"Social Networking" By: Ally Brodmann Breaking news! It turns out that teenagers are being influenced by social media platforms. I am not kidding. Teenagers have officially mastered the art of tapping, texting, and trolling rather than doing their homework. All jokes aside, I don’t know how much longer we can be surprised about the impact social media has on our lives, both negatively and positively. The influence of social media on teenagers is specifically important. It is only because this group is “developmentally vulnerable” but also because we are among the heaviest users of social networking. Around ninety percent of teenagers use their social media platforms on a daily basis. That’s a lot. Dr. Catherine Steiner-Adair, a clinical psychologist from Massachusetts, has mentioned that teenagers are “missing out on very critical social skills.” When friendships are being formed over the internet, relationships are stripped from the more personal—and sometimes intimidating—aspects of communication. Modern communication requires only looking at a bright, little screen rather than talking to an actual person. Specialists are concerned that social media platforms have become so built-in to teenage life and are promoting anxiety and lowering self-esteem. In recent publications, scientists have confirmed that Instagram is most damaging to an individual’s mental health. This particular app is associated with not only cyberbullying but high levels of anxiety and depression.
Snapchat comes along in second place. Researchers have discovered that the more social media apps one uses, the more likely the person is to develop a mental illness. But aside from that, social media has multiple good points too! These social networking platforms have allowed people of all shapes and sizes to express themselves through music, fashion, etc. It is a lot harder to feel embarrassed over something on the internet than it is in person. People have been given the chance to speak their minds about certain topics and raising awareness for certain issues. Youtube, for example, is one platform that has allowed people to talk to each other and spread positivity. It is also a quick way to keep in touch with family members or friends who might live far away. Students at Huntington Beach High School have taken a poll which answers that most teenagers use Snapchat on a daily basis (more than 50%). Instagram is next, followed by Twitter and other apps not mentioned in the poll. Social media will never be all bad or all good. It is somewhere in between. So, what do you think? Is social media is good… or bad? It is left up to you to decide what really matters in your life and how much of this virtual life relates to real life.