Media Influence on Youths

Media Technology
Publishing (Newspapers and Books) Film including documentaries. Electronic publishing Television Music. Video Mobile phones The Internet Radio

Idols-Body Image and Self-Esteem

Many us have our idols and most of the times these people are perfect in our eyes. Thus, we aspire to be like them. When youths hear news about their favourite celebrities losing weight, many of them start to question their body shape and think that they are too fat. When they hear about celebrities using plastic surgery to look better, many youths start thinking whether they could look better using the same means. These negative perceptions by a person regarding their body, can have drastic consequences such as mental disorders of which an example is depression or eating disorders such as bulimia and Anorexia. There are many statistics to prove the effect of media on a persons body image. 80% of 9 year olds are on diets. Eating disorders have grown 400% since 1970 Young girls are being deluged by media images of skinny models: Girls are becoming weight conscious as young as 8 years old

Idols- Body Image

In a recent survey by Teen People magazine, 27% of the girls felt that the media pressures them to have a perfect body. 69% of girls in one study said that magazine models influence their idea of a perfect body shape. Many males are becoming insecure about their physical appearance as advertising and other media images raise the standard and idealize wellbuilt men.

Researchers are seeing an alarming increase in obsessive weight training and the use of anabolic steroids & dietary supplements that promise bigger muscles and more stamina for lifting.
Studies are finding that boys and girl may turn to smoking to lose weight.

Movies & Songs- Violence

Nowadays many movies and songs contain content that promotes the use of violence. After constant exposure to such content, youth seem to think that using violent means to achieve something is all right. The Mediascope National Television Violence Study found that children are learning aggressive attitudes and behaviours becoming desensitized to real world violence developing a fear of being victimized by violence

Movies & Songs- Violence

Statistics
The typical American child will view more than 200,000 acts of violence, including more than 16,000 murders before age 18. Television programs display 812 violent acts per hour; children's programming, particularly cartoons, displays up to 20 violent acts hourly. On television, perpetrators go unpunished 73% of the time. This gives the message that violence is a successful method of resolving conflicts. 47% of all violent interactions on TV depict no harm to victims. Television alone is responsible for 10% of youth violence. Only 16% of all broadcast programs show the long-term negative effects of violence. 58% show no pain.

Movies & Songs- Violence

Examples of songs promoting violence

Cause I didn't mean to hurt him Could've been somebody's son And I took his heart when I pulled out that gun What do you expect me to do If you're playing me for a fool I will lose my cool And reach for my fire arm I didn't mean to lay him down But it's too late to turn back now Don't know what I was thinking Now he's no longer living So I'm 'bout to leave town

I just shot a man down In central station In front of a big old crowd

Movies & Songs- Violence

Examples of acts of violence by youths

The Columbine High School massacre occurred on April 20, 1999, Two senior students killed 12 students and one teacher. They also injured 21 other students directly, and another three people were injured while attempting to escape. The pair then committed suicide. This was the fourth-deadliest school massacre in United States history. The Winnenden school shooting occurred on 11 March 2009 at Albertville secondary school in south-western Germany. The shooting spree resulted in 16 deaths which includes the suicide of the perpetrator, 17-year-old Tim Kretschmer. He had graduated from the school one year earlier. Another 11 persons were also injured during the incident.

The Internet
With the invention of the internet, many things are now easily accessible at the click of a button. Games, Social Networking Sites, Youtube Videos and even Movies. Internet has influences the way of life for many people, allowing people to shop online and purchase items with just a click of a button. Social Networking sites allow people from different places across the globe to interact easily. Pictures, videos and information can be exchanged easily and be posted for all to see. Despite this being convenient, many negative impacts may result from this, such as private information and indecent pictures to be spread fast and far. Many sources of private information and porn videos have been leaked on the internet for the public to see.

Internet Addiction
Internet addiction disorder (IAD), or, more broadly, Internet overuse, problematic computer use or pathological computer use, is excessive computer use that interferes with daily life. These terms avoid the distracting and divisive term addiction and are not limited to any single cause. The prevalence of IAD can be attributed to the fact that it has become increasingly difficult to distinguish between the online and offline worlds. The Internet has tremendous potential to affect the emotions of humans and in turn, alter our self-perception and anxiety levels. 25% of users fulfill Internet addiction criteria within the first six months of using the Internet. Many individuals initially report feeling intimidated by the computer but gradually feel a sense of "competency and exhilaration from mastering the technology and learning to navigate the applications quickly by visual stimulation" (Beard 374). The feeling of exhilaration can be explained by the way IAD sufferers often describe themselves as: bold, outgoing, openminded, intellectually prideful, and assertive. The Ottawa Sun reports that a 1996 report in the UK "Advances in Psychiatric Treatment" claimed that a "significant minority" suffer from "Internet addiction"

Internet; Cyber Bullying

Cyber-bullying is "the use of information and communication technologies to support deliberate, repeated, and hostile behaviour by an individual or group, that is intended to harm others". As it has become more common in society, particularly among young people, legislation and awareness campaigns have arisen to combat it. Cyber-bullying can be as simple as continuing to send e-mail to someone who has said they want no further contact with the sender, but it may also include threats, sexual remarks, pejorative labels ganging up on victims by making them the subject of ridicule in forums, and posting false statements as fact aimed at humiliation.

Advantages to Media
Media can be used to promote anti-smoking campaigns as well as other campaigns to promote more awareness such as breast cancer, bullying and saving the environment. Internet can be used as a convenient way to buy every-day items. It can also be used to keep in touch with people in other countries easily. Information can be spread easily, and people can pay their bills on the internet without having to physically go out to pay them. Internet banking can give people financial gains easily and conveniently. Students can use the internet to help them gain information for school.

Bibliography
http://www.crisisconnectioninc.org/teens/media_influence_on_youth.htm http://www.parentstv.org/ptc/facts/mediafacts.asp http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anorexia_nervosa http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyber-bullying http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_addiction_disorder#Prevalence http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_game_addiction

Thank you for your attention