Answer:
Like technology in general, social media has both an upside and a downside. And when it comes to the social media effects on teens, those pros and cons are particularly significant.
But the impact of social media on youth can also be significantly detrimental to mental health. In particular, social media and teen depression are closely linked. And while the majority of parents believe they know what their child is posting on social media, according to a Pew Research poll, a survey of teens found that 70 percent of them are hiding their online behavior from their parents.
Some experts worry that teens are more anxious and have lower self-esteem because of social media and texting. There are key differences to socializing online. Teens miss out more on things like body language and facial expressions. This can lead to more misunderstandings and hurt feelings. It can also make talking in person feel more intimidating. In real life you can’t spend time crafting the perfect response. You can’t make sure you look exactly the way you want to look. If you have a disagreement, you need to know how to respond in real time.
Another big issue is that it is common for kids to feel bad about themselves when they see everyone online looking perfect. Teens often try to compensate by sharing pictures that make them look perfect, too. Then, when their social media identity doesn’t match how they actually feel, they can end up feeling worse.
Peer acceptance is extremely important for teenagers. It is easy to get caught up counting “likes” on social media. Teens can end up taking hundreds of photos, searching for the one that people will like most. And if the likes don’t come in, it can feel very personal.
Parents can help by setting a good example of how to use tech. Try to give kids your full attention when you are with them. If your head is often bent over a screen you’re sending the wrong message. Establish tech-free zones in in the house and tech-free hours.
A 2016 study of more than 450 teens found that greater social media use, nighttime social media use and emotional investment in social media such as feeling upset when prevented from logging on were each linked with worse sleep quality and higher levels of anxiety and depression.
