No generation of children has ever before had instant access to so much information through the touch of a button or carried phones in their pockets constantly, ensuring they are kept up to date on the world of social media at all times. With the advancements in technology, social media, Smartphone’s and the web all have become inextricably linked. A child or young person’s daily existence now revolves around each of the three which has radically changed both the lifestyle and identities of the generation known as the millennials
The millennials of today are exposed from a much earlier age than previous generations to sexuality, substance misuse and violence. In past generations, children could be protected to some degree from the negative influences of adult life. However, this change has been largely influenced by the introduction and use of the internet and has led to the current generation being bombarded with information on looks, wealth and lifestyles, leading to many adolescents experiencing social pressures daily.
Social media use has been on the rise since 2004. It has been extremely popular for several reasons from being used as a tool to communicate and connect, it’s easy to use interface for everyone and its ability to enable those with business to gain free promotion of their business or company. However, with the increase of young people using a wide range of social media platforms, its focus has seen a seismic shift with little to no regulation. In 2004, Facebook had one million members using its services. Now, that has increased to 1.7 billion with more joining daily. 91% of 16-24-year olds use the internet daily for social networking.
Globally there are great concerns from parents, carers, teachers and medical professionals on the impact social media are having on our children. Many feel the long-term effects of continuous or extreme exposure are yet to be fully understood, due to the infancy of social media within our lives. However, this is a fast-growing problem and one which will impact not only this generation, but also future generations unless many of the negative issues surrounding it are tackled early in a child’s initial experiences of using social media.
Young people are generally of the perception that social media benefits them. Teenagers have expressed that social networks are key to helping them develop social skills and are a valuable source of advice and emotional support. In a recent PISA wellbeing study of 15-year-old students, over 90% of both boys and girls in the UK agreed or strongly agreed with the statement “It is very useful to have social networks on the internet”. This was higher than the equivalent OECD average of 84.3% respectively. (Emily Frith, 2017)
Benefits of social media
Connecting friends
Young people now live in a world where they connect with friends and form bonds at a global level and this can be attributed to the increased use of the internet. In a report published by (CFMH, 2018) carried out with 1000 young people, they reported that social media improved relationships amongst young people and their peers. Almost two thirds of those who participated in the survey believed that social media was a positive tool for fostering new and healthy relationships.
(Monica Anderson and JingJing Jiang 2018) have produced research as to why social media has become so popular with the current young generation known as the millennials. Young people today feel more connected to their friends using social media, as it allows them to track and follow social groups they are involved with. They also claim to feel more supported by their online friends through difficult times. Further to this, the evidence suggests that some young people feel more comfortable expressing themselves online, as those they have befriended are more diverse in their outlooks to life and therefore more accepting. This enables young people to promote a positive self-expression and put their best self forward in what they deem a safe environment.
There could be several reasons for this. The ability to remain anonymous online may give young people the freedom to express both themselves and something they may not feel confident to do with other people face to face. Concerns and worries can be voiced openly and may create a safe space, especially for the more vulnerable groups such as those with disabilities or within the LGBTQ community. (LGBTQ youth websites, 2019) have sited that the internet can provide safer opportunities to find support and access resources that may not be freely accessible elsewhere. Young people within the LGBTQ community are five times more likely to research their sexuality online than non-LGBTQ teens. LGBTQ are also more likely to research health information online than speak with any other adults they have an attachment too.
Children are now more likely to post their feelings online than tell their parents or other key adults how they are feeling. This can be seen as both positively and negatively. From a positive point of view it is encouraging that young people else to turn, for them, social media can be a source of support and comfort. This could account for the increase in children contacting mental health services online. 78% of young people contact Childline through their online services and when counselling is required 59% of this happens online rather than over the telephone. (Emily Firth, Social media and children’s mental health,) However, these statistics could also suggest that relationships between parents and their children are not what they once where and further support the findings of (Marc H. Bornstein and Diane L.Putnick). Who felt that the parent/adolescent relationship developed best when an environment which is mutually respectful, caring and supportive is created between the two. This environment facilitates for a relationship, where talking and understanding one another is assumed. Further to this based on the findings of (Emily Frith, 2017), young people appear to value the opinion of their online followers more than that of their parents and speak very little to the key adults in their lives about how they are feeling and their emotional well-being. This suggests that parents are out of touch with their children and the world in which they are living. This may bring an end to traditional family values in today’s society.
Creativity, learning and education
In a report published by (Vishranti Raut and Prafulla Patil, 2016) they have acknowledged the importance of social media in the educational field. It is widely used by several educational sectors through a variety of platforms. Social networks are so part of daily life that academics have had to adapt them into both their teaching and resource development. They have examined how it has provided the students with the opportunities to learn from their peers and previous research has shown that they are more motivated to learn from their peers than from adults. Information can be created, edited and shared in a variety of ways ranging from images to videos which meet the demands of the different learning styles of students. This is turn can improve academic success. E-Learning has placed the learning in the hands of the young people, and this learning can be both individual and collaborative with other students. Social media provides the students with opportunities to mix and match what best suits their needs to ensure academic success. It has been reported than Google has helped over 20million students with their education. There is also a more practical advantage when using digital technology to enhance the learning experience. With students spending so much time on social media and using technology, it is helping to develop their range of transferable skills.
Social media has been a catalyst in enhancing the digital skills of our young people and improving communication. Teachers have been able to use Facebook and Twitter to provide students with reminders on upcoming deadlines and make key announcements. This improves the relationship between pupil and school and can help tackle issues such as poor attendance and disengagement from school. It can also help less confident students develop a sense of belonging as they can read about events online. Schools can share positive and encouraging posts to connect all students. Some academics have also explored the use of hashtags to engage students and form social discussions online that are beneficial to learning. Videos can also be used to inspire and help students in all subject areas. While all these provide excellent opportunities to engage students and improve creativity, educational providers must be selective about the platforms they are using.
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