The COVID-19 pandemic found Earth and its inhabitants grappling with the incomprehensible struggles created by the fundamental disruptions in the rhythms of everyday life, adversely affecting people’s sense of purpose and motivation. The confines of the four walls of one’s house were daunting to people regardless of their age group. However, teenagers, who spent every day navigating the spaces around them in the most dynamic way possible, faced the challenges of limiting themselves in a cocoon. This cocoon wasn’t as limited as one would imagine it to be — thanks to the endless possibilities of the digital era, the cocoon was limitless. Despite the rupture and adversities, teenagers were able to keep in touch and explore the world around them through diverse digital resources, and one such indispensable digital avenue was the numerous social media platforms available today.
There is no doubt that social media is an undeniably big part of teenage lives and the teenage experience in today’s world. According to a survey by the Pew Research Centre in 2018 conducted with 750 seventeen-year-olds, it was found that that 45% are online constantly and about 97% of the teenagers surveyed used a social media platform from Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, or Snapchat. With an exponential rise in digital avenues in the form of social media spaces today, the possibilities that accompany this proliferation are also many. Social media is extremely resourceful in helping teenagers create online identities, enabling effective communication with people from around the world, and building social networks. These networks, be it during the turbulent teenage years or times of crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic, are incredibly helpful to support teenagers and create safe spaces for them.
With a dynamic nature that constantly incorporates new features to find innovative and creative ways of expression, social media can also be useful in entertainment and self-expression. Social media platforms can help teenagers express themselves and find a creative space, whilst exploring current events from all corners of the world. As much as the benefits of social media are many and promising, it is imperative to consider its adverse effects on teenagers as well. These online platforms can negatively affect the physical and mental health of young people by distracting and disturbing them, disrupting healthy sleep patterns, and exposing them to bullying, unhealthy and unrealistic living standards, and peer pressure.
In an article by Rachel Ehmke for the Child Mind Institute, the author expresses her discomfort with the adverse effects of social media, drawing from experts’ findings regarding the role of social media and text messages in promoting anxiety and lowering self-esteem. The unfortunate prevalence of cyberbullying and the creation of a toxic online space under the masks of anonymous identities constantly lead to being a deterrent to the mental health of young people, affecting them in different ways such as in developing imposter syndrome. Therefore, it is important to acknowledge how social media is a double-edged sword and navigate it efficiently to make the best out of it. Through ample awareness and interventions from elders such as parents and teachers, it is possible to cultivate safe spaces online and offline, helping teenagers be the best versions of themselves.
Sources:
- https://childmind.org/article/how-using-social-media-affects-teenagers/
- https://www.qustodio.com/en/blog/use-social-media-in-a-healthy-way/
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