Social media and teenagers have a deep bond as it provides them with an instant connection with the world, breaking the boundaries of physical distance. The role of social media has evolved from just being a platform to chat to connect, share information, get help, know the problems or issues across the world, etc. Teens use social media as a tool to express themselves, showcase their talents to a larger audience, and maintain relationships. Social media effects on the 21st-century teens are great and highly influential, but it also comes with negative outcomes for which they must prepare themselves.
In this article, we will focus on a teenager’s view on social media to understand the virtual world from their perspective and guide them if required as it is the responsibility of every responsible adult to share the pros and cons of technology, no matter how popular they are.
Social Media
First, let us understand what exactly social media is before jumping in to understand a teenager’s view on social media and the tips to keep them safe yet not affect their privacy. Social media platforms are digital technologies that facilitate or provide a medium for everyone to connect, share their thoughts, media, etc with all those using the platform, as well as view their shared contents. It is an internet-based service that helps users to connect quickly to e-communication or electronic modes of communication.
The contents that are shared on social media include audio files, videos, images, personal details, etc based on the user’s consent. One can access social media through almost every digital or smart gadget such as smartphones, desktop or laptop, iPad, tablet, etc using the software or application.
The usage of social media is high in countries like the U.S.A and Europe, but Asian countries like India, Indonesia, etc. lead them. On a global scale, more than 3.8 billion people use social media. Social media has brought in a major change in the mode of communication, on a daily basis in our lives. This platform has its own boons as well as consequences based on how one uses it.
Social Media and Teenagers
The relationship between social media and teenagers is very important to understand, hence knowing a teenager’s view on social media helps. Social media is important for teenagers and everyone who likes to keep themselves in the trend, knowing the situations in various places across the world, share their lifestyle or ideas, etc as it gives the users the power to connect almost instantaneously with others and share whatever they want. This also helps to identify people with similar tastes or even notice the activities of your favorite personality, but as said earlier, it is important to help them understand that sharing personal details of life is like controlling a double edged knife, it can also prove to be disastrous if not handled properly. Some of such negative aspects include bullying, blackmailing, or a sense of pressure that forces them to behave or present themselves in a particular way.
Teens use social media to talk over a wide range of topics and discuss them with others. They can share their accomplishments, issues that they face, or simply glimpses of their life. According to a survey, more than 60% of teens share or post their accomplishments whereas the rest share information about their personal life, family, etc. From these, about 30% of teens express their emotions or feelings on social media platforms related to their life, politics, religion, discrimination, etc.
Factors Affecting Social Media Usage
When we look deeper there is a significant difference in the topics that the teens share based on their gender, as well as age. This is because not everyone feels or looks at the world with the same perspective, factors like childhood, family situation, maturity, etc. play an important role.
When compared based on gender, it is evident that more than 50% of girls tend to post personal information about their family, feelings, beliefs, etc. when compared to boys. However, this is a general conclusion as social media, and its importance in one’s life varies from one person to another. Another finding is that even though selfies are popular, most teens do not prefer to share them or post them on social media.
So, if those teens with a few years of age difference behave differently to social media platforms then it must definitely be hard for the previous generations to understand their views or issues. So, let us check out the various social media platforms for ease of understanding.
Considering that young people have different social media habits than previous generations, it can be difficult for parents and other adults to understand the challenges young people face. Here’s a glance into what your children could also be thinking.
Snapchat, Instagram, and Facebook
Snapchat and Instagram are the go-to social media platforms for teens. Snapchat is a platform that focuses on one-to-one communication as well as group chats along with giving importance to sharing ‘Snaps’, which are the images captured in the moment of sharing, unlike in Instagram in which one can share media taken even days ago. Snapchat also allows users to share their selfies with filters on it, and Instagram allows chatting, sharing ‘Story’, posts, etc with a caption that best depicts the media.
Instagram and Facebook have several uses apart from for entertainment, many use them for marketing their products or services, developing business by reaching out to the audience for free, and understanding the current trends.
The aspect that parents or well-wishers must focus on is the concept of pressure building or anxiety development in teens as most of what is shared on these platforms such as pictures are those that they look best in. This concept of moving to an extreme extent to bring in perfection can affect the mental health of teens.
Also read about: Tap Your Social Media To Generate Leads: Facebook Marketing
In this article, we have discussed a teenager’s view on social media along with understanding some of the popular social media platforms. Hope this article was useful to understand a teenager’s point of view on social media.
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