Negative Impact of Social Media on Youth: Protection as a Solution

Life online is a huge part of adolescent's activity, present-day teenagers are figuring out how to do the greater part of their correspondence while solely taking a gander at a screen, not someone else. Teens are now spending hours on end aimlessly browsing between social media platforms causing them to invest quite a bit of their energy watching the lives and pictures of their peers. Overexposure to social media its a negative impact of social media on youth, this essay stated that this imoact can lead to feelings of depression, poor body image, and loneliness. Because social media often has an adverse impact on the mental health and well-being of teens, we must create separate teen-specific platforms for communication, monitor teen’s internet use and implement social media etiquette courses in schools.

Online life’s negative impacts are not obscure. Unfortunately, young people have assumed the utilization of internet-based life to degrees that if not observed or limited, can have some extremely serious consequences for their general prosperity. Teenagers particularly are vulnerable to potential mischief presented by online networking utilization. These negative effects of web-based life, if not perceived early on and taken care of properly, can be dangerous to the wellbeing and mental health of these adolescents. Teenagers are becoming increasingly depressed trying to keep up with their cyber mutuals. Time after time than we see social media unleash devastation on teens. Whether it be through cyberbullying, lowered self-esteem, depression, social isolation, or online addiction. Its effects are striking and vast. Young people are contrarily being affected by the approvals they seek from online correspondence. It is the role of parents to be informed about how their teen is engaging with the online world. By adopting three solutions which consist of; monitoring teen’s internet use, creating separate teen-specific platforms for communication, and implementing social media etiquette courses in schools. Parents and adults can always ensure their teenagers’ safety online without eliminating social media for their teens all together.

Monitoring teen’s usage of social media will help to eliminate a lot of the stress many adolescents carry, and in turn prevent depression, anxiety, and even suicidal thoughts. An inquiry that most guardians battle with eventually is: would it be advisable for me to screen my kid's action via social networking? For security, it's critical to monitor what teens are stating, sharing, and doing via web-based networking media. With applications intended to assist families with remaining safe, checking teens' online exercises is a simple way to ensure teenager's wellbeing at all times. Many adolescents are reluctant to divulge their problems with parents. Teens can attempt to hush up about it and oversee it all alone and can immediately become overpowered and disturbed. It's essential to ensure that teens aren't being focused on or bothered by anybody on the web or through their Cellular devices. By setting time aside to review teen communications via social networking media, parents will be able to distinguish cases of potential misuse. It is also important that “Parents should consider installing apps that limit time spent on smartphones and that limit teens to one social-media site”. Monitoring the use of social media is relatively easy and cost-free. This can be done by simply following teen’s social media accounts while staying up to date with all posted statuses and pictures. Parents who want a more in-depth look might take to Confiscating teen’s phones at night to do a more thorough review of who their teen interacting with.

Likewise, having great habits, keeping up solid morals and utilizing social devices in manners that advantage both teens and their group of spectators is imperative to online success. By implementing social media etiquette courses in schools, students will have a clear understanding of online do’s and don'ts as well as access to informed adults who can help direct their social footprint. Each year Students in 6th-12th grade will partake in a 6-week course that will provide the framework for tackling social media. In this course, students will learn the proper ways to conduct themselves online. The lessons taught in the 6- week social media intensive are intended to serve as important life skills that will follow students well through adulthood. Most teen’s daily interactions are happening over the internet. According to David Pough “Young people who spend lots of time online are, in essence, replacing in-person social interactions with these online exchanges. With so much less experience conversing in the real world, they haven't picked up on the value of treating people civilly”. By incorporating social media etiquette in the classroom setting, students will not only learn how to properly interact with peers online but face to face as well. The course will teach students to think before posting, effectively represent themselves online, navigate through social media hate, and to use social media tools with purpose. Social media etiquette courses will take an active role in starting the conversations and guiding teenagers into better managing and using social media.

Lastly, creating a teen-specific social media application will allow for a more controlled platform for adolescents to freely express themselves. The continuous torment of meeting society’s standards of perfection often wears away at teens. A study, published by the Association for Psychological Science found 'social media use was significantly correlated with depressive symptoms among girls”. With a large number of youth engaged in social media activity, they are exposed to explicit images and post daily. These posts are often harmful to the body image ideals of teens who in turn struggle with self-esteem issues. The constant access to the false imagery social media displays has toxic effects on teens. With the implementation of a social media application exclusively catered to teens, they will be able to candidly convey their thoughts and feelings under the watchful eye of an adult. When teens make this account, a parent will have an account with full access to their child’s profile which will include messaging, status updates, screen time reports, and flags all alarming content to your phone. Teens will be able to connect and post all their own content whatever it may be in a safe and secure environment. Parents will be able to feel comfortable with their child’s social media interactions. Teens will be able to have an open dialogue amongst themselves in an age-appropriate way and parents will be secure in their child’s internet access. With the frequent misuse of social media, it is important to stay on top of teen’s exposure to social media. With a separate application for teen’s use, they will be able to enjoy a judgment-free social network zone.

While many see teenage social media use as unpredictable and potentially harmful, others contend platforms like YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and others have a positive influence on adolescents. Social media allows young people to partake in interactivity with youth who have the same interest, hobbies, and backgrounds they do. These associations bring them to feel approved and secure in their identity. Adolescents are discovering support through online networks that offer help for issues tormenting them. For example, Teenagers battling with issues like dietary problems and mental health presently can discover help and interact online with other teens facing similar challenges while never leaving their homes. This is particularly useful for teenagers in little networks or provincial territories where assets might be constrained. However, this is not always the case it is of vital importance teens have the proper supervision of a parent or designated guardian when interacting online. Connecting with strangers over the web is unsafe and leaves users in potential danger whether it be physical or emotional. Online networking can be an incredible apparatus whenever utilized accurately, however as a rule, teens abuse and misuse it. Teens should never use social media without the supervision of an adult. Negative impact of social media on teenager usually hidden. Teenagers often unknowingly put themselves at risk by way of social media, that’s why it's up to caretakers to ensure teenagers are having appropriate and meaningful interactions on the net.

Web-based life is and will keep on being, hurtful, except if something is done about it. The power it has over teens is risky and frequently goes unnoticed. in the event teens are given no guidelines or regulations on how to conduct themselves via web-based networking media, the repercussions will continue to be detrimental to adolescents. Parents must correct the dangerous habits their teens have formed online. With the implementation of teen-specific social media apps, phone and social media monitoring, as well as social media etiquette courses teens will be less prone to negativity on the internet and will no longer jeopardize their mental health. Parents will ultimately reduce the impact of social media on youth well-being.

Work Cited

• Grandstaff, Jacob. 'Excessive Screen Time Contributes to Suicide-Related Outcomes in Teens.' Gale Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection, Gale, 2019. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, https://tsuhhelweb.tsu.edu:2625/apps/doc/AVMCWT471532885/OVIC?u=txshracd2575&sid=OVIC&xid=7273bfa4. Accessed 6 Dec. 2019. Originally published as 'iGeneration teens facing deadly consequences for overuse of electronic media,' Washington Examiner, 8 Dec. 2017.
• Pogue, David. 'Whatever happened to online etiquette?' New York Times, 14 Dec. 2006, p. 0(L). Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, https://tsuhhelweb.tsu.edu:2625/apps/doc/A155898940/OVIC?u=txshracd2575&sid=OVIC&xid=9ad9174f. Accessed 7 Dec. 2019.
• 'Teens constantly connected, increasingly unhappy.' Philadelphia Inquirer [Philadelphia, PA], 5 Sept. 2017. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, https://tsuhhelweb.tsu.edu:2625/apps/doc/A503352293/OVIC?u=txshracd2575&sid=OVIC&xid=fe13b5fb. Accessed 6 Dec. 2019.