Nowadays, Internet has firmly established in the life of the society as a global information system. Being present in practically every home, Internet has considerably expanded the opportunities in the process of information search and exchange, communication between people, especially the so-called social networking sites or social media, which are very popular among people of all ages, especially among children and teenagers (Boyd & Ellison 19). Social media has both good and bad effects on the lives of teenagers. Because of this, parents need to monitor their children and enforce rules regarding the use of social media.
Communication plays an important role for the development of the individual at every age stage. Social media are one of the most important sources of communication and, hence, socialization of teenagers, which gives them an important role in lives of teens (Griffiths). If a teenager lacks communication with his peers, as well as with adults, he adapts to rapidly changing society much slower which results in various problems of his place in the society. Ease of communication is the main advantage of the social media and mainly this attracts inquiring minds. In social networks, no one forces their user to deal with unpleasant people who teach others how to live. This communicative and informational resource has a great future. It is attractive and incredibly interesting (Boyd & Ellison 19). But it should never replace real life which is full of emotions, positive feelings and unforgettable tactile displays.
Nowadays, social networks largely substitute live conversation of their active users, including teenagers. It is faster and easier for the modern generation to send some phrases on Facebook instead of arranging a meeting with his interlocutor. Social networking is of great help to teens in presenting them to unknown people. Judging from profile photos on social networks, the first opinion is always formed about a user which can be both positive and negative. Social media encourage users to look better in real life, which is rather beneficial. Social media allow sharing opinions on things which are of common interest. Social networks are a perfect way to find new friends. The important part of such new acquaintances is to feel the edge between what is real and what is virtual. Social media allow limitless communication and can become a basis for new talks in real life (Boyd & Ellison 21). However, sometimes it happens that people have nothing to talk about in person after all the updates were discussed in a virtual chat. The important part of safe operation with social networks is not to become hostages of social networks, which results in alienation from the outside world and problems when communicating to real people.
Among the most commonly used types of social media by young people, it is necessary to mention the following types which are shown in the table. The table was taken from the article "Impact of Social Media on Adolescent Behavioral Health in California":
Available at http://www.phi.org/uploads/application/files/g9g6xbfghdxoe3yytmc1rfvvm8lt1ly9sr3j369pstkojdly15.pdf p.1
Another table taken from the same research published in article "Impact of Social Media on Adolescent Behavioral Health in California" depicts the basic aspects of teenagers` activity:
Available at http://www.phi.org/uploads/application/files/g9g6xbfghdxoe3yytmc1rfvvm8lt1ly9sr3j369pstkojdly15.pdf p.2
For parents whose children actively use social media, the advantages are clear. Such parents can control their children, keep track of their friends, and warn their kids if they see some kind of danger (Griffiths). The sooner parents explain their children that social media are not only a game, but also a useful tool, the better.
However, as well as any phenomenon, social networks have their drawbacks. Parents should pay special attention on such drawbacks. Perhaps the main problem of them is the absence of life. Virtual communication gradually replaces the living, which is rather dangerous for not yet shaped individual. Parents must be aware of this and control so that their children do not abuse virtual chatting. In social networks, everything is impersonal and too simple. A communication has neither real emotions, nor facial expressions, nor excited voice, nor eye contact, but only letters and emoticons (Price-Mitchell).
Teenagers who are rather active in social networks start losing the value of friendship. To make friends in reality, one need to be able to make an introduction, need to be able to communicate, need to be a really interesting personality. With the help of social networks, teenagers become friends with a single mouse click. Real communication is getting lost, there is no longer need to be interesting to others – with the help of the network a teenager can choose anyone he would like to be and pretend he is the one (Price-Mitchell).
Nowadays, young people no longer start photo books because there is an opportunity to draw a virtual photo album that is daily seen by dozens of friends and acquaintances. Social media make rather an easy accessibility of private information. There are plenty of ways through which experienced hackers can obtain users` documents, which ultimately leads to serious problems. Further, the risk of finding oneself in an illegal community, bad company or get the bait scams is really high (Ryan 41).
Among other things, the impact of social media on teenagers is not limited to psychological changes. Long hours online result in prejudice to health of teenagers: eye sight is getting impaired, absence of any physical activity and loss of sociability are also repercussions of social networking. Over time, there emerges a real dependence and its adjacent characteristics – irritability, isolation, aggression, and conflicts with parents (Subrahmanyam & Smahel 32). Therefore, parents should remember that limiting time of their children staying online is a wise initiative.
Nevertheless, social media have numerous advantages. One of them is new acquaintances. Teenagers do not only communicate with their classmates but also make friends with other peers, find like-minded people, and sometimes even love. But the peculiarity of social media lies in the fact that anyone can try on any role and hide his vicious essence and bad intentions behind a beautiful profile picture (Subrahmanyam & Smahel 40). It is important to understand that it is very important to learn how to "filter" people on the Internet. One of the parents` tasks is to teach children of this skill.
For teenagers, social media is one of the ways of self-identification. After all, at the stage of registration every user has to answer a lot of questions about themselves. Social media, in this context, give teenagers an occasion to reflection and self-determination.
On the one hand, it is an indisputable advantage of social networks. But such a virtual identity also has the other side of the coin. Often in pursuit of imaginary popularity, teenagers give out for their interests those in which their friends are interested, but not such teenagers. The result is exactly the opposite – instead of self-identity teenagers lose themselves and become indistinguishable (Subrahmanyam & Smahel 48-49). Therefore, it is important that parents talk to their children as often as possible about how important it is to always be yourself and not lose individuality in social media.
Social media are a great place for young talents. Here one can place not only personal photos, but also personal poems, music and songs. However, teens need to understand that the Internet is brutal and feedback can be both positive and negative (Subrahmanyam & Smahel 50). It is very important for parents to help such talented children to cope with sudden recognition or disappointment.
Although many people believe that social media can only be fun, the truth is quite opposite – they can be used for education and self-improvement. There are many educational communities, which participants can step by step learn foreign languages, history, literature and many other disciplines (Paul, Baker & Cochran 57). Parents can use these communities to encourage children to learn and educate themselves.
Social media users must know when to stop and limit use of social networks. Especially parents need to worry about the safety of their children and teach them how to properly communicate. Parents shall explain their children whom they can give his information and whom cannot. Parents shall let them know about the consequences and provide kids with right examples. As Peter Ryan in his book “Social Networking” teaches parents: turn off synchronization of geolocation, tell that different accounts should have different passwords, hide photos of children from strangers, and open access to friends only (103). Parents shall teach their kids not to show off new acquisitions of the family and not to talk about the upcoming departure of the family on vacation. Often such information causes burglaries.
Additionally, cyber bullying is a rather serious problem nowadays, as “some people can take advantage of the issue, due to abuse or bullying being done behind a computer screen” (Boyd, Ellison). Despite the circumstance that for a long time “a fight for children and adolescents protection from involvement into pornography and prostitution is being conducted, the essential risks of social media, concerning teenagers still exist” (Marshall 335). The main risks resulting from careless use of social networks include possibility of sexual solicitation on-line, cyber bullying, dissemination of various types of indecent information, violation of teenagers` privacy, texting-sexting, and many other negative moments.
As reported from the recent studies, about 70 percent of girls had online negative sexual experience or were subjected to sexual solicitation on social media, and 23% of children were threatened or abused by a peer on the sexual ground” (Carrol & Kirkpatric 42). Additionally, with regard to cyber bullying, the latest research says that this kind of bullying creates higher levels of depression and anxiety for victims than traditional bullying and is largely connected with numerous teen suicide instances (Carrol & Kirkpatric 15).
Further, authors of article “13 Tips for Monitoring Kids’ Social Media” available at parenting.com Website specify the ways parents shall monitor their child's behavior in social networks.
Parents should discuss with their kids dangerous links. They have to be sure to tell their children about all the dangers lying in wait for their kids. Thieves can perfectly estimate financial security of the family at the first glance at photos on social network. Consequently, teenagers shall be rather carful with what photos to upload on Web and which to print out for a photo book. Personal profiles shall be opened only for friends (parenting.com).
Under no account, parents cannot prohibit their kids to create an account on social networks. There is no point in struggling against this. A kid will sooner or later start using networks. So the best option if a teenager starts his virtual life in his parents` presence, under their supervision, and, if possible, with their help (parenting.com).
Parents under no account cannot dishonor their children by commenting anything on their children`s timelines. Parents should not teach life while online. The better thing is to talk to their kids in person, but not on Web in front of all his friends (parenting.com).
Parents shall not forget that the social network can seize all teenager`s attention and even become a drug for him. For this reason, parents are to be sure to communicate with their children, offer as many interesting activities, and trips, so that their children know that a real life is way better than the virtual.
Today it seems that children and social networks are inseparable concepts. Every child, even a very young, has a phone or tablet with Internet access. Whether it is good or bad – it depends on how actively a kid is enrolled into social media and for what purposes social media are used. Social media are just like medication – depending on the selected doses it can either improve human health or destroy. In spite of the numerous critics, in my opinion, social networking sites cannot be attributed to either good or bad social phenomena. Social media are likely to be more neutral. It totally depends on teenagers, but mostly on their parents, whether social media become teenagers` faithful helpers or enemies.
Works Cited
Boyd, D, and Nicole Ellison. "Social Network Sites: Definition, History, And Scholarship". IEEE Engineering Management Review 38.3 (2010). Web. 2 May, 2016.
Carrol, J.A, and Kirkpatric, R.L. “Impact of Social Media on Adolescent Behavioral Health”. Oakland, CA, California Adolescent Health Collaborative (2011). Web. 2 May, 2016.
Griffiths, Mark. "Internet Abuse and Internet Addiction in the Workplace". Journal of Workplace Learning 22.7 (2010): 463-472. Web. 3 May, 2016.
"Impact Of Social Media On Adolescent Behavioral Health In California". California Adolescent Health. N.p., 2011. Web. 2 May, 2016.
Marshall, Daniel. "Deviations: A Gayle Rubin Reader". Culture, Health & Sexuality 16.3 (2014): 334-336. Web. 2 May, 2016.
Obee, J. Social Networking: The Ultimate Teen Guide. Scarecrow Press, 2012. Print.
Parenting.com. “13 Tips for Monitoring Kids’ Social Media”. parenting.com. N.d. Web. 2 May, 2016.
Paul, J., Baker, H., and Justin Daniel Cochran. "Effect Of Online Social Networking On Student Academic Performance". Computers in Human Behavior 28.6 (2012): 217-227. Web. 2 May, 2016.
Price-Mitchell, Marilyn. “Disadvantages of Social Networking: Surprising Insights from Teens”. rootsofaction.com. 16 Jun. 2014. Web. 2 May, 2016.
Ryan, P. Social Networking. The Rosen Publishing Group, 2011. Print.
Subrahmanyam, K., and David Smahel. Digital Youth: The Role of Media in Development. Springer Science & Business Media, 2010. Print.
