Is social media hurting or helping youth?

“Social media is training us to compare our lives instead of appreciating everything we are. No wonder why everyone is always depressed.” Bill Murray. What is the definition of social media and how is it hurting or helping youth? First to answer this question, I have to look at both the positive and negative impact of social media on our youth. “Social media is computer-based technology that facilitates the sharing of ideas, thoughts, and information through the building of virtual networks and communities.” Social media plays an important role in our daily lives and how we integrate or communicate, because nowadays it’s pretty much just clicking one button to connect with others, and through interactivity we can share or exchange ideas, and information. Furthermore, it allows us to make new friends, and find old friends by simply searching their names….however, as the vogue of social media keeps on growing, there is a mixed feeling of how social media will influence our youth, so the great question is social media hurting or helping the youth?

The use of social media has various advantages such as the ability to connect, share ideas, and information. As Jill Walker stated in chapter one, “with digital cameras, smart phones and social media it is easier to create and share our self-representations” ……. “Social media is about communication with others, but we should be equally aware of how we use social media to reflect upon ourselves”. As the availability of technology increased, social media has become a useful tool, but only very few people know how to use it properly. Furthermore, as the evolution of technology continues, also social media evolves and expands into all over the world. Currently, there are more than four billion social media users around the world, and it’s very popular among youth. For this reason, many parents including myself are worried about how exposure to technology and social media is affecting and hurting teens and youth development. Many parents aren’t aware of the fact that there are hardly any principles or regulations to abide to when it comes to social media, and for this reason many younger teens are exposed to many terrible contents such as violence, and nudism. A survey conducted by different hospitals discovered that social media impacted the health and wellbeing of young teens. Social medias like snapchat, Facebook and Instagram all led to many consequences like increase of depression, anxiety and feeling loneliness. Social media is hurting our youth more than it’s helping. For instance, younger teens are becoming more destructive and unsupportive. They’re lacking and losing significant skills, such as the skills to socialize, interact, and integrate.

Conclusion, I’m not here to judge nor discourage anyone from using social media, it’s at the discretion of the person who intent to use. Social media is a great toll and it offers many advantages such as, it allows to communicate, and make new friends; However, decreased of sociability, stress, anxiety and exposure to horrible contents such violence and nudism are some risk that social media users need to be cautious. Lastly, in order to minimize the risks associated with social media, parents should have an open conversation with their teens about social media safety. We should teach our youth how to use social media safely and responsible. Albert Einstein once said “I fear the day that technology will surpass our human interaction. The world will have a generation of idiots.”