Negative Effect Of Social Media

(Articles)

Article 1
Like technology in general, social media has both an upside and a downside.
And when it comes to the social media effects on teens, those pros and cons
are particularly significant.

On the plus side, platforms like TikTok, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat can
be lifesavers for teens who feel isolated or marginalized, particularly LGBTQ
teens. In addition, social media helped teens feel more connected and not as
lonely during the pandemic.

But the impact of social media on youth can also be significantly detrimental to
mental health. In particular, social media and teen depression are closely
linked. Furthermore, overuse of the apps exposes teens to cyberbullying, body
image issues, and tech addiction, and results in less time spent doing healthy,
real-world activities. And while the majority of parents believe they know what
their child is posting on social media, according to a Pew Research poll, a
survey of teens found that 70 percent of them are hiding their online behavior
from their parents.

The Effect of Social Media on Teenagers During the

Pandemic
Are teens and social media a good mix, or does social media use lower teen
well-being? Why is social media bad? This has become one of the more
controversial questions regarding social media’s effects on teens, with studies
showing varied results, including recent research on the use of social media
during the pandemic.

According to a report released in 2021 by Common Sense Media on social

media’s effects on teens, about half of the 1,500 young people surveyed said
social media is very important for them in order to get support and advice, feel
less alone, and express themselves creatively, as well as for staying in touch
friends and family while social distancing. And 43 percent said that using social
media makes them feel better when they are depressed, stressed, or anxious.
Among LGBTQ youth, 52 percent said social media helps them feel better
when they are experiencing these difficult emotions.

On the other hand, the report, titled “Coping with COVID-19: How Young
People Used Digital Media to Manage Their Mental Health,” also showed a
strong association between social media and teen depression. Youth with
moderate to severe depressive symptoms were nearly twice as likely to say
they used social media almost constantly: One-third of teens with depression
reported constant social media use, as compared to 18 percent of teens who
did not have depressive symptoms. Furthermore, the more severe their
symptoms were, the more anxious, lonely and depressed they felt after using
social media. Clearly, social media does not help teens who are already feeling
depressed, and seems to contribute to their negative outlook.

Research on Social Media and Teen Depression:

Why Social Media Can Be Bad for Mental Health
Is social media part of the reason that teen depression has drastically
increased over the last decade? Surveys of US adolescents show that teen
depressive symptoms and suicide rates showed marked increases between
2010 and 2015, especially among females. Some researchers theorize that
the increase in social media and overall screen use between those years could
account for these changes. The adolescents surveyed who spent more time on
social media were more likely to report mental health issues. Those who spent
more time on unplugged activities, such as in-person social interaction, sports,
exercise, homework, and print media, were less likely to report these issues.

Over the last decade, this theory has been borne out by a large body
of research linking teenagers’ use of social media with increased teen
depression. These studies show that the frequency of a teen’s use of social
media has a clear correlation to their mental health. For example, in a 2018
study, 14- to 17-year-olds who used social media seven hours per day were
more than twice as likely to have been diagnosed with depression, treated by a
mental health professional, or taken medication for a psychological or
behavioral issue during the last year. This was compared to those who used
screens only about an hour a day.

Many experts believe that the constant overstimulation of social networking

shifts the nervous system into fight-or-flight mode. As a result, this makes
disorders such as ADHD, teen depression, oppositional defiant disorder,
and teen anxiety worse. However, some research on social media and teen
depression shows that the causality goes the other way—i.e., when teens are
depressed, they look at social media more often. In one study of 600 teens,
researchers found that social media use did not predict depressive symptoms,
but greater depressive symptoms predicted more social media use over time.

A recent study by researchers at University College London tracked three

years of social media use by 13,000 teenagers, starting when they were 13.
The teens also self-reported about their social media experiences and their
mood and well-being.

After compiling the data, the study authors concluded that the social media
effect on youth is driven by three primary factors:

 Inadequate sleep—teens stayed up late to continue scrolling through

their social media feeds

 Exposure to cyberbullying—having harmful, false, or private content

about them posted on social media

 Lack of physical activity—scrolling social media on their phones or

other devices meant that teens sat for longer periods of time and had
less time for exercise. As a result, they missed out on the beneficial
impact of exercise on mental health.
According to the study, which was published in the journal Lancet, 27
percent of the teens who frequently used social media reported high
psychological stress. For teens who used social media less frequently, only 17
percent reported high psychological stress.

The Impact of Social Media on Youth Social

Comparison
One way in which social media impacts teen mental health is through negative
social comparison—what media psychologist Don Grant, PhD, Newport
Director of Outpatient Services, calls “compare and despair.” Teenagers on
social media spend much of their time observing the lives and images of their
peers. This leads to constant comparisons, which can damage self-esteem
and body image, exacerbating depression and anxiety among adolescents.

As with other types of social comparison, teens report lower self-esteem and
self-evaluation when looking at peers on social media sites. For example, this
includes looking at profiles on which peers post curated images about their
significant others, social events, or accomplishments. And teens felt better
about themselves when they make so-called “downward comparisons”—
looking at profiles of peers with fewer friends and achievements. According
to a Pew Research Center report on the effect of social media on teenagers,
26 percent of teens say these sites make them feel worse about their own life.

Read “Teen Mental Health and the Theory of Social Comparison.”

The Negative Psychological Effects of Social Media

on Teen Body Image
Body image is one primary area in which teen social comparison leads to
negative emotions. When tees compare themselves to curated and filtered
photographs of their peers and of celebrities, they often feel inferior. This can
lead to lower self-esteem and negative body image. In addition, Facebook use
has also been linked to a higher risk of eating disorders.

According to a survey by Common Sense Media:

 35 percent of teenagers on social media worry about being tagging in

unattractive photos

 27 percent are stressed out about how they look when they post pictures

 22 percent feel bad about themselves when nobody comments on or

“likes” their photos.

Social Media Effects on Teens: Health Hazard or

Healthy Inspiration?
Along with providing ways to seek help and support, social media also
provides forums in which teens can encourage each other in unhealthy and
dangerous behaviors. Hence, teens with eating disorders or those who self-
harm can connect with others to talk about their self-destructive routines. In
these online forums, obsessive calorie counting, fasting, or over-exercising are
accepted and encouraged. As a result, teens may learn ways to hide or
intensify the behavior, putting them at greater risk.
On the flip side, a teen social network can inspire teenagers to develop healthy
habits. Thus, seeing peers eating nutritious food, doing something creative, or
getting outside in nature can encourage other teens to do the same. Social
networks can create peer motivation, inspiring young people to try something
new, follow their dreams, and speak up about things that matter to
them. Teens can also find positive role models online. Hence, the effect of
social media on teenagers might actually result in more unplugged time and
increased self-care behaviors.

The Effect of Social Media on Teenagers’ Identity

Formation
The impact of social media on youth extends to an important part of adolescent
development: the formation of one’s unique identity. Hence, social media
provides a forum for teens to practice skills related to identity development.
These include self-presentation and self-disclosure—sharing their opinions,
beliefs, and preferences.

In a longitudinal survey of 219 freshmen at a state university, researchers

found that teens who expressed their opinions on social media experienced
increased well-being. In addition, another study found that adolescents who
communicated more online had greater “self-concept clarity”—a clearer idea of
who they were. This self-awareness supports mental health.

A 2020 research article on teens and social media concluded that, since

social media gives teens the “autonomy to explore and experiment with their
identities in a space of their own, where they have control over what, how, and
with whom they share information,” it had the potential to be particularly
important during COVID-19, when real-life opportunities for identity formation
were limited.

Friendships, Teens, and Social Media

Friendship and social skills are additional areas in which the impact of social
media on youth is both positive and negative. In the Pew Research Center
report, 81 percent of teens in the survey said social media makes them feel
more connected to what’s going on in their friends’ lives. In addition, two-thirds
of teens said these platforms make them feel as if they have people who will
support them through tough times.
During the pandemic, of course, social media became one of the most frequent
—and sometimes the only—way in which teens socialized with peers. But
there’s a difference between teens’ social media friends vs. their real friends:
The Pew survey found that 60 percent of teens say they spend time with their
friends online on a daily or nearly daily basis, but only 24 percent spent time
with their friends that often in person (pre-COVID). These stats highlight how
online connections may not translate into IRL relationships.

Moreover, cyberbullying increased exponentially during the pandemic. A

2020 report by the organization L1ght found a 70 percent uptick in hate
speech among kids and teens across communication channels on social
media and popular chat forums. More time spent online provides enhanced
access to both the beneficial and detrimental aspects, further driving the
effects of social media on teenagers.

The Addictive Quality of Social Media for Teens

Scientists have found that teen social media overuse creates a stimulation
pattern similar to the pattern created by other addictive behaviors. Hence, the
brain responds to social media the same way it responds to other “rewards”—
with a release of dopamine. These dopamine rushes are catalyzed when a
teen posts something online and is met with likes, shares, and positive
comments from their peers.

Treatment for Teen Social Media Addiction and Its

Root Causes
As the research shows, teen social media overuse is often linked with
underlying issues, such as depression, chronic stress, anxiety, or low self-
esteem. Hence, treatment at Newport Academy includes addressing these root
causes while unplugging from phones and social media.

After just a few days, teens begin to reawaken to their IRL environment. During
treatment with us, they form strong friendships, explore their inner life through
journaling and meditation, spend time in nature, and experience creative offline
activities.

Newport’s clinical team specializes in helping teens gain the skills and self-
knowledge to heal from the maladaptive behaviors, underlying causes, and
negative consequences associated with teens and social media. Contact
us today to learn more about our teen treatment programs and our approach
to healthy device management.

https://www.newportacademy.com/resources/well-being/effect-of-social-media-
on-teenagers/
Article 2

Impact of Social Media On Youth

Ashavidya Kusuma Department of Comptuing and Informatics Bournemouth

University Bournemouth, Great Britain s5230390@bournemouth.ac.uk Abstract—
Social media make a significant contribution on online that connects a group of
community that interact and exchange knowledge. Some extensively used social
platforms such as Facebook, Wikipedia, Twitter, WhatsApp, Pinterest, LinkedIn,
Instagram, and Reddit. These not just social networking platforms but also where
people can share their details with the people and community. Company owners will
also sell their goods via social media and earn crowdfunding. Data analytics gathers
and analyses data from social networking platforms that allow companies and
business to make a smart choice. Social media also has a paramount impact on
students and youth to consider human nature and adversely becoming greedy and
fanatical. Thus, social media is being utilized for the construction and as well
degradation of people from all backgrounds of life. Keywords— Social media, Youth,
Facebook, Impact, social networking sites. I. INTRODUCTION The study focuses on
the impact of social media on youth. Technology and innovation are regarded to be
the very prime importance for human life, and we must know how to handle It
accordingly. It is vital to teach young people about the use of social media to
Enhance in their careers and selfimprovement. Technology has managed to secure
within our body, human brain and even emotions. How does social media effect
youth[1] stated that social media, like a coin, have a beneficial and negative effect on
young people. It encourages youth to succeed and pull them down, but youngsters
need to be alert. Youth communicate with many individuals and support themselves
in their professions. Social media lets youth share their views with others[2]. Social
media promotes deceptive posts, messaging, photographs that give rise to conflicts
in between them. Such posts are deteriorating the affiliations and relations between
nations. As youngsters are immature, they are becoming victims of cyberbullying.
This impacts young people mental and physical health and may also leads to
depression and self-harm[3]. Because there is a lack of confidentiality and security
on the social media platforms, it is possible that a third party would misuse sensitive
information. Studies have found that children and teenagers benefit from improving
Communication, social linkages, and technological skills. Social media is really a
significant aspect in this world. In general, social media is described like any
interactive medium or application which enables people to communicate digitally and
could be differentiated from conventional media (e.g., television) by the way that
users can both access and produce content[4]. Within this broad description, social
media can include websites (e.g., Facebook, WhatsApp, snapchat, TikTok), instant
messaging apps, mobile gaming tools, YouTube, and more. The more extensive
usage social media is correlated with numerous mental health issues which include
anxiety of self-image and eating disorders and other problems. In addition, outcomes
of these studies have indeed been contradictory, with several suggesting a slight but
substantial negative influence of social media use on mental health. Increased
occurrence of certain mental health conditions, such as depression and suicide have
risen dramatically amongst adolescents in recent years, with suicide rates in youth
aged 10-24 rising by 56% between 2007 and 2017[4], [5]. One growing problem that
really has captured the interest of young people is body dissatisfaction. Low self -
esteem refers to unwelcome and negative thoughts and feelings about one's beauty
that tend to rise in our younger generation. Social networking promotes the concept
of a perfect body, as it can be connected to nearly all channels of mass media.
Anything from height, weight, body size and body form has become a nuanced
aspect of this ideal, usually women are ordinary[6]. The goals in these perfect body
images and ads. Much of the videos show thin breathing and bone suction, which
causes the viewer to have poor weight and often to have a body with protruding
collarbones, spines and ribs, which is also the primary cause of anorexia. Whereas
an optimistic trend can often be seen on social media, which is a fitspiration that
encourages a person to have a safe and fit body[7], [8]. Two cross-section studies of
US and German school students, showed that researchers who spent as much time
on Facebook's social media site were more often to support Starting to feel envy or
fearing like others on their social media platform were good than they have been.
"FOMO" — fear of missing out— was described as" a pervasive apprehension that
others may have profitable reviews of which one is absent “and has been associated
with multiplied strain associated with Facebook use[9],[10]. A systematic overview of
research observed that use of social media turned into related to body photo issues
and disordered consuming. In a randomized examine, girl individuals suggested
greater bad temper after simply 10 mins of Perusing their Facebook profile in
contrast to those who have visited the personality-neutral website exploitation. In
addition, participants who were over-evaluated appeared to make An escalated
decision to improve the look of their face, hair or skin after spending time on
Facebook, compared to those who were surfing the control website[11], [12]. An
observational look found that spending quite a few hours a week on the use of
electronic media was inversely correlated with self-reported satisfaction, life pleasure
and self-esteem, while time is spent on off-screen sports (in-character social
relationships, recreational activities or exercise, traditional

media, homework, religious services, paid work) was undeniably correlated with
Mental well-being, among the youth. Other data analysis has associated spending
more than 2 hours an afternoon on social media platforms and personalized digital
devices with excessive suicide costs and depressive signs among teenage girls, and
although young people who have endured high levels of face-to - face socialization
have been particularly affected by the negative effects of even more time on-line[5].
In a 14-day, longitudinal, cross-over trial with managed situations, the use of digital
screens earlier than bedtime has been Sleep has been shown to be disrupted in
many approaches: longer sleep time and decreased sleepiness during the night,
reduced melatonin secretion, circadian clock delay, reduced amount and fast-moving
sleep in the eye, and reduced alertness in the next morning. A comprehensive
evaluation and semantic analysis that supported studies on the allegiance among
compact display screen-primarily dependent electronic gadgets and sleep
implications, found but the use of social media was associated with decreased
duration and improved sleep quality and extended sleep during the daytime hours.
Word of all the sheer presence of portable screen-primarily based electronic gadgets
in the bedroom made into seen to disrupt sleep[6]. II. LITERATURE REVIEW
Despite the interruption from the research, youth are forming pleasant and social
links with the community that exists around . One of the critical consequences of
these platforms is the students ’ academic success, and many longitudinal studies
have found that excessive uninventive time spent on social media has had a poor
influence on the student's degrees. It was observed that 82.6 per cent of young
people believed that social media had a strong effect on their social behaviour[2],
[10]. Many young people use the internet before or after anything they do, do not
engage with their peers, but connect with their social friends and become less social.
The majority of young people use social media for social rather than educational
reasons. Social networking sites influence the vocabulary of young people to some
degree. 65 per cent claim that social media lets them establish a connection with
their socially linked peers, and 33 per cent agree that social media sites Most of the
young people use social media before or after every activity they do, they do not
interact with their fellows but communicate with their social friends and are becoming
less social[13]. III. PROBLEM STATEMENT Social media networking of adolescents
have a vital role to play in the advent and development of psychopathology. Online
community social interactions are described as significant risk factors for mental
health issues. Social media users are radically subjected to idealized self-shows.
This poses a danger to youngsters' potential to appear superficial, but the awful
effect may depend on a form of social media interaction[3]. A. POTENTIAL RISKS
Youth who actively keep up-to-date (i.e. self-directed use of social media) may
additionally work to obtain advantageous feedback and to search for affirmation and
for that reason, display better vanity, whereas young people who

mainly view and respond to different posts(i.e. other-oriented use of social media)
are introduced to these idealized displays, although they no longer get great reviews
on their very own appearance, which may also lead to a fall in selfesteem. Cyber
victimization, or the feeling of becoming a victim of cyber peer abuse, has frequently
been reported as correlated with greater rates of self-harm and suicidal behaviour,
as well as stress related issues[14],[15]. Other forms of peer encounters in social
media, such as social isolation and online dispute can also put young people at risk.
Study has shown 41% of teenagers acknowledge using a smart phone during sleep,
and 36% reported waking up to check their phone in the night[16],[14]. B.
DEPRESSION AND SELF-HARM IN ADOLESCENTS Although entirely population-
based research proposes a correlation between the use of social media and
academic discomfort among teenagers, the influence of such technology can also
differ between individuals and may even have. a much lower risk of harm, such as it
is indicated by a growing literature on experimental research. Girls prefer to invest
more time on social media than boys, have more publicity about cyberbullying, and
have a propensity to revel in more health implications[17], [18] that is consistent with
the recent epidemiological findings indicate that depressive signs and symptoms,
self-harm and suicidal thoughts have specifically increased in young girls[19]. C.
BENEFITS OF USING SOCIAL MEDIA There are a variety of possible advantages
Connected with the use of social media, include opportunities for entertainment,
discovery of personality and artistic expression. Among the most specifically stated
advantages of social media use is social interaction, with 81% of teenagers claiming
that social media helps them to feel at home. It can also provide resources for some
young people to obtain online social support, especially to access to similar peer
communities[20]. Social media platform enables one to share or connect with
others . It helps a person from one side of the earth to communicate and discuss
things with a person in the other side of the earth. This is not just a form of
entertainment; it is also effective. One should take advantage of this in order to
achieve optimal outcome in education. Social media offers its users with a platform
to get formulated. Internal effectiveness, which relates to individuals own capacity to
recognize and engage in politics, and external effectiveness, or confidence in the
accountability of political officials and organizations to citizens' demands[21].
Students should use social media to promote social consciousness and compassion.
social networking sites can allow young people to get in contact with peers. Social
media sites encourage youngsters to live their life unaffected. In reality, several
organisations have developed their own Facebook accounts for Sharing details with
many other people. In addition, its effect on recruiting has indeed been increasing.
Through creating profile pages on social media in particular LinkedIn, Facebook, and
Twitter, together with the company's website, businesses are seeking

suitable applicants for the positions available in their organisation[20], [22]. IV.
MAKING SOCIAL MEDIA TO USE IN A BETTER AND SAFE WAY Encouraging
families to be pre-emptively extremely concerned in limiting kids and teens’ usage of
smartphones and other mobile devices can nonetheless be helpful, for the reason
that social media use tends to appear as complex when it outstrips one to two hours
per day, , open debate focusing on high-quality interaction and directing is
presumably excellent for mitigating internet-associated risks for children; moreover,
easiest five of the covered researches pertained to social media, that were cantered
totally on pass-sectional surveys. It is indeed worth informing parent that they
associate smartphone use with their personal conduct; a retrospective observation
has shown that intense parental mobile phone usage has turned into a connection
with a worse kind of contact with their children.[5], [23]. Youngsters and their parents
may be inspired to restrict the use of cell phones and social media. This will wish to
consist of such steps as the use of social media just for fixed hours, and preferably
handiest hallways and drawing room areas within the household. A further motivating
factor could be to examine data displaying a negative influence of smartphones on
getting to know, and the advantage on instructional results when telephones are put
away while analysing, preferably in some other space[15], [24]. An inspirational
questioning strategy may be helpful to assist young humans continue to make
improvements to the routine of online activity. Cognitive therapy is an approach with
proven effectiveness for young people with opioid use that can be effective for
adolescents who appear to have poor self-control with their usage of social media or
phones[25]. This methodology ought to contain open, nonjudgmental evaluation of
all facets of an adolescents’ virtual life, any teens can advantage from habit reversal
schooling to cope with compulsive usage, consisting of getting day by day “on
screen time” that can be step by step extended. Reporting proof that a randomized
controlled trial located that participants allocated to no longer the use of Facebook
described significantly more “lifestyles satisfaction” and considerable emotions later
one week, relative to controls that were ordered to keep the use of the website as
usual, could be beneficial in the conduct of trade. Youngsters should be allowed to
tell their friends that they will be taking a short break or in any other situation,
proscribing their use of social media[26]. Talking with children about better methods
of communicating, along with meeting in person or also interacting without pause
with the assistance of mobile phones, would wish to help with plans to bridge the
social media void, supported by discussion of proofs that in-person contact will
further defend academic fitness. More generally, public-focused campaigns should
provide training on the effects of the tricky use of new technology and encourage
healthier actions in this regard. Various social media sites have enforced prohibitions
and regulations on self-harm related posts. A comparative analysis of awareness-
raising enterprises affecting a total of sixty-six children determined that while children
appreciated equality[6].

IV.CONCLUSION New media have been established over the last decades. An
increasingly critical place in the lives of young people, providing numerous
challenges and opportunities. As the impact of new media continues to expand, it will
be important to develop evidence-based approaches to encouraging and making
more effective use of social media in young people Given the value of attractive
teens in alleviating possible social networking damage, a preventive tactic, will be
counter-productive. Indeed for today's youth who have no longer understand the
world without social networking sites, digital interactions are the standard and the
future benefits of online accessibility to efficient analytical medical information.—
along with digital exposure, imagination, self-Consciousness, feeling of identity and
civic participation are the norm. —Along with being limited to channels such as
disaster lines and the Internet speech treatments, it cannot be dismissed[22], [27].
Nevertheless, young people today could gain from validated character and systemic
interventions to help them resolve the challenges of using social media and digital
media, to shield themselves from damage and to use social networking sites in a
manner that supports their mental wellbeing, against the past tradition of policy
proposals aimed at addressing social, cultural and monetary issues that underpin the
family[28], [29]. V. RECOMMENDATIONS AND FUTURE WORK To suggest that
social media users should understand the intent of using social media and remain
informed about the use of informational sites, as well as the data protection issues at
stake with the use of applications. Teenagers must use their time productively on
social media to improve social connectivity rather than squandering their valuable
time on informal chats and posts in WhatsApp, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. To
ensure the future of children, teachers and parents should look for what they are
truly doing[1]. Teachers must introduce new techniques to allow students to get
support from instructional platforms for their assessments and tutorials in order to
inculcate the practice of using social media for academic purposes[10]. That time is
spent by young people using cell phones and browsing the Internet can be reduced
by setting plans for their everyday lives. Parents or guardians must do this to protect
their child from abuse of social media. Academic institutions must not regulate
educational opportunities[10]. Influence and obsession on social media are much
worse than the fascination with tobacco[30]. Young people actually the most popular
user of social media, encounter the issue of fear, anxiety, poor self-esteem,
depression, and they are scared of being emotionally abused, criticized, or even
ignored if they encounter people and improve their social connections such that they
usually spend their time using smartphones and browsing through various public
contact platforms[16].

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https://www.researchgate.net/publication/347437746_Impact_of_Social_Media_on_
Youth
Article 3

Teens and social media use: What's the impact?

By Mayo Clinic Staff

Social media is a big part of many teens' lives. A 2018 Pew Research Center survey
of nearly 750 13- to 17-year-olds found that 45% are online almost constantly and
97% use a social media platform, such as YouTube, Facebook, Instagram or
Snapchat.
But what impact does social media use have on teens?

Social media benefits

Social media allows teens to create online identities, communicate with others and
build social networks. These networks can provide teens with valuable support,
especially helping those who experience exclusion or have disabilities or chronic
illnesses.
Teens also use social media for entertainment and self-expression. And the
platforms can expose teens to current events, allow them to interact across
geographic barriers and teach them about a variety of subjects, including healthy
behaviors. Social media that's humorous or distracting or provides a meaningful
connection to peers and a wide social network might even help teens avoid
depression.

Social media harms

However, social media use can also negatively affect teens, distracting them,
disrupting their sleep, and exposing them to bullying, rumor spreading, unrealistic
views of other people's lives and peer pressure.
The risks might be related to how much social media teens use. A 2019 study of
more than 6,500 12- to 15-year-olds in the U.S. found that those who spent more
than three hours a day using social media might be at heightened risk for mental
health problems. Another 2019 study of more than 12,000 13- to 16-year-olds in
England found that using social media more than three times a day predicted poor
mental health and well-being in teens.
Other studies also have observed links between high levels of social media use and
depression or anxiety symptoms. A 2016 study of more than 450 teens found that
greater social media use, nighttime social media use and emotional investment in
social media — such as feeling upset when prevented from logging on — were each
linked with worse sleep quality and higher levels of anxiety and depression.
How teens use social media also might determine its impact. A 2015 study found
that social comparison and feedback seeking by teens using social media and
cellphones was linked with depressive symptoms. In addition, a small 2013 study
found that older adolescents who used social media passively, such as by just
viewing others' photos, reported declines in life satisfaction. Those who used social
media to interact with others or post their own content didn't experience these
declines.
And an older study on the impact of social media on undergraduate college students
showed that the longer they used Facebook, the stronger was their belief that others
were happier than they were. But the more time the students spent going out with
their friends, the less they felt this way.
Because of teens' impulsive natures, experts suggest that teens who post content on
social media are at risk of sharing intimate photos or highly personal stories. This
can result in teens being bullied, harassed or even blackmailed. Teens often create
posts without considering these consequences or privacy concerns.

Protecting your teen

There are steps you can take to encourage responsible use of social media and limit
some of its negative effects. Consider these tips:

 Set reasonable limits. Talk to your teen about how to avoid letting social
media interfere with his or her activities, sleep, meals or homework. Encourage a
bedtime routine that avoids electronic media use, and keep cellphones and
tablets out of teens' bedrooms. Set an example by following these rules yourself.
 Monitor your teen's accounts. Let your teen know that you'll be regularly
checking his or her social media accounts. You might aim to do so once a week
or more. Make sure you follow through.
 Explain what's not OK. Discourage your teen from gossiping, spreading
rumors, bullying or damaging someone's reputation — online or otherwise. Talk
to your teen about what is appropriate and safe to share on social media.
 Encourage face-to-face contact with friends. This is particularly important
for teens vulnerable to social anxiety disorder.
 Talk about social media. Talk about your own social media habits. Ask your
teen how he or she is using social media and how it makes him or her feel.
Remind your teen that social media is full of unrealistic images.
If you think your teen is experiencing signs or symptoms of anxiety or depression
related to social media use, talk to your child's doctor.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/tween-and-teen-health/in-depth/teens-
and-social-media-use/art-20474437