Is Social Media Doing More? ✓ Solved

social Media2is Social Media Doing More

This paper explores the impacts of social media on society, particularly focusing on how it affects children and adolescents. It reviews existing research and includes insights from an interview with a Licensed Professional Counselor, Amy Shelton. The discussion emphasizes the negative consequences of social media, such as decreased social skills and mental health issues, and explores potential strategies for mitigation through parental guidance and education. The paper highlights the necessity of teaching children responsible social media use from a young age to foster healthier engagement and minimize harmful effects.

Sample Paper For Above instruction

Introduction

Social media has become ingrained in everyday life, influencing individuals and society across various dimensions. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and YouTube serve to connect people, promote business activities, and foster community building. While social media offers undeniable benefits—such as staying connected with loved ones and educational opportunities—it also presents significant challenges and risks, particularly for younger users. These challenges include impacts on mental health, self-esteem, social skills, and overall well-being.

Existing research provides a comprehensive view of the effects of social media. Nicholas Dantuono (2015) emphasized that children interact less face-to-face, leading to decreased social skill development. Yang et al. (2019) highlighted how electronic screen time hampers children’s social communication skills, affecting their social development. Hawi and Samaha (2019) discussed how technology addiction correlates with personality traits, self-esteem, and self-construal, revealing adverse effects on mental health. Furthermore, O'Keeffe and Pearson (2011) stressed the importance of parental monitoring to mitigate negative effects, while Robinson et al. (2019) connected social media behaviors to increased risks of depressive disorders among young people.

Despite the extensive research, a notable gap remains: practical solutions for addressing these issues are often not thoroughly explored or implemented. Social media’s omnipresence necessitates strategies that empower children with knowledge and responsible habits. In particular, early education and parental guidance can play pivotal roles in shaping healthier social media behaviors, which can mitigate negative outcomes.

Methodology

To better understand how social media impacts young users, an interview was conducted with Amy Shelton, a Licensed Professional Counselor working at Trevecca Nazarene University and South College in Nashville. Shelton interacts with college students daily and has observed firsthand the adverse effects social media can impose on adolescents.

The interview took place on May 16, 2019, via video chat and consisted of eight open-ended questions focusing on social media’s impact on individuals and developmental aspects in children. Shelton’s insights provided valuable perspectives on how social media influences mental health, self-esteem, social skills, and overall well-being.

Findings and Discussion

Shelton observed that social media significantly affects adolescents, especially girls, with issues such as body image disturbance and eating disorders being prevalent. She reported that social media fosters perceptions of an idealized, often unattainable, lifestyle that can distort reality. This aligns with Dantuono's (2015) findings and underscores the risks of social comparison and cyberbullying.

Regarding mental health, Shelton highlighted the link between social media use and depression, noting that social media can both positively and negatively impact well-being depending on how it is used. When used responsibly, it can foster connection and empowerment; however, excessive or negative usage often leads to lowered self-esteem and social withdrawal. She explained that social media’s influence on self-esteem is profound because it amplifies comparisons and validation-seeking behaviors, which may be detrimental (Hawi & Samaha, 2019).

In terms of social skills, Shelton pointed out that heavy reliance on digital communication hampers face-to-face interactions, leading to impaired social skills among children and adolescents. This concern is reinforced by Yang et al. (2019), who demonstrated that screen abuse diminishes real-life social competency. Shelton emphasized that connection remains the most valuable aspect of social media, but responsible use is vital for maximizing benefits while minimizing harm.

She advocates for parental involvement and education as effective mitigation strategies. Shelton’s overarching advice is for parents to teach children the "do's and don'ts" of social media use, empowering them with knowledge before exposure. She cautioned against oversharing and highlighted the importance of modeling positive online behavior.

Implications and Solutions

The research and Shelton’s insights suggest that negative effects of social media are largely controllable through proactive education and parental guidance. Teaching children about responsible social media use from an early age can cultivate positive behaviors and reduce risks. Implementing digital literacy programs that focus on authenticity, empathy, and self-esteem can build resilience among young users.

Moreover, schools and communities can incorporate social-emotional learning curricula addressing digital citizenship. Parents must also be vigilant, monitoring their children’s social media activity and opening ongoing dialogues about online safety and etiquette. These measures can effectively balance social media’s benefits against its risks.

Limitations and Future Research

It’s essential to recognize limitations in the current research, including a lack of direct input from adolescents themselves. Future studies should incorporate surveys and interviews with young users to understand their perceptions and experiences more fully. Additionally, longitudinal research could explore the long-term effects of social media engagement and identify optimal intervention strategies.

Conclusion

In summary, social media has the potential to both positively and negatively influence societal well-being. While its pervasive presence cannot be ignored, deliberate efforts are essential to minimize harms—especially among children and adolescents—through education, parental involvement, and responsible platform use. As Shelton and other researchers emphasize, social media’s impact depends on individual behaviors and societal efforts to foster a safe, informed environment. Addressing these issues requires ongoing research, collaboration among educators, parents, policymakers, and continued technological innovations aimed at creating healthier digital spaces for young users.

References

  • Dantuono, N. (2015). How social media is affecting social and communication skills among adolescents.
  • Hawi, N., & Samaha, M. (2019). Identifying commonalities and differences in personality characteristics of Internet and social media addiction profiles: traits, self-esteem, and self-construal. Behaviour & Information Technology, 38.
  • O'Keeffe, G., & Pearson, K. (2011). Clinical Report: The impact of social media on children, adolescents, and families. Pediatrics.
  • Robinson, A., Bonnette, A., Howard, K., Ceballos, N., Dailey, S., Lu, Y., & Grimes, T. (2019). Social comparisons, social media addiction, and social interaction: An examination of specific social media behaviors related to major depressive disorder in a millennial population. Journal of Applied Biobehavioral Research, 24.
  • Yang, Y., Jin, Z., Liu, S., Jin, X., Huang, H., & Tong, S. (2019). Children’s social communication skills and electronic screen exposure, perinatal, and other risk factors. Public Health Journal, 1–9.
  • Additional references from credible sources on social media impacts and interventions.

Related Assignments