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Introduction
Social media are internet-based channels that aid people in communication. It creates an environment where users can have conversations, share information, and make content (Pediatrics, 2021). Today, there are many types of these platforms such as blogs, microblogs, wikis, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Telegram, WhatsApp, LinkedIn, photo-sharing sites, instant messaging, podcasts, widgets, and virtual worlds. Globally, billions of people including adults and children, now have social media accounts (Fadilah, 2018). Professionals use the avenues to build networks by linking with other experts in their industries. Most platforms require that only those who are at least 13 years old use their sites. However, about 50% of children aged between 10 and 12 and 33% of those between 7 and 9 years old use at least one social media application (Pediatrics, 2021). It could influence their early growth in aspects such as morals, emotions, and language negatively (Fadilah, 2018). Yes, social media is bad for children because it enables them to interact with content intended for adults. Further, it changes their behaviors, affects their education standards, creates anxiety, and causes lack of self-esteem in them.
Exposing Children to Adult Content
Internet is free for all content including information related to sexual activities and there is no restriction on who can access them. Furthermore, it is easier for any social media user including children irrespective of their age to come across or watch sex online in many of the forums they log into. Thus, teenagers could find themselves watching unsolicited pornographic videos for free and in a manner that is not censored. Thereby leading the victims to sexual addiction and making some children think about themselves as objects for sexual use. At the same time, teenagers find themselves sending or posting sexually explicit images online, and this has in some instances been used by sex offenders to lure and exploit them (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2022). Consequently, the kids become prematurely sexualized, which increases their risk of victimization, increases their chances of transmitting infections, and interferes with their healthy sexual development (Canadian Center for Children Protection, 2022). As a result, despite their lack of knowledge and experience with sexual content, they attempt to make sense of what they have witnessed.
Change in Behavior
Social media content has the potential to trigger childrens obsession with their facial or physical appearances. Further, some are induced to participate in mass social media challenges, which are dangerous and could initiate risky behaviors in them. In addition, children who are actively engaged online most of the time, can easily develop an addiction called problematic internet use (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2022). Likewise, some get lured into drugs and substances such as alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana. These forums have an influence on raising the infants because at the early stages of their development, they discover ideas that shape their future behaviors (Bhargavi, 2022). Additionally, it has turned many children away from their families, relatives, and communities as they connect more with the virtual world.
Negative Impact on Education
Youngsters spend many hours, each day, watching videos, photos, and other content posted on social media sites that they follow. On the other hand, others oftentimes access these platforms at the same time they are studying or doing homework (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2022). In some instances, when parents intervene by directing them to study, they react by increasing their rates of irritability and frustration towards the parents (Pediatrics, 2021). This addiction disrupts their academic activities and school work, resulting in poor performance in assignments and examinations.
Creating Anxiety Among Children
Social media has no ethics or code of conduct, and it is very difficult to regulate. Cyberbullies online can use these platforms to threaten, harass, and intimidate the teens, which could cause them negative social and mental issues they may not know how to deal with. Further distribution of false information, embarrassing or hostile interactions from their peers and strangers could necessitate the development of depression, isolation, and anxiety among the victims (Elsayed, 2021). There is the possibility that it could result in psychological outcomes like mental health disorders, destructive and self-aggressive behaviors, and committing suicide.
Lack of Self-Esteem
Consuming negative, complex, stereotypical, and discriminatory materials posted on many sites could lead youngsters, particularly those at adolescent stages, to experience a conflict of identity. This is necessitated by their desire to get self-direction through the exploration of the unknown, interaction with strangers, and getting into a web of virtual associations (Elsayed, 2021). The biggest contributor to this problem is that the lives painted on most social media sites are not an actual reflection of real life. Influencers on these platforms portray excellent lifestyles that they cannot afford. Children are, thus, made to believe in perfection, start feeling inferior, and question their own selves (Loveless, 2022). It results in them having low self-esteem, which could potentially cause them mental health challenges.
Conclusion
Social media creates an environment where users can have conversations, share information, and make content. However, despite its benefits, it is bad for children because it allows them to interact with content intended for adults. The forum alters childrens behaviors, has a negative impact on their education, makes them anxious, and causes a lack of self-esteem in them. Firstly, many sites allow infants and teenagers to watch sexual content freely. Consequently, they are prematurely sexualized, which increases their risk of victimization and chances of transmitting infections and interferes with their healthy sexual development. Secondly, some of the platforms have the potential to trigger their obsession with facial or physical appearances and their participation in activities that could instill risky behaviors in the children. There are chances that those who spend too much time online could develop an addiction known as problematic internet use, and be involved in alcohol and drug abuse. Thirdly, many youths oftentimes spend much time on social channels, and sometimes they access them while studying. This disrupts their academic activities and school work, resulting in poor performance in assignments and examinations.
Almost all of these sites have no ethical code of conduct; they are not regulated, and people use them as they wish. As a result, cyberbullies normally take advantage of this to threaten, harass, intimidate, and distribute false, stereotypical, and discriminatory information that targets children. This could potentially cause the children negative social and mental issues that they may not know how to deal with. Likewise, embarrassing or hostile interactions with their peers and strangers could necessitate the development of depression, isolation, and anxiety, which could lead to mental disorders, self-aggressive behaviors, low self-esteem, and even suicide.
References
American Academy of Pediatrics. (2022). Constantly connected: How media use can affect your Child. Healthy children.org. Web.
Bhargavi, P. (2022). The impact of social media on children: Positive & negative. Mom Junction. Web.
Canadian Center for Children Protection. (2022). Exposure to sexually explicit material ProtectKidsOnline.ca. Web.
Elsayed, W. (2021). The negative effects of social media on the social identity of adolescents from the perspective of social work. Heliyon, 7 (2). Web.
Fadilah, A. S. (2018). The influence of social media on early childhood growth in the era of the Net Generation. Atlantis Press. Web.
Loveless, B. (2022). Is social media good or bad for students? Education Corner. Web.
Pediatrics. (2021). Effects of social media on children. Cleveland Clinic. Web.
Self-Reflection
I have learned about using multiple pieces of evidence and reason in different ways to justify the argument. I equally understand better that it is important to be simple, factual, and to avoid generalities in my presentations. In addition I have developed skills such as evaluation, judgement, and techniques of investigation, which I will apply most of the time to clarify my thoughts and articulate them accurately.
This writing assignment has helped me understand that as a writer, constant practice improves my creativity, correct use of language, and enhances my self-growth. Interestingly, I was surprised to know that I can actually conduct research. Further, I just realized that I can recall and connect most of the concepts that were taught in the previous lessons. I now know that I can plan for my writing work, do editing, and organize all important components of the whole process. In the past I struggled with grammar and punctuation mistakes but I am now doing better.
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