Is It Okay to Let Teens Use Social Media?
Digital devices play a big role in everyday life, especially for teenagers. Teens use devices to do schoolwork, connect with friends, and keep up to date on trends. This form of usage has advantages and disadvantages. It is important to consider all effects that social media can play on teens' lives.
Social Media's Role in Connection
Social media allows teens to see updates and communicate with friends and family they may not be able to see often, if at all. Even if a teen isn't physically in someone's life, a digital connection can mean a lot. Similarly, a social media presence allows them to make new friends by liking and joining groups of people who share their interests. They might get tips, inspiration, or simply talk about likes and dislikes with others who understand their excitement about certain topics.
On the flip side, social media allows teens to be seen and contacted by people they do not know, especially if their account is not private on certain sites. This opens them up to potentially interacting with someone who has the intention to hurt them in some way.
Teens can't be sure who they are talking to on the internet if they don't know them in real life. Who someone is online may not be who they are in real life. Digitally interacting with strangers opens teens up to catfishing. Catfishing is when someone creates a completely fake identity to get someone to talk to them. Unfortunately, they usually do so with a nefarious purpose, like to take money from the other person or get them to meet up in person and harm them.
Social Media's Role in Entertainment
Having access to the internet and social media allows teens to interact with trends, news, and entertainment. While this can be a great way to stay informed and pass the time, it can also present teens with content that may not be suitable for all ages. Parental blocks can be put on devices, but unfortunately, teens often find ways to bypass these locks.
Some viral trends intended for entertainment can end up being harmful if reenacted. For example, the Tide pod challenge had teens biting into Tide laundry detergent pods. This presented several health risks, as these pods have several ingredients that are unsafe for digestion.
Dangerous challenges like this one that has trended on the internet encourage acts that lead to burns, injury, and even death. The views and popularity that come along with performing these acts are what entice teens to try them. Peer pressure to seem cool or fit in because “everyone is doing it” can increase the likelihood of teens doing the challenge and coming to harm.
There is also plenty of content on social media sites that seem innocuous enough but can actually be damaging. Influencers and models are prevalent across many platforms. While these people's posts are intended for entertainment, they are curated, edited versions of their bodies and their lives. When teens view them, it can encourage comparison, shaming, and discontent. This can lead to mental health disorders and other related problems.
Social Media's Role in Education
Social media can be used to view educational content or join groups that offer suggestions in specific areas. Facebook, for example, has a magnitude of community groups like those for certain games, lifestyles, or geographical regions.
These groups allow teens to be a part of a community that can help them with questions or suggestions. This can be helpful, as other members can use personal experience to help in making a decision or get a different outlook on a situation. There are also different pages and people individuals can follow who are trained professionals in their field. Some pages are dedicated to teaching people and helping the public to understand what they do and how they can help. Other pages house science experiments in a controlled and professional setting in the hopes of enlightening the viewer.
Unfortunately, the internet and social media are also saturated with people who don't have the proper credentials to make informed suggestions or provide accurate information. Teens can be misled or ill-advised on many things. Whether they're taking advice from someone ranting on Facebook, using community-made pages like Wikipedia or Reddit as fact, or falling for schemes based on made-up problems, teens and internet “education” often don't mix.
Social Media's Role in Mental Health
Teens who spend an abundant amount of time on their smartphones are more likely to develop a mental illness such as depression.
Young people are subject to varying societal expectations and pressures that are only heightened with their use of social media. They can see what society wants and expects of someone their age. Perhaps they see someone their age accomplishing much more than they are and start to compare themselves to others.
These expectations can lead to body dysmorphia because they don't look like them, depression because they don't have the same things as them, anxiety because they feel like they are falling behind others their age, and/or social media disorder through their inability to limit time on social media sites and apps.
If you know of a teen who engages in problematic social media use, contact Next Level Recovery. We can provide more information, support, and clarity about teen social media use.
Social media works to connect people and provide entertainment but can also be a daunting and negative place. As parents or adults in a teen's life, helping your teen navigate social media, or even determining whether they should have access to it in the first place, can feel like a huge burden. We live in a world where your teen is expected to be a part of certain apps to fit in. However, as a parent or guardian, you must determine if social media is the best thing for them. If you do allow them access, do you know what precautions and lessons you should teach them before they can use it? Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL, Next Level Recovery Associates can help in your research into social media use and misuse. For more information, email us at consult@nextlevelra.com today.