Essay On Influence Of Social Media On Teenagers

“84 percent of teens use social media.” (Looking for Likes: Teen Social Media Addiction Newport Academy) Obviously, social media plays a big role in a teen’s life. It embraces creating friendships and connecting with others. However, social media has also caused teens to feel depressed and more insecure than ever before. Social media is more risky for teens because it has the potential to cause depression, there can be a lack of security, and addiction is likely.

One of the reasons social media is more risky than beneficial is the immense risk of depression. When enough time is spent on social media it's inevitable that feelings of depression will arise. “Teens compare their own messy lives to the highlight reels that their peers present. This can make life feel unfair.” (Pierce Stevens) When scrolling on Instagram, what's seen is the curated lives and perfect pictures of those who could in reality be going through a difficult time. Getting involved in online drama can likely happen and it can be detrimental for teens. “Many teens who used social media experienced some symptoms of depression.” (Pierce Stevens) Even though it may seem questionable, there are many teens who are struggling with depression and it is rooted within social media.

Another reason social media is more risky is that there is room for lack of security. “Facebook sometimes recognizes its privacy and account settings, which can cause your information to be shared with more people than you want.” (Internet Safety for kids: Using Social Networks Safely) There are ways people can get around privacy settings resulting in an unwanted audience viewing private social media accounts. When social media accounts are made that immediately opens up the door to the potential of getting hacked, posts being shared with an unwanted audience, and getting viruses. “If you use a default password or one that your kids can guess, they may be able to use a Linux boot disk to get around any controls you set.” (Internet Safety for kids: Using Social Networks Safely) Even though there are privacy controls that can be established, it doesn't ensure full security.

The last reason social media is more risky is that there is the potential to form an addiction. Social media addictions are probable. “10% of internet users are psychologically addicted and can't control how much time they spend online.” (McSweeney) Social media addictions are hard and make living life away from screens challenging. “Brain scans of social media addicts are similar to those of drug dependent brains.” (McSweeney) This means that people who suffer from a substance addiction have brain scan results like those who suffer from a social media addiction.  Addictions can make it hard to control how much time is spent on social media and giving it up can be difficult.

Depression, lack of security, and addiction all are reasons why social media tends to be more risky than beneficial. Rather it's from hurtful comments or comparing their lives to others, many teens who have social media have experienced depression. When using social media there is always the potential of getting hacked or getting a virus when using social media. Becoming addicted to social media makes it hard to control how much time is spent on social media and really be tough to unplug. When using social media, there is the possibility of depression, lack of security, and a potential addiction that all contribute to making social media more risky.