Since social media has taken over society, many people and studies have solely focused on the lack of safety and other adverse effects on adolescence. Many people believe that social media harms today’s youth, citing bullying and the disconnection from in-person relationships when discussing the issue.
By Megan
While these issues should not be dismissed, this doesn’t mean that social media and the internet are 100% harmful. Though these factors aren’t discussed often, there are actually many benefits of social media on the lives of adolescents.
Adolescents often cite that social media improves their self-esteem, creativity, connection to their friends and family, and helps them obtain information. Let’s explore these factors more to see how social media can benefit today’s youth.
Social Connection
About 40% of teenagers who believe that social media is an overall positive cite the connection to friends and family as the main benefit. Before the internet, connecting with family members that live far away was awkward and difficult. Furthermore, it was nearly impossible to meet new friends who live in other countries, as the distance would have slowed or hindered most potential communication.
The internet has made human connection far easier than it ever has been before. Adolescents not only use social media to connect with their friends and family members, but they can meet other like-minded people and gain new friends that they may have never met in person due to physical distance.
This increased social connection not only helps strengthen established relationships but also helps those who struggle with socializing in person to establish new friendships to reduce loneliness.
Improve Self-esteem
Many people believe that social media is always detrimental to self-esteem. And even though cyberbullying and harassment are factors that should not be overlooked, the truth is that the subject is more complicated than that. Some researchers have pointed out that self-esteem in adolescence is already typically very low, so there is not enough conclusive evidence to show that social media always has a negative effect.
Interestingly, when using social media safely, teenagers often report a boost to their self-esteem. This is potentially due to connecting with supportive people and using social media as an outlet for their self-expression. Watching uplifting videos or seeing positive messages online also helps adolescents keep up their self-worth.
Creativity
Social media has also been known to increase creativity. This has benefits in adolescents’ schoolwork as well as their overall well-being. More and more teenagers are engaging in artistic activities, allowing them to express themselves more than previous generations.
Though the very act of engaging in art is often beneficial and therapeutic, showing the world their art can also positively impact adolescents. There they will often find support and praise for their work and even encouragement to turn their art into a career or side gig. Before social media, it was far more challenging to practice and gain an audience for one’s art. Now with a simple click, potentially millions of people can view their work online.
Obtain Information
The internet has become the primary source of obtaining information. Adolescents are no exception to this. They often refer to social media and the internet to help with their homework assignments and studies. Long gone are the days of using only the textbook or an encyclopedia.
Furthermore, social media has made learning more about current events and other cultures so much easier. Even just a few decades ago, countries rarely knew what was happening on the other side of the globe, let alone know much about their culture, history, and customs. Now, you can learn everything you want to know about a specific place by just searching it in a web browser.
And finally, many forms of social media are being used to educate the globe about lesser-known topics. For example, many creators on Youtube have used the platform to educate millions about history, culture, language, and literature analysis. Though there is a misconception that adolescents don’t enjoy these topics, the millions of views found on these videos say otherwise. In fact, many creators make their content kid and teenager-friendly in order to also educate the younger generations.
Final Thoughts
Despite what many people believe, social media can be quite beneficial to adolescents. However, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t discuss internet safety with your kids. Teach your children how to be safe on the internet and handle cyberbullying and harassment. Create boundaries and limits on their internet use to ensure it remains a positive force in their lives.
With proper safety measures, boundaries, and other guidelines, your children can use social media in a way that benefits them and improves their well-being. If you’re looking for some further reading on adolescence, BetterHelp has some great articles and resources.