Teens Are Using Twitter to Make Friends, And It’s Not a Bad Thing
Our parents always say “don’t talk to strangers on the Internet.” But that’s exactly how teens are using social media platforms, such as Twitter. Parents should know making friends via social media isn’t a bad thing, it actually gives teens the opportunity to make connections with people from all over the world and aren’t limited to those around them.
One third of American teens uses Twitter to interact with others, and this includes creating new relationships with people. This can be a positive opportunity for teens that struggle with making friends at school or in their neighborhood. Twitter provides a space to share who they are in order to connect with others that are interested in similar topics. Many consider themselves ‘socially awkward’ at some point during their teenage years, and using Twitter may be able to help overcome it. Being able to talk with others and share experiences over a social platform can make teens feel less alone in the world.
Because Twitter is an open platform, assuming a handle is public, it is easy for teens to find people whom they have something in common with. Direct messaging makes communicating with new friends, one on one or in a group chat, so much easier. Talking to people on Twitter, that may not be from the same area, is helpful when looking for unbiased advice. It’s easy to explain a situation to someone that doesn’t know very much about what is going on and ask them for help, as opposed to close friends or parents. Friends on Twitter are able to give a third party perspective on the issue.
In some situations, I have found it easier to talk to friends I met on Twitter than those around me. These are the friends choose to stay connected with you everyday, even when it means going through different time zones. I have found Twitter to be a very positive and friendly place to talk to people.
Many parents fear that the people their teens are talking to on Twitter aren’t exactly who they say they are. Which is a valid concern, because there is no way to really know. But as long as teens aren’t sharing private information, such as their address or bank information, then parents don’t have much to worry about. Teens are looking to connect with new people and learn about different experiences and cultures, and I think that parents should support that.
There are even Twitter profiles that are dedicated to sharing others ‘Internet friendships’ and how positive they can be. Teens can submit photos of their online friendships or videos of meeting each other for the first time. These posts can be very heartwarming, especially if you are waiting to meet you Twitter best friend for the first time.
Making friends on Twitter can open the eyes of teens to all sorts of new things and can be a positive experience for them, if done in a safe and responsible manner. Sometimes you can feel the closest to the people that are furthest away from you, and Twitter can helps keep you connected.
