My View
Social media have become an integral part of peoples’ lives. Social media is a useful tool, helping people to communicate and access information, but on the other hand, there are potential risks associated with using social platforms. Due to the global use of Internet, it ubiquitous influence can be felt almost everyone. Social media affects each individual in a different way. One group of individuals which are affected the most are children and teenagers due to their undeveloped brain and high vulnerability to the influence of others.
Social media contributes to the portrayal of a negative body image for girls and boys alike. Several studies have been conducted examining the intertwined relationship between social media platforms and body concerns among young adults. A constant exposure to social networking services such as Facebook results in weight dissatisfaction among female high school students . The main reason for this is mostly appearance comparison to others (Fardously & Vartanian, 2016). People on social media usually present an idealized version of themselves and post only the most attractive pictures. Especially comparison to their peers may contribute to low confidence and negative self-attractiveness more than comparison to models and celebrities, as they are perceived as less similar (Perloff, 2014). In addition, the appearance-related content is related to the comments under one’s photo. However, girls are not the only ones feeling pressured regarding their visual appearance. Boys nowadays are also concerned about their body image. They might restrict themselves from food or even exercise excessively just so they can look closer to the “perfect” body social media portrays.
Cyberbullying has emerged as a negative consequence of social media use. It can take place on every social media platform. Cyberbullying can be defined as “an act of aggression intended to cause harm or distress” (Whittaker & Kowalski, 2015). Bullying of teens on social media is linked to the depression. Multiple studies have shown a positive correlation between bullying on social media and depression. Sixty per cent of children from the age of 10 to 17 have been experienced bullying over the Internet and social media and ninety per cent of those victims will keep the online experience to themselves (JPMorganCCCC, 2019). Therefore, it is not easy for parents to identify whether their child is being cyberbullied as well as to recognize depression. Cyberbullying is a serious concern and should be given the amount of attention it deserves.
Despite all the negative consequences social media usage is associated with, there is a bright side to it as well. One positive outcome of social media usage is that it helps to develop and maintain new relationships. Nearly 2/3 of teenagers have reported that they make new friendships through social platforms and more than ninety per cent of them use it to connect with their friends every day. Additionally, this type of media may help to understand the feelings of their peers better and create a stronger personal connection with them (Uhls, Ellison & Subrahmanyam, 2017). Another report showed that twenty five per cent of teenagers feel less lonely thanks to the interaction with others on social media (Martin, 2018).
Reasons why adolescents use different social media outlets can be explained using gratification theory. For example, Facebook is mostly used to learn about new social events and to keep-up-to-date with friends as well as activities. It fulfills a unique socialization and communication needs by allowing people to connect and share information with their peers (Quan-Haase & Young, 2010).
In conclusion, social media has both positive and negative impact on the youth. Social media platforms can serve as a great source of information and useful tool for interaction with others. However, children should be educated on the potential risks associated with being online and be given a needed support and skills in order to stay safe. It is, therefore, important to spread awareness of the negative consequences social media might bring to children’s lives.
References
Fardously, J. & Vartanian, L. R. (2016). Social media and body image concerns: Current
research and future directions. Elsevier, 9, doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2015.09.005
JPMorganCCCC (2019, March 19). Cyberbullying and Social Media. Retrieved from
Martin, N. (2018). From cyberbullying to digital addiction: How social media is affecting
teens. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com
Perloff, R. M. (2014). Social media effects on young women's body image concerns:
Theoretical perspectives and an agenda for research. Sex Roles: A Journal of
Research, 71, doi.org/10.1007/s11199-014-0384-6
Quan-Haase, A. & Young, A. L. (2010). Uses and gratifications of social media: A
comparison of Facebook and Instant Messaging. Bulletin of Science Technology
& Society, 30, doi:10.1177/0270467610380009
Uhls, Y. T., Ellison, N. B. & Subrahmanyam, K. (2017). Benefits and Costs of Social Media
in Adolescence. Pediatrics, 140, doi: 10.1542/peds.2016-1758E
Whittaker, E. & Kowalski, R. M. (2015) Cyberbullying Via Social Media, Journal of School
Violence, 14(1), doi:10.1080/15388220.2014.949377
