The Dark Side of Social Media: Adolescents Online
We’ve all heard of them; most of us engage in them daily, and for some, perhaps even multiple times a day. What I’m referring to are social media sites, and there are hundreds online whose sole purpose is to encourage users to divulge personal information about themselves. Many individuals have become entirely comfortable with the idea of sharing photos, videos, and private details about their lives with others online. Undoubtedly, social media has become an integral part of our culture and society and it can even be a helpful tool when used wisely. However, when social media users are naive adolescents who aren’t well informed of the risks they may be exposed to, problems can arise. The world of social media among adolescents poses many negative effects, which include, but are not limited to: cyber-bullying, peer pressure, contact with sexual predators, and numerous psycho-social issues connected to all three.
Cyberbullying
One of the most serious risks of social media use among our youth is exposure to cyberbullying. Cyberbullying occurs when “…a child, preteen or teen is tormented, threatened, harassed, humiliated, embarrassed or otherwise targeted by another child, preteen or teen using the Internet, interactive and digital technologies or mobile phones”. This has been a hot topic in schools as of late because of more recent studies that highlight its prevalence and negative effects on adolescents. A study found that “10%–33% of youth aged 11–19 years reported being bullied online…” (Nilan et al. 2015:2). Clearly, cyberbullying is not a minuscule problem but one that needs to be largely addressed. Being a victim of cyberbullying has many negative social, psychological, emotional and physical effects. These effects are both immediate and long term and include “…lowered self-esteem, emotional alienation, poor school attendance, poor learning outcomes, and diminished capacity to form relationships” (Nilan et al. 2015:2). As we can see, cyberbullying is far more serious than harmless “teasing” and can cause immense damage to the lives of adolescents.
Peer Pressure
The use of social media sites also opens up the door for adolescents to face considerable societal and peer pressure in order to fit in with their friends. “Selfies” have become one of the most popular types of images girls take and post on social media. However, Lisa Lister (2014) warns, “Although selfies themselves are essentially just photographic self-portraits, and taking them may seem harmless, teen girls are now taking raunchy and provocative images that mirror their…idols”(p.3). This behavior can perpetuate the hyper-sexualization of young girls in our society, while endangering them if exposed to online predators. Additionally, some adolescents over share information online, including risky behavior such as underage drinking and drug use. In turn, teens may feel pressured to copy their peers’ behavior in order to be part of the “in” crowd. Such peer pressure can place teens in dangerous situations in which their health and lives are at risk.
Online Predators
Teens who have their profiles set to public and share private information about their identities and whereabouts are also in jeopardy. They are easier to locate and identify, especially for someone who is looking to do them harm, such as pedophiles. Because it is easy to fabricate a false identity, some teens believe they are befriending someone harmless when it’s actually someone much older that is looking to take advantage of them. Anytime a teen is oversharing private and personal information online, they are putting themselves at risk of coming into contact with someone dangerous.
Tips on Keeping Teens Safe
One fundamental way of ensuring adolescents’ safety is by teaching them to be responsible social media users. Parents and teens should have open communication about the dangers that exist online. In addition, teens need to know what online behavior to avoid so that their safety is never in jeopardy. Having a non-judgmental and understanding dialogue with adolescents allows them to be more comfortable speaking about the issue. Parents should always be aware of what their teens do online by monitoring their activities. Also, adolescents should be encouraged to speak out if they or someone they know has been a victim to the many dangers of social media use. Ultimately, parents are responsible for keeping their kids safe and by following these guidelines, adolescents can use social media without being threatened.
