With
the increase of technology and social platforms, more teens are getting
connected, which leads to an alarming increase of time spent online. The more
teens use social media, the more addicted they become, which means more harm
than good can happen.
According
to a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center in March two years ago, 97% of
13 to 17-year-olds use at least one of seven major online platforms, with 45%
of U.S. teens agreeing they are online “almost constantly.”
It is not a surprise that teens are becoming
more connected. With current technological advances and the increasing
accessibility of the internet, social media has become a part of the daily
routine for most. Smartphones make it increasingly easy to access platforms at
any time of the day, and most use social media to communicate with others
without meeting them physically. This makes social media addicting because it
allows users to connect with ease at their own comfort.
Teenagers
are exposed to more as they increase their use of social media, and the content
they are exposed to may not always be beneficial. There is highly explicit
content ranging in multiple topics that are not suitable for a younger
audience. As teenagers grow increasingly dependent on social media, there are
higher risks of exposing them to this content. Take Youtube, for example.
Youtube is a platform where many creators make content for others to view.
One
of the biggest influencers on this platform is Logan Paul, who has an audience
primarily consisting of younger teens. In 2018, Paul released a video in which
he showed a blurred corpse of someone who committed suicide in Aokigahara
Forest in Japan. This video garnered over six million views before it was taken
down. After the backlash Paul received, there were many younger viewers who
came to his defense, calling his actions a “mistake.” This not only shows the
exposure of mature content to young audiences, but also makes it seem that
these actions are justified, which they should not be.
Advocates
of increased use of social media among teens say that social media makes it
easier for teens to communicate with others. Teens mainly use social media,
specifically texting, to communicate with their friends. According to a report
from Common Sense Media, “Convenience is the main reason why teens prefer
texting, with 30% saying that they prefer it because it’s the quickest, and 23%
because it’s the easiest way to get in touch with one another.” This, however,
is difficult for some as most of the people around them are constantly
connected to their phones. This can lead to tension in their relationships
because both parties are constantly on technology, and lead the other one to do
the same just to communicate.
There
should be a way for teenagers to lessen their time on social media. One way
could be meeting each other physically more rather than talking on their
phones. Meeting other people and talking to them in person could both reduce
social media intake as well as help teens interact with others.
Though
social media has become an integral part of the daily lives of teens, the
excessive use of social media can be harmful to today’s youth, so there needs
to be a way to decrease social media use as a whole before others get addicted.
A
Guest Editorial