Technology has come of age in the world today. Innovations everywhere are coming thick and fast. This said and done, there is one sector that has taken us by storm that is, the social networking. It is a means of communication among people through which they interact by sharing and exchanging details, information and ideas in virtual communities and networks (Beheshti, Jamshid 54-57). It introduces substantial and wide spread changes to communication between communities, organization and individuals. Social networking has turned the world into a global village. This is simply because people all over the world are able to keep in touch. There are various networking sites that have become a platform of connections among teens. They include face book, twitter, Skype, YouTube and Instagram. A study done by Shea Bennet shows that one out of every seven minutes that a teen spends online are on Face book (Obee, Jenna 21).
Social networking is occupying headlines nowadays and is one of the most discussed topics globally. It is worth noting that it is facing huge blows by all the negative criticism directed towards it. However, this is not diminishing its unwavering popularity among the teenagers. Social networking is enhancing communication among teens. Through social sites teenagers are instantly messaging each other helping them keep in touch regardless of distance or time (Cook, Colleen R 1-32). Through this relationships between teens are tightened.
Secondly, it is enabling teenagers to express themselves in different ways. Those who are not socially active have found a platform that is helping them kill boredom. Through making new friends online, anti-social teenagers are able to lead a ‘normal’ life. It is giving shy teens a chance to socialize which they find difficult when they are one on one. They tend to feel more relaxed and protected in this way. Social media has opened avenues for teenagers to give their views that others may not approve in public. This is enhanced by the fact that one is able to ‘unfriend’ friends who do not appreciate their views on the social networking which is not applicable in real life. Through the continuous use of internet, teens are developing courage to face others. This is by helping them learn how to interact.
Through the social media, teens are updated. This is keeping them informed on the current affairs than just knowing what their friends are doing. Nowadays, teens are receiving news digitally. This is different from days gone when they switched on TVs or read newspapers to get the same (Lenhart, Amanda et al 6). Through twitter news from the press are keeping them aware of what is happening in the country and beyond.
Empathy is another positive impact of social networking. Through the social media teens are sharing their up and downs, twists and turns in life. Given the changes from childhood to early adulthood, teenagers are known to behave and experience things differently. Teenagers experience the same kind of problems. Through social networking, teenagers are able to help each other. This is through sharing their experiences and being open to each other. By so doing, the affected person is better informed on how tackle a problem thereby building relationships.
The influences and impacts that have come with social networking are also devastating. This is even more astonishing when teenagers are involved. As much as it has been praised for helping people connect, it is also widely accused of giving false connection. Social networking has made it difficult for people to distinguish meaningful and casual relationships. Teenagers are in danger of becoming socially inactive as they focus more on the online friendships. This is derailing their normal relationships as teenagers are not forming formidable relationships in the real world (OʼDea, Bridianne, and Andrew Campbell 133-138).
Poor performance in schools has been largely attributed to spending a lot of time on social sites by teens. Teens are obsessed to social media. Teens are not able to concentrate on their school work which they find boring when they compare it to chatting on social sites. They keep checking on the latest updates from friends even at night. As a result they develop insomnia and their concentration in schoolwork diminishes.
There is also the aspect of cyber bullying. Conferences have been held to discuss measures that could be adopted to curb this vice. This is more evident on social sites where predators pose as friends. Innocent teens accept their friendly requests since they are not suspicious. Teens are not aware of internet crimes making them very vulnerable. Cyber criminals terrorize teens in front of their peers thus leaving them with deep mental scar. In well documented cases, cyber bullying has led to some people committing suicide. According to N.C.P.C report 42% of internet users have fallen victims to cyber bullying as of 2010.
Through social networking, privacy has been compromised with. This is because social sites require one to make his/her life more public (Lenhart, Amanda et al 6). Users bypass filters that they normally employ when discussing their private lives due to the easy postage of details. Some of the details uploaded are irreversible thus come to haunt that particular individual later. Pictures have been posted that have caused a lot of conflict among peers and their parents. Though social sites have put in place measures to enhance privacy, teens do not abide by them or they simply don’t work as well as advertised. Social sites like the twitter publicize every detail that one posts hindering privacy by a great extent.
Social sites have contributed to rise in immorality among teenagers. They access pornographic sites sharing and uploading images with minimum supervision. This introduces them to obscenities at tender age which they practice amongst themselves (Cook, Colleen R 1-32).
Conclusion
Social networking is a consequence of growing technology. Change is inevitable and we must look for ways of adapting to this change sustainably. The advantages that come with social networking outnumber disadvantages. The mass and print media are continuously condemning the harm caused by social media on teens. This should not be the case; rather the press should be capitalizing on teaching the world how teens can embrace internet technology to their benefit. This should be through teaching online etiquette making teens cautious of photos, pictures and comments they post online. Secondly they should enlighten them how to avoid cyber criminals and how to be courteous on social media (Obee, Jenna 21).
Social networking has revolutionized all aspects of teen’s lives. Communication and learning through social sites between teens has improved. This has helped them live up to their full potential. Social sites have broken communication barriers making the world a global village. When used constructively under adult supervision, social networking is of immense importance to teenagers and should be promoted by all means.
Work Cited
Beheshti, Jamshid. “Teens, virtual environments and information literacy.” Bulletin of the American Society for Information Science and Technology 38.3 (2012): 54-57.
Cook, Colleen R. Frequently Asked Questions About Social Networking. New York: Rosen Pub, 2011.1-32. Print.
Lenhart, Amanda et al. “Social Media and Young Adults.” Methodology 2010: 6.
Obee, Jenna. Social Networking: The Ultimate Teen Guide. Lanham: Scarecrow Press, 2012:21. Print.
OʼDea, Bridianne & Andrew Campbell. “Online social networking amongst teens: friend or foe?” Studies In Health Technology And Informatics 167.May (2011): 133-138.
