touch with friends and family, to stay up-to-date with news and current events, and to fill up spare time. Some other reasons people use networking sites are to find funny or entertaining content, share information, opinions, photos, and videos, and to meet new people (Geoff). Geoff, who writes about social media in his article, says, “Most of the top reasons are all linked to ‘passive networking,’ which means that users come to social media to consume content rather than actively contribute” (Geoff). Accessing social networking sites is so easy today; with the click of a mouse or the touch of a phone, a person can communicate with millions of users halfway across the world. Social media allows users to talk to and share things with one another without even leaving their beds. The effortless satisfaction involved when it comes to social media is what makes it a point of interest for not only teens, but also adults. This makes it very easy to become addicted. Social media addiction is a massive problem, that people don’t really believe is an issue (Elgan). All over the world, users are addicted to networking sites and don’t even know it. While …show more content…
One of the major problems of networking sites are that they can make people compare themselves to the people they see online. They might start to think less of their own lives. Users get to choose what part of themselves to display to the world on social media, and they may choose to show the fun and exciting part of their lives. This can cause people to become withdrawn and lonely. Teenagers also might become friends with individuals they don’t know very well or at all, and this presents the risk of teens being influenced by the wrong people. Even kids who are younger than teens are very much in danger from being affected by social media. Some potential problems posed by social media include “...cyber-bullying, sexting, and exposure to inappropriate content” (O’Keeffe, Clarke-Pearson). There is no limit to the things kids can see online. And there is no limit to what they can post. Social media shares a lot of sometimes private information, and that information can fall into the wrong hands. Most of all, social media provides an alternative to having face-to-face conversations. People can communicate with others without even leaving their homes. Human interaction plays an immense role in feelings of happiness and relaxation. It is vital to human health, both physically and mentally. Social media diminishes the need for actually talking to someone. Why