Effect of Social media on teenagers

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Concept of Wealth and Prosperity

Interim Submitted by

Asit Gupta
16010224025
Division A
B.B.A.LL.B. (2016-21)

Of

Symbiosis Law School, NOIDA

Symbiosis International University, Pune

In
July, 2017

Under the guidance of

Ms. Priyamvada Mishra

Assistant Professor
Symbiosis Law School, NOIDA.
Online social media have become very popular worldwide which has led to become part of peoples lives.
Many young people are using their computers and smartphones to check status updates from their friends
and family, be it on Facebook or Whatsapp. As technology advanced, people are pressured to adopt dif-
ferent lifestyles. Social networking sites had assist ed young people to become more socially capable. Al-
though with time all generations had come to adapt with the changes social network has brought,
teenagers and youths are the most fanatic users of these sites. According to various research studies, it has
been revealed that these sites are affecting the lives of the youth very much. Social Media is transforming
the manner in which young people interact with their colleagues, parents, peers, and as how they make
use of technology. When using these sites such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, WhatsApp the
effects of social networking are twofold

On the positive side, social networks can act as important tools for professionals. They achieve this by
helping young professionals to market their skills and seek business opportunities. Social networking sites
like LinkedIn may also be used to network professionally. We cannot ignore the fact that nowadays social
network plays an essential role in teenagers lives. Most youths spend at least an hour in these social me-
dia sites. Generally, one out of seven minutes which are spent online by most of those who can access in-
ternet is spent on Facebook according to Shea Bennett. Social media helps them or any other user updated
with what is happening around the world, and also help the teenagers to stay connected and interact with
each other even if they are many miles apart. This strengthens their relationship even if they finished
schooling and moved to different locations even globally, they stay connected and update one another.
Also, these sites have provided a platform where they can create groups and pages based on their com-
mon interests and end up building professional connections and career opportunities. Nowadays, even
companies use social media for interviews as it makes them easier and efficient to know about the person.

On the negative side, the internet is full with a number of risks associated. Cyber bullying, which refers to
a type of bullying that is perpetrated using electronic technology, is one of the risks. It is a threat as it can
be accessed from any PC, Mobile, Tablet with a basic internet connection. This means that it is very easy
for teens to connect to a social media website. This exposes them to nudity, bullying and the worst of all;
pedophiles and rapists. Rheana Murray of New York Daily News stated that one in ten profiles online are
fake. This means that at least 10% or more of a teens friends on Facebook could be phony. The Carly
Ryan incident in 2013 proves that the Internet is a very dangerous platform for children, teenagers and
even adults to be using. Bullying is also a huge danger to youth on the internet. Now, a child be bullied in
the confinement of their own home. Bullying on social media effects on society has become one of the
top three reasons for teen suicide, with a further two teens saying that they had attempted suicide as a re-
sult of cyber bullying. Teens dont share this with their teacher or parents and as a result went to depres-
sion. Social Media faces todays youth with countless dangers and hence it should be used carefully and
decisively.
Secondly, social media today is damaging the minds of teenagers by suppressing their physical socialis-
ing skills. Because most of the the teenagers communicate via WhatsApp and Facebook instead of writing
a letter or picking up the phone, they are subconsciously harming the part of the brain that allows them to
have meaningful conversations face to face. For instance, studies show that 3 in 5 students are abbreviat-
ing their words to acronyms without even realising (Jasmine Fowlkes 2010). It is also seen that youth to-
day do not have anything else to talk about other than what they "saw on Facebook last night" or 'guess
who is dating who or Where they hang out last weekend. This is a perfect example of what is happen-
ing to their socialising skills. Teens are unable to hold a decent conversation without mentioning some-
thing they saw on social media on the weekend or night before This severely damages their interviewing
abilities when they want to apply for a job, or when they want to be able to stay in a relationship. It is im-
portant that people pay attention to how much they are relying on social media to communicate, and to
limit themselves so they do not lose their ability to physically socialise altogether.
Lastly, Social media exposes the teens to pornography, nudity and explicit content that should not be ob-
tainable them. Many sites have age restrictions, but it's not a challenge for young children to say they
were born ten years earlier on a social media account the desire to explore the internet will drive them
to this. Children still in the 3rd grade can have access to anything they desire, and most of the time will
not understand what they are looking at but will always remember the basics. Most teenagers know what
the the basics of sex are, and even more due to the ever expanding social media network. When these
teens are on sites like Omegle (A video chat site where users are connected with another random user
from around the globe, which are mostly naked men) they are exposed to the negatives of social media
effects that these images are doing to them. They are also exposed to rude and vulgar words which they
then pick up and use as a force of habit in their everyday life. The internet needs to start using effective
filters to stop this explicit material from poisoning the the minds of teens and our future generation, and
start paying more attention.

In conclusion, social media plays a negative role on today's teenagers by continuously putting users of
social media in danger, limiting face to face socialising skills, and exposing our society to explicit materi-
als. Bad things about social media need to change. Also, the teenagers themselves have to understand
about this issue seriously. And, There needs to be more restrictions blocking access to inappropriate sites,
and security needs to drastically tighten on this essay on social media profiles, or the future generation
that will be running the world will incapable of doing the job correctly. Which effects everybody, and
the generations to come.