Teens and Social Media

My Personal Views of Social Media and Teens

Before reading the article and watching the video, I felt that social media can be negative for teens in some ways. Cyber bullying is one of my biggest concerns, because in the media we’re seeing more of this happening through social media outlets. Another thing that makes me feel uptight about social media is sexual predators. Teens love to take selfies and post them. You never know what pervert or sex trader is on the prowl. I would just recommend cautiousness to teens as their posting, and recommend that they shouldn’t friend everyone on these social outlets. Teens should be able to make friends in the real world and not just social media. They need to be able to relate to people in person.

Teenagers and Social Media

Teenagers have different views of social media as well. The majority see social media as a way to build confidence within themselves by sharing selfies. Boys and girls both compete for attention. Some teens may feel pressure if they don’t measure up to the looks and likes of other teens. Teenagers are able to develop awareness of things going on around them in society and the world. For sheltered children, the media may be a good outlet for for them to learn things about the world. Teenagers can gain many friends and social support from the media. By interacting with other teenagers, literacy skills, reading and writing are all increased. Media can inspire in positive ways to be like someone we admire. Teenagers keep their fine motor skill and coordination shaped up by using social media and video games. Some teenagers may not be able to distinguish between fantasy and reality through video games. Sex presented in the media can confuse teenagers. They may be taught one way at home, then the media shows and tells them something different. Too much social media can cause low scores in school and obesity.

How Parents Should View Social Media and Their Teen

I believe parents should be aware of the risks and benefits that social media has on their teens. Parents should be able to communicate about social media with their teen. They should have strategies that will help their teen be responsible while using social media. As long as parents have limits and strategies to keep their teen safe while using social media, I think the use of social media would be beneficial to teenagers.

Reference

Three Things That All Social Networks Have in Common. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.business2community.com/social-media/three-things-that-all-social-networks-have-in-common-0566559