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In 2019, 79 percent of the population in the United States had a social networking profile which is 4.388 billion people. Most kids, teens, and even some adults are using social media all the time. Social media and social networking seem to play an important role in people's lives around the world in this generation. “Social media websites allow individuals to construct profiles in which they can maintain and create social networks, circulate details about their daily lives and respond to posts written by others”. “The daily life of an adolescent is enhanced with the thoughtful use of social media”. Social media was created to reconnect people through a form of communication but it has evolved into a dangerous addiction. People being on their phones and social media networks all day long is not just disappointing but also damaging. “Social media use is an important interactive tool for youth and young adults and, unlike more traditional media, users play an active role in creating and shaping the experience”. Social media use among teenagers and young adults have many less positive consequences. These include cyberbullying and social anxiety, negative self-image and body image, mental health, social media addiction, and less time spent doing more healthy activities such as exercising or gathering with friends and family. Social media has seemed to become a part of the lives of our generation and is gradually taking considerably powerful control over us.
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Firstly, with the rise of social media and it’s expanded reach around the globe, the rates of cyberbullying have increased drastically amongst teens. “Over the past few decades, there has been a surge in the use of media by the younger generations and concern has been raised about the impact of media on children because of research reports of long term harmful effects”. Social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat have brought communication across the world to a whole new level. “Cyberbullying is the use of electronic forms of contact to inflict willful and repeated harm to others. Most young people and teens are experiencing this because of their immoderate use of social media networks. Cyberbullying has created an atmosphere where internet-abuse is easier than physical bullying. Cyberbullying can have a much greater effect than a real-life aggravation; it can lead to depression, anxiety, and even suicide. Comments and posts on social media can have a detrimental effect on someone’s self-esteem and mental health. These issues are not discussed enough and become very overwhelming for young people in this generation. Social anxiety is the most common effect of cyberbullying. The overuse of social media makes teens want to interact less in person; which in return causes a lack of social skills leading to stronger-rooted social anxiety. Social anxiety can put children and teens in fear of the real world which causes them to become socially isolated. Unfortunately, cyberbullying is not stopping and this has caused social media to be viewed rather inadequate.
Additionally, teens are exceptionally vulnerable to the impact that social media can have on their body image as they develop an outlook on their bodies and accept the developmental changes that have occurred. As a matter of fact, “around 40% of adolescent girls are dissatisfied with their bodies”. “Body dissatisfaction is associated with negative self-perception, depressed mood, and disordered eating”. On social media, people compare their bodies to images they see in the media and in a way that’s practically on par with makeup and other beauty products. These photos can lead to a false sense of control where users feel as if they can alter their bodies to get more positive attention. This disconnect between reality and perception increases the distance between what users feel about themselves in real life and what they think about their online profiles. Social media users need to be aware of the negative effects of social media on body image. The consequences can be devastating to the mental health of users. Many young teens are obsessing over the number of likes they get, feared not looking beautiful in their photos, and thought individuals would think they looked different on social media than in real life. Teens receive messages about what their bodies shou
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