How Social Media Affects Adolescents

The topic I chose for my research paper focuses on Social Media Marketing. Social Media is the biggest form of communication now a days. It hasn’t only changed the way people interact with each other, but also the way companies communicate. “What are companies doing to teenagers through technology?” Additionally, technology has become part of our everyday life and how we do things. Not only has social media made things easier for numerous people, but it has brought money to many hands.

Social media has been known to help students develop important knowledge and social skills. “At first glance this may seem like a waste of time; however it also helps students to develop important knowledge and social skills, and be active citizens who create and share content.” (Chen 3). The more time teens spend on social media the more they become aware of their own social side and how to interact with others, especially their peers. “Some types of social media has beneficial effects, like helping adolescents establish some sense of identity and build networking skills” (Riley Davis). Too much time being spent on social media can also exploit teens to some harsh realities that they’ve probably never experienced in their lives before.

The use of social media is becoming a daily task in our society, notably among these teenage girls. It is popping up everywhere. Today, websites like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, etc., are all actively used by adolescents. Our generation of kids is absorbed

About how many kids currently have cell phones? Some people believe that kids don't need a cell phone. Others think that kids do need a cellphone. The use of cell phones by adolescents poses many challenges and benefits.

Today teens spend more time on their phones than doing anything else. “Teenagers on average spend eight hours or more on their devices” (Ashely M). Teens carry their smartphones everywhere. It has become somewhat of an obsession which is causing isolation amongst the youth. Because of this new founded isolation teens are unable to hold functional face to face conversations with others. With social media being one of the fastest growing form of communication teens no longer need face to face interactions to meet people. Although teens can communicate with people all over the world, when it comes to meeting people in person it becomes difficult. Shelby Snider author of “The Effect of Social Networking on Teenager Communication has found that “teens are losing their ability to read nonverbal cues from other people” (Snider). This inability to detect social cues causes a lack of positive communication skills in teens. Basic communication starts by being able to read facial expressions, understanding emotions and body language. If unable to understand these social cues teens might not be able to respond appropriately in a social setting, which can cause them to feel lonely and out of place. Not to mention “Those who disliked personal communication were more likely to use socially interactive technologies.” (Nielsen). Teens who are shy or antisocial rather hide behind the wall of the internet than speak out in public. Today’s youth is so using to being known as a screen name they have become accustomed to life on social media. It has become easier to pick up a smart phone and send a message, instead of going out to meet someone. Because of this, teenagers live in a bubble where it is just them their phones and their bedroom.

In the article there are many staggering facts about how often social media sites are used and what adolescents are using them for. The article estimates that 11-18-year olds spend up to 11 hours a day on the social media sites and exposed to media via electronics. It is estimated that approximately 73% of adolescents are on social networking sites whether they meet the age restriction or not. The young people’s parents are following the footsteps of them by starting to use the sits they see the adolescents on after the adolescents have started using it, this is a parallel to what was expected since these sites were originally adult oriented and created for an older audience. A majority of young people will wake up and check their social media profiles as well as check them again before going to bed at night.

Some of the top benefits of social media over the years are that it is free to anyone, the content can get out to resources virtually immediately, and it can be delivered to a wide variety of people. For these reasons, communication through social media has become an extremely accessible and convenient way to communicate. It is also popular for those who need to be in contact with others. One example that comes to mind is a teenager who goes away on a trip to visit a friend or family. They can be hundreds of miles away but still talk to their parents as if they weren’t. Another example is a person who is shy and has a hard time making friends face-to-face, social media sites are a great way to meet people and build relationships.

Social media sites allow millions of people to interact with friends,family and anyone around the world. A large portion of social media users are teenagers; researchers and parents both believe that social media is having a multitude of possible effects on teenagers. This literature review will analyze research of the positive and negative effects social media are having on today’s impressionable youth. Much of the research focuses on the age range of 10-16 from well-to-do families and college students. Understanding the online environment that teenagers live in can help parents relate to their children and teach then about the dangers and benefits of being on the Internet.

Social media contribute enormously an extremely significant role in the lives of youths. In addition, youths can either real risks or opportunities from social media. The risks are not rooted in technology but issues regarding the youths’ social and personal development. It is imperative that youths are guided so that they develop appropriate skills as well as the resilience required to navigate social media opportunities and risks. Peer groups should be given the opportunity to develop and negotiate shared comprehension of reasonable and safe online behavior patterns.

The use of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat comes as naturally as breathing to teens nowadays. But for some users, these online networking services are deemed to be so addicting, that it affects their cognitive function during the day, and ability to get an acceptable amount of sleep each night. When a person doesn’t achieve a proper amount of sleep, it substantially alters their health. Lack of sleep can cause fatigue, forgetfulness, weight loss or gain, serious health problems, and cognitive function (“10 Things” 1). As a result, social media affects it’s users in more ways than they may realize. While one may be going about their day, they may be unable to communicate and function as well as they would like. This can cause interference with schooling, socializing, and the capability to work efficiently. An addictive amount of social media use can ultimately lead to severe health issues that go beyond mental health. Heart disease, heart attack, heart failure, stroke, and diabetes are all common health problems that chronic sleep loss can lead to (“10 Things” 1). If users formed a habit of putting down their technology devices and began to communicate with people face-to-face, these chronic and mental health problems can be avoided. Communicating in person has become such a rarity today unless a job or college class forces people to. And in some cases, people are even encouraged to communicate online. This comes with a price, because when the mass of people are

The internet has revolutionized the way of communicating. Social media has transformed the way of expressing ideas, sharing feelings, and relating to people. While young people are more connected online than ever, they were never more socially disconnected with each other. Because of the emotionless nature of the Net young people shut down and are left dumbfounded when confronted with real-life events in the classroom and over social activities. As a result, teenagers long for real-life interactions and meaningful life experiences without knowing where to begin.

With the creation of computers, cell phones and other handheld devices, we have benefited from the information that can be accessed nearly anywhere. Some from as old as teens to young adults have been empowered by the ways to express themselves and interact with one another in the digital realm. Whether it be through social media, video games, or a forum for their favorite comic or character, one can talk about anything on the web. However, the way we interact with technology can also hurt us by distracting us from the real world. Despite its usefulness in today 's society, technology can cause for us to be distracted and form various bad habits.

Everyday there are 400 million Instagram users (Smith), 18.7 billion texts sent (Burke), and over 8 billion phone checks (Eadicicco). Social media has become a prevalent aspect of our day. With this ever-growing force taking up such a large part of our lives, it is no wonder parents ask the question that’s on all of our minds: What impact does technology, and more specifically social media, have on teenage development?

ocial media sites are described as rapidly growing platforms of user-generated content: digital images, videos, and blogs. They encompass a vast majority of contemporary websites and serve as a place to divulge in interesting discussion, reconnect with past friends or family, and even serve as footholds for important parts of one’s life through posted content. Social media sites are sitting on their throne in the fast-paced world of instant communication. However, it is also for this reason of mass communication that bring about the detriments of social media. They can often influence younger minds, specifically teenagers, into partaking in drug abuse through several forms. It is an unfortunate fact that teenagers are exposed to this type of social peer-pressure daily, through a variety of sources such as their favorite music artists. In fact, most modern day “rappers”, consistently post self-glorifying images of themselves smoking marijuana. The social environment of open drug use and advertising on social media sites plays a major component in the recent trends of drug abuse present in teenagers aged 12-17 in the United States through various influences.

It isn’t a bad thing sharing a couple of pictures of our favorite moments, or those selfies that make us popular with friends; the ones that help us gain followers. Or using it for the right reason of communicating with family all over the world and meeting new friends abroad. But don’t you think that users such as teenagers in specific take advantage of what social media is actually for. At times parents are confused because they think that their child is using Facebook for the connection of their loved ones, or even group chats that are meant for positive feedback. Realistically we all know that isn’t the case. Because deep inside your child’s room you can find messages that were meant for sharing of their personal self. In this case sexting. Another ruining is the destruction of family relationships, where physically your child may be present, but mentally are not. And what about your teenage daughter that is old enough to maneuver herself when driving, so you think. Do you think she is focused on the road, or on that bright blue screen that teenagers like to call, “my baby”. At times we may feel that social media might be the right thing for us. Or that it might affect us in more positive ways rather than in negative ways, but although technology may be the best source for connecting distinct cultures and societies in ways that seemed impossible before, technology also fails miserably to an extent where messages that were meant for positive feedback have turned into