I. Introduction
Social networks are virtual communities that allow people to connect to other people in various ways. There are a number of social networking websites, such as Facebook and Twitter, but all pretty much use the same formula. Users can create a profile or username, broadcast status updates, share their location by checking in, join group pages and/or online organizations, or simply say what’s on their minds via update or tweet. Social networking sites have become a part of today’s society and have even helped spark political revolutions. This advancement in technology has changed the world as well as adolescent development. Children born in the 1990’s do not know a world without Internet. Although relationships are still formed in school or on the playground, these relationships are now supplemented with a virtual world with almost limitless connectivity. Youth today now use social networking to define themselves and establish their social identies. During adolescence, individuals begin to seek out who they really are by exploring different roles and identities. Social media is now another outlet in which adolescents can discover their identities through online photos, videos, groups, and websites. The wealth of information on the internet can help youth determine their interests, as well as what makes them unique --thus helping them establish their social identity. Social networking sites are also used to extend friendships that teens already have. By establishing a profile and making their interests public, youths are able to learn more about their friends and what their common interests are. Although new friendships can be formed online, teens typically use social networking to communicate with friends they’ve al...
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V. Conclusion
In conclusion, social networks can be both beneficial and detrimental to adolescent development. This can be said of many other things that happen offline as well. However, the possibility for personal and social growth that social networking can offer makes its use far more beneficial. Like schoolyard behavior, online behavior must be taught and supervised. Bullying, substance abuse, risky sexual behaviors, and depression were here long before social networking and the Internet came to be. Social networking has evolved and modernized the way youth form both relationships with others and with themselves. Because of this, parental involvement is essential in helping a child develop appropriate online behavior. Social networking is a new and permanent part of society and therefore must be embraced responsibly by adults and adolescents alike.
There are numerous studies on the impact of advancing technology on adolescents, usually leading to the conclusion that social media networks often take part in creating the teen to isolate themselves from anything other than the internet. Social media however, does allow anyone to connect to the people living on the other side of the world. It is a way to keep in touch with old friends, and meet new people no matter where they live. Social media is often used to keep up with the latest news and often informs users of what is going on before the news channels catch it. It is obvious that social media has various positive uses. While these points are important, the fact that the younger generation spends most of their time with their heads down looking at a screen rather than engaged in conversation takes precedence. An article by Morgan Hampton states that,“children and teens spend 75% of their waking lives with their eyes fixed on a screen.” Social media connects people through a screen, but cannot excuse the fact that people are being disconnected from what is right in front of
By viewing new communicative technologies from primarily dystopian technologically deterministic angles, you ultimately ignore the ways that they are actually being used by youth today. danah boyd suggests through her research that teens today are using social media to form their own publics, using sites like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, they are creating private spaces within public platforms to express themselves and continue their friendships beyond physical attachments as well as without the intrusive presence of adults. Alice Marwick offers another understanding of youth’s online activities that differ from boyd’s. Instead of social media being used exclusively as a private space for teens and their friends, Marwick discusses how social media allow average people to reach the broad audiences once available only to those with access to broadcast media (157). Kids these days, have found ways to manipulate and adapt the intentions behind these social networking sites to bend to their own wills.
There has always been controversy as to whether parents should limit the use of social media. Social media can be private, therefore parents shouldn’t limit the use by teenagers.Upsides to social media are specific interests, like-minded individuals, and provides a new tool to reach students, however there are down sides such as predators exposure to impress, and mental health care issues.Cyber-bullying just as some people are bullied in life, people are bullied online ( Caring for Kids 2 ). Talking to children about cyber-bullying can help to stopping violent or sexually explicit. Sexting is used to describe sending sexually explicit messages, photos, or videos between cell phones ( Caring for Kids 3 ) Talking about the dangers of sexting can help with anything to lead to a negative action.Online social networking can expose you to legal repurcussions ( Online Social Networking ) Being cautious about information you provide online, and make sure you’re the only one using your online identity. An Internet social network can help you find like-minded individuals ( Online Social Networking ) Social Network can help find like-minded individuals and make connections. You can use a network to promote specific interest ( Online Social Networking ) Help connect with other people who share your interest, and find resources to gather and share information. Social networking provides a new tool to reach students and audience ( Online Social Networking ) Social network makes it possible to get virtually instantaneous feedback. Teens should be allowed to use media sites ( Online Social Networking 2 ) Social networking sites are a fun way for teens to communicate, but they can also ruin reputations or expose your children to danger. Make sure...
Adolescence is a time of great change in one’s life. You are growing, not only physical, but mentally as well. You become more aware of who you are personally and are more confident in expressing your own wants and desires to others. Thomas continues this theory by stating, “identity online is about the authoring of self…becoming, belonging and behaving through a range of everyday social and discursive practices” (9). The youth of today have been able to experiment with different faucets of their identities online through social media. They are able to express their ideas and beliefs on a global scale. Not only are they able to express their own beliefs but they are able to broaden their thinking by hearing and seeing other social beliefs from around the
With the new digital age, young adults are now more than ever able to meet new people from all over the world. Also, technology has been able to bring these young adults closer to people’s lives, through the use of social media. In the
Texting, the internet, and social networking connect many people with those otherwise unavailable to them. However, the connection is less personal, and more tenuous than real social encounters. As technology advances greater numbers of teens expose themselves to risk of predation, stunted social skills, and a skewed view of the physical world. The speed of electronic communication and the abundance of readily available information are the internet’s greatest strengths and threats, many lack ability to distinguish between the fact and fiction that abounds in cyber-space. Allowing teens to find their unique identity is crucial but should not be done in a vacuum of parental supervision or genuine social interaction.
The use of social networking sites is rising at great rates. According to a report conducted by the Pew Internet & American Life Project in 2012, ninety-five percent of individuals aged 12-17 use the internet; and eighty-one percent of those use social network sites (Pew Interest). Although it is known that social media can have a useful impact on lives, often times people forget that with a positive comes a negative. The continual use of social network sites will impact teen lives more negatively than positively because they can cause huge distractions from valuable and critical pursuits like education; they can also cause mental health issues and a reduction in communication skills.
Social media can have detrimental effects on the formation of an adolescent’s identity such as social isolation meaning that the individual will spend excessive amounts of time attached to any electronics that will provide him with social media access. Social networking has been debated to have beneficial or detrimental effects, as overuse and abuse of the Internet can be harmful to someone, such as an adolescent. According to the National Crime Prevention Council, over one million teenage girls are victimized psychologically as well as physically, through social media.
This report describes the impact of social media on children, adolescents, and families. The author, O’Keeffe presents that the benefits of children and adolescents using social media; he also presents the rise of youth using social media. A few examples of the benefits include: growth of ideas, expansion of one’s online connection, and enhancement of individual and collective creativity. Some examples of the risk include: cyberbullying and online harassment, sexting, and Facebook
Besides cyberbullying, there are many other negative outcomes for American youth in the use of social media websites like Facebook. For example, many teens are using shorthand and abbreviations when writing or communicating online. Additionally, teens lose themselves in social media, ignore their surroundings and even become addicted to social media. Consequences of this include a rise in obesity, devaluation in family, lack of exercise and decrease in focus on school and homework. Adolescents that use social media more often than others are more prone to “narcissistic tendencies,” “anxiety, depression, and other psychological disorders” (Protalinski, 2011). American youth that share more online also display manic, aggressive and antisocial behaviors.
There has been controversy as to whether parents should limit the use of social media by teenagers. Teenagers feel that there is no need to limit the use of their social media networking, but on the other hand, parents should feel the need to limit their use and also keep track of their teen’s social networking. Social media allows students to be connected with their peers, teens who post positive status are more likely to be involved in extracurricular activities, and for many teens putting up “selfies” is a self confidence boost; however, too much social media can affect students GPA in school, cyber bullying can affect social health. Social media networks can give out personal information. Social media sites such as Facebook are one of the most popular social media sites that has 700,000-750,000 members joining each day.
Most common among young adults and teens, social networking plays a significant role in the social lives of adolescents. The teenage years are “a time of identity formation and role development” (Pew Internet and American Life Project 11). Online identity among friends and peers has now become as significant as one’s own personal identity, in that online information can be seen by many and online interactions have become a primary source of communication. As a result, teens tend to concentrate greatly on social life and now a majority use social networking sites and other social media as an outlet for this personal growth.
As social media use continues to increase for teenagers and young adults, so do the concerns on the social development in adolescents due to the internet. Many teens are attracted to social media because it provides a place where they can be anonymous and make friends, when at school they may be too shy to do so. In fact, a survey shows that, “participants...said they were better able to express their true selves online than offline, and they tended to project ideal qualities onto their online partners” However, when you have been given the tools and technology to maintain your lives without even speaking a word to someone face-to-face, it is anything but social. As a teen, social development is critical. During these years, a child will learn how to maintain friendships, thrive in social situations, and other important skills. When you are spending your day h...
In the twenty -first century, teenagers live in a life of social networking and life’s online. It’s hard to believe how much the world has changed over the decades, especially in technology. Technology helps people to contact relatives and friends from long distance more easily and conveniently. People can now talk to each other from everywhere in the world simply through chat and video calls. By time, internet connections have spread throughout households and social networking such as Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, and Instagram has increased gradually. However, the internet and several modern technologies have wasted many times and has hurt the society. Social media plays such a big role in people’s lives that some people couldn’t even imagine
Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest. These are only a few of the websites that have become omnipresent in the typical teenager’s life. First launched in 2004, Facebook seemed like the perfect means to connect with old friends and take part in organizations. Eleven years later, the social media industry has snowballed from its original purpose of simply a network for interaction. Most likely launched by the incredible popularity of Facebook, other networks have popped up. According to The Huffington Post, 71% of teenagers engage in more multiple social media networks, 24% of these teenagers admit to checking social media almost constantly. Scrolling, posting, and liking are actions