Social media has been and will continue to be very important
to this generation. It seems people pride themselves on how many friends or
followers they have on websites like Twitter and Facebook. This is not
necessarily a bad thing. In gaining followers and friends on the internet,
people are establishing connections which allow them to participate in social
networking and keep up on current events. For example, important news and
events are often posted to Twitter before being broadcasted on television.
Since today’s technology has so many perks, it is estimated
2 billion people use the Internet each day. There is no denying the effect it
has on youth, a 2013 study states that teenagers are viewing friendship,
intimacy and social interaction differently. Young people feel sufficient
social support by having networks of online friends, even if they may never see
them in person. In this, many young people no longer feel the need to go out
and meet people or experience life outside of school at all for that matter. If
teens are not at home on the computer, they are somewhere else on their phones
or other wireless electronic devices. This can cause many problems such as a
lack of exercise causing weight gain and other health problems and difficulty
communicating with others in person. Needless to say, society’s dependence on
technology and social media has become a problem for current and future
generations.
Next, not only does social media affect youths ability to go
out, participate and communicate with others, it affects their perception of
who they are and who they are supposed to be. Before popular social networking
sites made their debut, celebrities were able to influence youth via magazines
and television. Now, not only are those more accessible, but they have become
more common and influential. Sadly, celebrities do not always promote
acceptable behaviour and positivity and, even when they do, young people may
misinterpret or compare themselves to those celebrities. As a result, this
generation may view themselves as inadequate and become anxious or experience
other emotional problems due to social pressures and standards set by
celebrities in the media.
How can we fix this? How can we help young people find a
balance between technology and face-to-face social interaction? The answer is
simple, get your child involved in extracurricular activites, allow them to participate
in life, have them do things that do not always involve using their phones or
their electronics but that encourage the use of their social skills. As for the
effect that social media has on young peoples’ self esteem, reinforce the idea
that your child is enough, let them know that they are worth it and that they
are capable of achieving great things just like the celebrities they like to
compare themselves to. There is no reason for your child to feel inferior to
someone in the media unless you allow them to. Throughout your child’s
development, they will look to you for advice and reassurance. It is up to you,
as a parent, to give it to them.
