Editorial Essay on the Negative Impact of Social Media on Teens

This editorial essay delves into the negative impacts of social media on teenagers, highlighting how excessive use can lead to various issues. The essay discusses the shift from traditional communication methods to the pervasive influence of social media, emphasizing its potential for cyberbullying, anxiety, depression, body shaming, and social isolation. It explores how teenagers are particularly vulnerable to these negative effects, often comparing themselves to idealized online representations. The essay underscores the importance of parental guidance and monitoring, suggesting strategies such as setting limits, tracking content, and fostering open communication to help teenagers navigate the challenges of social media and promote their mental well-being. The author also includes a bibliography with supporting references.

Editorial Essay
Issues related to effects of social media, specifically the negative ones on
teenagers
Negative effects of
social media on
teens

Sociology 1
Social media and its effects on teens
There was a time when people used to physically get engaged in conversations and get to
know everything by the word of mouth. The only source of information was the television, by
which people got to know about national as well as international issues and what is trending.
Nowadays, it is so convenient for people to get involved in any kind of discussion through
social media (Ehmke). Individuals can connect people not just in the country but worldwide
without many interruptions. In the below discussion the issue that is going to be debated upon
is social media. The effects it has on teenagers and what it can lead to when excessively used.
Its negative effects have also been highlighted below along with how they can be avoided at
the initial stages.
Especially since teens are so active on the social media, they communicate and look out to
people who are or at least seem to be perfect in their own ways. Social media nowadays is not
just about communicating or sharing information but it affects individuals in a very different
way (The Effect of Social Media on Teenagers). There are so many instances of Cyber
bullying, people as in teenagers going into depression and going through a phase of anxiety
about them, facing body shaming or certain kinds of discrimination on day to day basis. It is
so easy for individuals or teenagers especially to feel bad about them or fall prey to various
scams (Shafer).
Even spending long hours on social media or even on electronic devices have resulted in
affecting teenagers in so many ways (Fersko). Expecting someone’s life to be perfect and
even promoting such kind of lifestyle or choices have sometimes led to people feeling bad
about themselves or their situations since they cannot pursue it. These have not just affected
the person’s physical state but pose a huge threat upon an individual’s mental state as well
(Gordon).

Sociology 2
There are so many negative effects that are recorded on day to day basis related to social
media like, stalking, social isolation, cyber bullying, social isolation, anxiety, depression,
sleep deprivation, low self -esteem, suicide provoking content and what not (Prajapati).
Teenagers tend to get influenced by these negative effects a lot, hence resulting in very
adverse effects (Klass).
In most of the situations, situations like these can be avoided. When guardians or seniors
restrict the use of social media themselves, they can also restrict the use of social media for
their children or teenagers (Ketchell). Tracking the kind of content or material these teenagers
are into or discussing about certain issues with teenagers that are trending can help the
guardians or parents figure out the way of thinking of these little individuals. Talking to them
and helping them with certain situations and motivating them to do better is something that
can help teenagers grow into better humans and realise the dangers revolving around social
media. Talking to each other and keeping a check on the progress of teens through schools or
colleges can also help guardians or parents to know about the mental health of the teenagers
and the mentality of the teen.

Sociology 3
Bibliography
Ehmke, Rachel. How Using Social Media Affects Teenagers. 2020. 23 February 2020
https://childmind.org/article/how-using-social-media-affects-teenagers/ .
Fersko, Henry. Is social media bad for teens’ mental health? 19 October 2018. 23 February
2020 https://www.unicef.org/stories/social-media-bad-teens-mental-health .
Gordon, Sherri. 5 Ways Social Media Affects Teen Mental Health. 20 October 2019. 23
February 2020 https://www.verywellfamily.com/ways-social-media-affects-teen-mental-
health-4144769 .
Ketchell, Misha. Social media can be bad for youth mental health, but there are ways it can
help. 12 December 2017. 23 February 2020 https://theconversation.com/social-media-
can-be-bad-for-youth-mental-health-but-there-are-ways-it-can-help-87613 .
Klass, Perri. When Social Media Is Really Problematic for Adolescents. 3 June 2019. 23
February 2020 https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/03/well/family/teenagers-social-
media.html .
Prajapati, Vinay. The Negative Effects of Social Media on Teenagers, Youth or
Adolescents2020. 1 February 2020. 23 February 2020
https://www.techprevue.com/negative-social-media-adolescents/ .
Shafer, Leah. Social Media and Teen Anxiety. 15 December 2017. 23 February 2020
https://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/uk/17/12/social-media-and-teen-anxiety.
The Effect of Social Media on Teenagers. 8 March 2019. 23 February 2020
https://www.newportacademy.com/resources/well-being/effect-of-social-media-on-
teenagers/.

Sociology 4