The Dark Side to Social Media

TW: Suicide, self-harm, and Eating Disorder

 

On average, teens are online almost nine hours a day, not including time for homework. They spend the majority of their online time scrolling through social media not thinking of the risks they could be taking by accidentally clicking on the wrong tab. Multiple studies have found a strong link between heavy social media and an increased risk for depression, anxiety, loneliness, self-harm, and even suicidal thoughts. This could also lead to very bad cases of cyberbullying. It is said that about 16 percent of students in grades 9–12 experienced cyberbullying. 

 

Don’t get me wrong social media can be a very fun place to meet new people and chat with friends I too enjoy social media at times, but it can also be extremely dangerous for younger viewers. If you search in the wrong spot you can find accounts that influence eating disorders such as Anorexia. There are also accounts that in a way influence depression and anxiety. As you can see when it comes down to it social media isn’t always a place of sunshine and rainbows. I think that it is time more people pay attention to this instead of ignoring it like it doesn’t matter.

 

In my opinion, social media may seem like a place where people can be themselves, but sometimes that is just not the case. I think that there should be more people figuring out ways to fix the problems with social media so that it is safer for everyone. No parents should have to witness their children hurting themselves for the likes they get on social media.

 

Questions

Do you think people should pay more attention to the dangers of social media?

 

What are some things that people should do to help fix these dangers?

 

What is your overall opinion on social media?

 

Sources

https://www.stopbullying.gov/

 

https://www.helpguide.org/

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Replies

  • Well done Chloe!! Be sure to alwasy check back later Thursday.

  • I think that a lot of the companies of social media ignore a lot of these and should take some sort of a lead to get rid of the dark side of it. I also think that people should be careful with what they're searching up by learning from their parents.

  • I think that people should pay more attention to the dangers of social media. A simple way to fix these dangers would be to not use social media. Apparently, our generation thinks that people actually care about their life. Unfortunately, people think that they need to know what other people are doing all of the time and that comes with negative side effects. 

  • People need to be aware of what happens on social media before they download the app, after they download the app, it is too late. They will become addicted to their social media and eventually become depressed because they can't live how the people they see live. To prevent this just don't get social media apps. I like social media, but I am on it too much, and I'm starting to want to get away from it.

  • I think that social media has many pros and cons. Kids shouldn't be on social media if they are easily influenced, and many kids lie about their ages to get on social media at younger ages. Social media is such a vital part of almost every teen's life, so it is very hard to get rid of it completely, especially because there are a lot of benefits.

  • Yes people should pay more attention to the dangers of social media, who knows what is happening to someone during the time they are online, such as bullying, what they can search for. stay off line. social media is the silent killer in todays world. snapchat is terrible and known for bullyibg.

  • I think that people should be more aware of the bad part of social media. I do not know how ot fix those dangers other then maybe to get rid of it but I am sure that for many people social media is a very large part of their life so they wouldn't get rid of it. I Never even had social media until about a year and a half ago and now I have snapchat but nothing else because I have never been allowed to. Now that I am older I understand why my parents never let me and I no longer even feel a need to have any more social media than I do have right now.

  • I believe that people should be paying attention to the dangers of social media.s I am not sure there are ways to fix these problems, but a solution could be to just stop using social media as much. I think social media can be good, but there is a lot of bad that comes from it, so people should stop using it as much.

  • I think people should definitely pay attention to the dangers of social media. And I think we should be educated on the problem a lot more than we are. Social media causes major problems such as suicide, sex trafficking, and many more. The same thing can happen in real life as well, but we are more educated about the "real life version" then the "online version". 

  • I belive socail media can be a negative place but I also think that the same thing happens in person though. I also think that socail media can have a possitive impact where there are famliy and freinds that can be a positive inforcement in their life.

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