Social Media Influencing Teens

Kayla Hinckle, Student Writer

Social media can be entertaining, but also addictive. Some teens spend hours a day online, scrolling through the latest posts. Social media such as Instagram and Facebook have a “like” system. The ability to have likes and followers can negatively influence teen’s mental health. Teenagers can become obsessed with this system, as it gives them a way to gain popularity without socialization. 

75 percent of American teenagers are involved in social media. It gives them an outlet and a place to make new friends. Along with keeping up with their favorite celebrities, social media also encourages teens to be more vocal about political and social issues. It creates a platform for everyone to discuss their beliefs and opinions with others. 

Even though there are many positives of using social media, there are also negatives. Teens are easily influenced, and posts can have a negative effect. Teens compare themselves to edited pictures they see online causing low self-esteem and depression. Social media can also have more physical negatives. Blue light can damage your eyes and make it harder for you to sleep. This can’t be helped because of how phones are made but lessening screen time can decrease your chance of seriously injuring your eyes.

In an interview with Mrs. Gurysh, she was asked what the most addictive quality of social media is. Her response was “immediate gratification that they get looking through the feed and there’s been brain research that the apps are designed for more usage which leads to the addictive quality”. Makayla Dalbey believes that the most addictive quality is “followers because of recognition”. 

Social media is a blessing and a curse. It can be addictive and toxic, but also supportive and inclusive. As time goes by and technology improves, social media will grow. Teens will continue to be influenced by platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and many others.