Social Media's Impact on Teens

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Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are only a few of the most common words used in today’s language among children, teens and adults. Such words can be described as popular terms related to what many of us know as social media. In today’s culture, many teenagers rely so heavily on the usage of social media that issues once thought to be revolutionary are now taking place offline and online. In fact, several cases of mental addictions, depression and even suicide have all stemmed from the initial usage of sites such as Facebook, which are otherwise socially accepted as a simple means of communicating with “friends.” While social media does have its advantages, it can also be held responsible for several negative events in the lives of today’s teenagers.
One main contributor to the extensive growth in social media amongst teens is the increase in production and demand for devices such as iPhones and tablets. Electronic devices such as these allow teens and people of all ages to socialize with others quickly over the internet on social networking sites. Attachment and dependency on these devices has even lead to much of our generation’s social and emotional developmental patterns. While cell phones have been shown to improve certain situations in emergencies, they cause anxiety. Recent studies have shown that “people who are anxious and socially insecure use Facebook more… probably because those who are anxious find it easier to communicate via social media than face-to-face” (Fitzgerald, 2012). Therefore, Facebook and other forms of social sites meant to connect and establish a better form of communication are actually doing the opposite they were intended to do: to create and a establish a more stable and effective way of dealing wit...

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...y, but at the same time those receiving the image have the ability to screenshot (the act of taking a picture from one’s phone screen), and keep or share that image with others. Sexting in general is a problem that many teens face, and with the use of Snapchat as a form of social netoworking the problem seems to be only growing in severity (Bromfield, 2013).
In the end, social networking is the act of expanding one’s social circle by connecting other individuals, specifically in relation with the use of the Internet. It is rather common to find individuals of all ages using social sites to stay in-contact with others. While many can argue that social networking is more beneficial for teens, studies prove that the use of such forms of communication can negatively affect the lives of teens anywhere through its ability to create interpersonal and intrapersonal trials.

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