Socializing gives us the opportunity to interact with people that are different from us regarding culture, language and disciplines. It helps us expand the view about the world and enrich us with the best of knowledge. However, with time the mode of socialization has changed, people nowadays believe in socializing over the internet.
Social media is the collection of online communication channels which are dedicated to the community of people while providing them with a platform to interact, share information, images and collaborate with businesses.
It is a medium which has been designed to connect people all over the world and has made things very easy and useful in comparison to the old days when the concept of the social media channels was not innovated. Undoubtedly, the innovation and development in technology has made life much easier for an individual and is being designed to help one in most efficient ways. Online social media is a good platform to make new friends, check new updates, and promote product, brand, and businesses.
How do social media affect teens?
Undoubtedly, social media is mostly talked about in negative light especially when it comes to considering the impact on children. It only becomes a bad thing when people misuse it for bullying, public shaming or when a child gets addicted to it.
The research shows there are numerous benefits of social media use and parent must realize the benefits social media can cater to their children. Parents must instil healthy habits in their child towards the use of social media, and they must limit and monitor their activities. Abandoning social media or restricting a child from using them might have some negative impact but controlled usage can provide a plethora of benefits. Some of which include
a. Makes them technically sound
Spending time online using social networks is vital for teenagers as it provides them with the opportunity to pick on the technical skills. It makes them a competent citizen in the digital age where they can fully participate in the broader society.
b. Provides educational benefits
The use of a social media platform like Facebook, Twitter and more by the teenager can provide them with educational benefits. The social media websites is a versatile platform which gives them with a space to plan, share and discuss ideas, implement the task, upload them and get feedback on the completed work.
The social media accounts such as Wikipedia and YouTube can be referred to as an educational resource as they have abundant information. With access to social media sites like YouTube, the teen can be provided with unlimited videos which help them to develop various skills.
c. Boost confidence level and independence
Providing teen with access to social media accounts can be a thrilling and adventurous experience to them. According to the reports, it has been determined that with the use of internet and social media platforms teen often learn to mold their character to be more confident and independent.
As mentioned here, social media can provide immense benefits to the teen but the parents must limit the usage and should monitor the teen’s activities online.