For many American teenagers and young adults, social media is a way of life. It was found that 82% of adults aged 18-29 used some form of social media, with 67% of these saying they used Facebook more commonly (Brenner “Social Networking”). Around 67% of adults aged 18-29 using a cell phone said they accessed one or more social networking sites from the phone, meaning that their profiles are accessible at any time during the day (Brenner “Social Networking”). Social media sites are so ubiquitous that they are referenced in magazines, on TV and even in some books – they have become a part of modern life. Teenagers and young people who grew up in the social media revolution are more likely to be connected than any other age group (Brenner “Social Networking”). There are suggestions that social media websites are important places for social communications with friends, organizing events and discussing politics.
Particularly with politics, there has been shown to be a positive increase in the number of young voters due to social media usage (Brenner “Social Networking”), but there are many downsides to consistent social media usage as well. Young people (a group which form the majority of social media users) are particularly at risk of negative effects because of their close encounters with these websites.
One of the main problems with social media sites in adolescents and young people is that they can lead to bullying and a phenomenon known as ‘Facebook depression’ (O’Keeffe et al 800). From the news, it is evident that a number of young people are choosing to take their own lives as a result of the actions of some of these online bullies. O’Keeffe et al (801) found that social media sites can increase exposure to this type of bullying, but some would argue that it is only an evolution of previous bullying that has been around for decades. More importantly, there has been shown to be an increase in young people taking part in potentially dangerous ‘sexting’ and sharing intimate photos online. This can cause problems with future job hunts, embarrassment, or even lawsuits (O’Keeffe 803). Young people are also more exposed to pornographic material and inappropriate content than ever before, something which may have a negative effect on their mental health (O’Keeffe 803).
These dangerous effects are important, but there is also the fact that young people are addicted to having information and social media at their fingertips, and can become obsessed with immediate communication (Watkins 7). This leads social media websites to become the number one activity amongst young people (O’Keeffe 800) which suggests that there is less time for other things, such as exercise or real-world meetings. All this information suggests that children and young people could benefit from taking a break from social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for a number of reasons. Turning off the smartphones and laptops could have a positive effect on their mental health by removing them from the source of bullying and inappropriate imaging. Additionally, turning off devices for even a day a week could help curb the smartphone addiction and lead them to see other things outside of the world of the internet. There are suggestions that this type of action could be initially difficult for many young people who are used to being instantly connected (Watkins 15) but this does not mean that there would not be long-term benefit. Evidently, turning off the social media could make them feel removed from their own world, but doing exercise during this ‘off-time’ could bring all of the positive benefits that exercise brings, for example (O’Keeffe 802). Additionally, individuals could spend more time forging real-world connections and making friends in the old-fashioned way, something which has been shown to improve confidence and future networking (Waktins 105).
- Brenner, Joanna. “Social Networking (full Detail) | Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project.” Pew Internet. 5 Aug. 2013. Web. 7 Oct. 2013.
- O’Keeffe, Gwenn Schurgin, and Kathleen Clarke-Pearson. “The Impact of Social Media on Children, Adolescents, and Families.” Pediatrics 127.4 (2011): 800–804. pediatrics.aappublications.org. Web. 7 Oct. 2013.
- Watkins, Samuel Craig. The Young and the Digital: What the Migration to Social-network Sites, Games, and Anytime, Anywhere Media Means for Our Future. Beacon Press, 2009. Print.
