We live in a world of technology nowadays, in which we depend on online services in order to get our work done. For example, the things we have once done without the Internet are now mostly done online such as shopping, researching, and communicating with people. We also derive our source for entertainment online primarily such as watching online videos and show, and searching for cool and fun websites. Finally, we have accepted the fact that our online habits and presence is just as importance as it is in our real lives. Therefore, technology has greatly affected the way we live our lives in the 21st century.
One way in which the Internet affects our lives is that it influences the growth and development of children nowadays. Children today are very different from the children of the past generations because they have grown up in a time wherein the use of social media is very prominent in society, to the point that some children are expected to have some accounts as well. Since a majority of the population own at least one social media accounts, it can be said that nowadays children are more exposed to social media than ever before. Thus, more knowledgeable of how the Internet works compared to the other generations.
With the large role that technology plays in modern society, it is not an exaggeration to say that social media plays a large part on how children develop. Social media can have a positive effect on child development, such as an improved ability to communicate with other people as well as a vast array of information to explore and learn, but it also has its negative effects like lack of development in real-life communication, shorter attention span and development of undesirable habits and behaviors.
Social Media: Positive Effects
First, it is important to note what the positive effects of social media are. For one, children are exposed to the great amount of information contained within the Internet, and so they can access that information in order to learn more about the world around him or her. Previously, people were just confined to books in order to obtain information, and if people want to research about a particular topic, they would have to go to the library and find books that talk about the topic they need. Nowadays, all children need to do if they want to learn about something they just have to open the Internet and search for the things that they would like to find, and the results will come to them in just a matter of seconds. Some educational materials even promote the use of social media sites. Some schools, for example, teach some lessons to its students by means of blogs. Furthermore, students and teachers can meet up via sites like Facebook and the like in order to discuss educational topics outside of the classroom. This access of information is not limited for research purposes only; they can also browse social media sites for information just for fun. They can read about topics that they like, thus improving their ability to see things from different perspectives and to create educated opinions about these topics (O’Keeffee & Pearson).
In addition to educational information that is available on the Internet, information about other people, groups, and places are also available on the Internet. Suppose a child idolizes a certain celebrity, music icon, or another figure of authority. They can then follow that certain person or group in order to get updated on the latest news and happenings that are occurring nowadays. This is why kids are updated about pop culture and the like—they get their information on the Internet, specifically on social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and the like.
Social media sites do not only affect a child’s development by exposing them to a world of information; it allows them to communicate with others as well. Social media sites, after all, are primarily used to connect with other people from around the world. Social media sites offer a new way on how to reach out with other people. Before, people were only limited to forms of communication like the telephone and carrier mail, and even those were severely limited to children. Nowadays, even children can create their own social media profiles and use them to communicate with friends, schoolmates, and relatives. They can also use these sites to connect with people who share the same interest as theirs. By communicating with other people, the socialization skills of the child are developed which in turn improves their own sense of identity and individuality. Social media sites can also promote a person’s ability for self-expression, because it allows people to discover and share their own creative works and be appreciated for it (“Social Networking and Children”).
All in all, the positive effects of social media sites include a greater access to information and learning opportunities, and an improved ability to communicate, express oneself and formulate one’s own identity. The resulting open-mindedness in the younger generation is caused by the influence of social media sites.
Social Media Sites: Negative Effects
However, not all effects of social media regarding a child’s development can be considered beneficial. In fact, many of them are actually harmful and could negatively affect how the child grows up. Some of the negative effects of social media sites are: reduced ability to socialize in real-life situations, a significant decrease in the attention span, and a greater risk of getting habits and behaviors which are generally seen as negative.
While social media sites can offer children new ways to communicate than ever before, it comes at a cost of diminishing personal meetings, one that involves face-to-face communication with the person one is speaking to. Social sites are seen as more convenient and so people would prefer chatting with people online rather than meeting up with them. However, the primary problem with online communication is that it only involves verbal language. The important parts of face-to-face communication, the nonverbal language and socialization cues, are lost when people talk online. Because of this, there is a greater chance of miscommunication that can happen when people chat over the Internet. For example, a sentence can be interpreted as true even though it is sarcastic because it lacks the nonverbal cues that would let a listener know that the sentence was not meant to be taken seriously in real life. In addition, since the children are not exposed to real-life communication much, they miss out on the opportunity to improve their socialization skills when it comes to real-world communication, which is a major part of everyday life (Corley).
The ability to communicate effectively in real life is not the only thing reduced by the usage of social media sites; the attention span of the younger generation is also diminished as well. The lifestyle of people has become fast thanks to the Internet—we have developed the ability to multitask and to live life in a rush. However, since the younger generation is used that everything is handed to them in an instant, their brain becomes to the point that everything is processed in just a matter of seconds. As a result, the attention span of people nowadays become shorter, particularly the young generation who have been exposed to technology at an early age. This can result in people slowly losing their ability to focus and to relax due to the constant amount of information we are exposed to daily, which generally is not a good thing with regard to a child’s development (Deitchman).
Lastly, by browsing social media sites, children are put in greater risk of developing habits which are unhealthy. For example, the free nature of the Internet allows one to say whenever he or she wants. While this is generally seen as positive, it also implies that people are also allowed to say mean and hurtful things that one cannot do so in real life. This is known as hate speech, and it can go both ways—either a child can be the target of a hate speech, and thus will greatly lower his or her self-esteem and confidence, or he can deliver one himself and so increases his capacity to be mean and rude to people.
Aside from the danger of hate speech, there is also the possibility that children will seek validation from other people on the Internet in order to feel good about themselves. A study showed that Facebook use is correlated with psychological disorders like narcissism, histrionics, and antisocial tendencies (Swallow). People become so dependent on ‘likes’, comments, direct messages that they eventually develop a dependency on them, which can result in another unhealthy problem termed Internet Addiction Disorder. When a person is addicted to the internet, they neglect other aspects of their lives and this can lead to them not developing fully as persons (Taylor).
Conclusion
The dependency of people nowadays towards the Internet has led to the phenomenon of social media being a significant factor in a child’s growth and development. Social media sites can help people improve their communication skills and acquire a vast amount of information, but it also can hinder their development by reducing attention span and ability to communicate in real life, as well as promoting unhealthy behaviors.
Works Cited
"Social Networking and Children." American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Web. 2 May 2016. <https://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/FFF-Guide/Children-and-Social-Networking-100.aspx>
Corley, Thomas. "How Social Media Is Damaging Communication Skills of Our Kids & What Parents Can Do About It." Rich Habits. 28 Feb. 2014. Web. 2 May 2016. <http://richhabits.net/teaching-our-children-to-communicate-effectively/>
Deitchman, Alyssa. "Wait, What? On Social Network Use and Attention." NYU Department of Applied Psychology. New York University. Web. 2 May 2016. <http://steinhardt.nyu.edu/appsych/opus/issues/2010/fall/On_Social_Network_Use_and_Attention>
O'Keeffe, Gwenn, and Kathleen Pearson. "The Impact of Social Media on Children, Adolescents, and Families." Pediatrics 127.4. Web. 2 May 2016. <http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/127/4/800>
Swallow, Erica. "Facebook Use May Lead to Psychological Disorders in Teens [STUDY]." Yahoo! News. Yahoo, 8 Aug. 2011. Web. 2 May 2016. <https://www.yahoo.com/news/facebook-may-lead-psychological-disorders-teens-study-065423577.html?ref=gs>
Taylor, Jim. "The Bad, the Ugly, and the Good of Children’s Use of Social Media." HuffPost Parents. The Huffington Post, 28 May 2013. Web. 2 May 2016. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-jim-taylor/the-bad-the-ugly-and-the_b_3346768.html>
