Most teenagers use various social media platforms, and the stats for kids below 13 seem to be rising with every passing year. Most children or adolescents utilize social media as a way to have “fun” and expand their following, for example, to grow Pinterest followers, and as the numbers increase, it may seem rewarding.
Whereas social media sites can be ideal for education and connecting with long-lost friends. However, it does have its drawbacks and a negative influence on children’s mental and physical health.
We will discuss the positive and negative effects of social media on children in this article. Let’s dive into it!
Positive Effects of Social Media on Children
1. Changed the Way Kids Learn
There are various study groups students can join to avail of the free courses or study materials. Even some schools create Facebook groups for respective subject classes to keep all the students at the same place and help them study better.
In addition, children can find plenty of age-appropriate educational resources on social media sites that they can follow for interactive learning. All of this can significantly help build children’s interest in learning better.
2. A Means of Communication
Social media can be an incredible platform for children to connect with friends. Let’s say if they are on summer school break and need to work on a project, completing it becomes a breeze through online communication.
Likewise, if younger students don’t have complete notes for an upcoming test, they can ask their class fellows online to share. It all makes studying nothing but convenient.
Apart from studying, kids who keep moving cities or countries can benefit from social media sites to stay connected with their friends.
3. Helps Pick Up Technical Skills
Handling electronic devices and managing social media accounts on the internet can all aid in building technical skills in children. It’s imperative to consider that technology is advancing with time, and future jobs will require excellent technical skills.
Therefore, getting a better understanding of the basis of technicalities through social media can also facilitate children in securing better internships and jobs in the future.
Negative Effects of Social Media on Children
1. Wastage of Time
Social media can be really addictive. A few hours can turn into several hours without children even noticing it. Rather than experiencing the real world or developing better interpersonal skills by meeting friends in-person, social media can lead to a waste of time.
Furthermore, children may worry too much about their number of likes, followers, or comments, which may keep them stuck to their devices for several hours. Of course, it can also affect their grades at school.
2. May Impact Mental Health
Some children may become obsessive with their social media accounts reach and engagement rate (such as likes, comments, and shares). In addition, children can rarely be safe from cyberbullying on the internet.
All of this can start impacting their mental health adversely. Some children may not even open up or speak about it as they may think it’s “embarrassing”, which can cause more mental challenges for them.
