The Pros and Cons of Social Media for Adolescents
- Anonymous (age 11)
- Nov 16, 2023
- 4 min read
Intro
According to The Washington Post, American children ages 8-12 spend an average of 4 hours and 44 minutes on devices per day, and teens average 7 hours and 22 minutes per day. A recent 2021 poll shows that around 3.8 billion people worldwide own at least one phone. That’s just under half of the population of the world. These numbers have gone up drastically in the last four years as new apps and technology are being made.
How is this happening?
With all the crazy things happening in our world today, people are becoming lonelier than ever. Not only that but schools are also online. So even without any extra time on devices, people could be using a device for school for up to eight hours a day. Apple, Microsoft, Samsung, and other technology companies release new devices yearly. They have all the new features that everyone feels that they need. Apple spends close to 2 billion dollars yearly on advertising their new products with all the cool new features that everybody seems to need. The advertising
alone is what could be the powerhouse of technology, but here’s what science has to say:
Scrolling through TikTok or YouTube can make you lose track of time. How do we get so engaged when on our devices? The main cause is dopamine. Dopamine is well known as the feel-good neurotransmitter because it is a chemical in our brains that gets released when we do things that please us: eating food that we like, winning something, or scrolling on social media. Dopamine is sometimes fueled by uncertainty and when we don’t know exactly what is about to happen. When we are on TikTok or YouTube, anything can pop up. Watching a funny cat video may release small amounts of dopamine, causing you to crave more. According to a study from UCLA, human brains need breaks, which is why we crave social interaction, causing us to love texting our friends, using Facetime, and playing online games. It’s almost an addictive sensation that we get every time. Once we get going we just keep craving more and more.
What are the negative effects of social media and technology?
People are spending less time talking face-to-face with people and getting no social interaction. They can resort to texting or even get out of talking at all, only talking when it is necessary. According to STEM Learning, our impressions of other people originate in centers deep inside our brains in circuits that make us feel fear or the receiving of rewards. This helps us take away things from the conversation. When we hear things and interact with others, we connect with them, relate to them, and empathize. Texting does not give these types of results. People are driven by popularity and followers instead of real motivations and, consequently, people compare themselves to others, causing a lack of confidence and low self-esteem. Family bonding is less common, and even the occurrence of family dinners or lunches is reduced due to technology and social media. Additionally, people can get physical issues and pain in the eyes, head, back, and shoulders from being in front of screens too much.
Another main factor that this affects is body image and mental health issues. The main factors causing the decline in body image and mental health are:
Cyberbullying. Cyberbullying is a form of bullying through online platforms such as social media and can affect one’s self-esteem and mental health. Bullies find that social media is an easier way to bully since they don’t actually have to face the person or people that they are targeting.
Fear of missing out (FOMO). FOMO is exactly what it sounds like, a fear of missing out on things that friends, family, or even influencers are doing. Everyone always wants to be in the loop of things and not miss anything new, but this can cause a slight addiction to social media because of the constant need for updates.
Comparison. Social media like Instagram and Tiktok only highlight the positive aspects of life and one glimpse into someone’s life. This comparison of a seemingly perfect life and one’s own life can cause stress and jealousy. Similarly, this comparison of these “perfect” photos can be a cause of poor body image.
What are the positive effects of social media and technology?
There are so many positive effects of social media that help us in our everyday lives. The first reason is that it allows us to get to know new people and make new friends all over the world. It helps to keep people connected even if they are far apart. Communication is so easy and fast. Advertising, campaigning, protests, and fundraisers are all benefiting from technology. It also helps to inform people about current-day events. Newspapers, news channels, and blogs are all now online, making it easier than ever to keep updated on everything going on. Another reason is that it has opened up so many schooling opportunities for children. Whether they want to pursue acting and can’t go to school in person, or if they are in the hospital with cancer, they can still do school online and not miss anything. In addition, online shopping has become very popular and useful in the last year. People have started businesses online, and even places like Target can have online bases, making it both easy for them and their customers. These are just a few of the many benefits of social media/technology.
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