Social Media and Children: The Harmful Effects Thereof
Although advanced technology has made it possible for individuals and organizations to access and extract information from the Web, why are there issues when it comes to children using social media? People make use of the Internet for different purposes and one most commonly used is to access social media. Different forms of social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp, virtual worlds, online gaming, and Pinterest. Users make use of social media platforms to communicate with others and to post different media files such as videos and pictures. Many children have taken to social media as a means to communicate with friends and family and to access games and videos that are available to them. According to the article, “Clinical Report—The Impact of Social Media on Children, Adolescents, and Families,” O’Keeffe & Clarke-Pearson (2011) explain that the use of social media Web sites among children and adolescents is a common activity. “Such sites offer today’s youth a portal for entertainment and communication and have grown exponentially in recent years” (O’Keeffe & Clarke-Pearson, 2011, p. 2). From this, it is evident that children engage with each other via social media and it acts as a form of entertainment for them as well. Although social media platforms are entertaining and informational as well, there are certain threats or dangers that children can be exposed to. Some of these threats include cyberbullying, isolation, limited face-to-face social interaction, privacy, and gaining access to sites that are meant for adult viewing only. It is therefore vital that parents control and monitor their child’s use of social media as they may be exposed to unhealthy contents and environments. Three major reasons why exposure to social media can be harmful to children are that they can be exposed to cyberbullying, gain access to sites that are harmful to children, and become isolated from society, family, and friends.
One major reason why exposure to social media can be harmful to children is that they may be subject to cyberbullying. “Bullying is usually defined as being an aggressive, intentional act or behaviour that is carried out by a group or an individual repeatedly and over time against a victim who cannot easily defend him or herself” (Smith, Mahdavi, Carvalho, Fisher, Russell, & Tippett, 2007, p. 1). Bullying that occurs via the Internet or the phone is known as cyberbullying. Children often fall prey to this type of bullying and many are unable to defend themselves against attackers. Technology and computer networking have advanced over the past years hence there has been an increase in potential cyberbullying (Smith et al., 2007). From this, it is evident that children who gain access to and use social media platforms may be exposed to the dangers of cyberbullying. The effects that cyberbullying have on children may be detrimental to their psychological well-being hence cause them to become depressed, anxious, and distressed when they become victims of bullying. According to the article, “Cyberbullying: its nature and impact in secondary school pupils,” Smith et al (2007) argue that cyberbullying via video clips and mobile phones are perceived as having a more negative impact on children than instant messaging and text messaging. They argue that “pupils were most aware of picture/ video clip bullying taking place, with other media following the same pattern as for reported experiences” (p. 4). In their article, “Psychological, Physical, and Academic Correlates of Cyberbullying and Traditional Bullying,” Kowalski & Limber (2013) explain that the effects of cyberbullying on children include social anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, suicidal tendencies, absence from school, and lower scores in grades. Children who become victims of cyberbullying therefore experience psychological effects hence affecting their overall well-being and state of mind due to the exposure to social media platforms.
Another reason why exposure to social media is harmful to children is that they are able to gain access to sites that are harmful to them. Children are often left alone when exploring the Internet hence they may have access to harmful sites that may cause psychological damage. These sites or often filled with violence, pornography, and material that are not suitable for children to view. “Computer technology has ushered in a new era of mass media, bringing with it great promise and great concerns about the effect on children’s development and wellbeing” (Wartella & Jennings, 2000, p. 1). From this, it is evident that although computer technology and social media are beneficial to the development and wellbeing of children, it may also be harmful due to certain types of content being accessed. It is argued that children may be exposed to inappropriate commercial content as well as content that are sexual and violent (Wartella & Jennings, 2000). Public policy forums, the press, and parents are extremely concerned about the material children are exposed to on social media platforms hence these issues of concern are increasingly being raised. Social media platforms where children may be exposed to harmful content include movies, television, radio, email, chat rooms, computers, video games, and other means of social interaction via the Internet. Violent and harmful content may therefore affect the social development of children hence having a negative impact on their socialization at school as well as in the home. Observations of children, what they see on social media, can become the norm to them hence children perceiving such behaviour as being normal within society. Online video games containing violence is a clear example of how children may be negatively affected as some children are unable to distinguish reality from fantasy. The exposure to harmful sites on social media and other forms of media is therefore contributing to children being negatively affected by the use thereof.
Isolation from family and friends is another reason why exposure to social media can be harmful to children. Children often spend hours playing online games and chatting to other users. It is assumed that they become isolated from their immediate family hence they may develop problems with social skills and communication. According to Gross (2004), “adolescents’ heavy usage of the Internet for online communication led them to forsake critical bonds with local friends and family for weak relations with strangers” (p. 3). More time is therefore spent communicating online with strangers than spending time with family and friends. Although children may benefit from using the Internet and social media, the time spent on these sites should be limited. Children should be spending more time with family and friend in order to develop social and communication skills as well as building stronger ties with the family. Widespread public concern was revealed during a survey that was conducted in 1999 in the United States in which it was found that parents were concerned about the social adjustment of their children due to the Internet (Gross, 2004). Moreover, it is argued that “home Internet use may result in increased loneliness and depression” (Wartella & Jennings, 2000, p. 6). Critical bonds are therefore forsaken as children prefer to spend more time with strangers on the Internet. Children learn values and morals when interacting with family members hence the importance of spending more time with family instead of spending hours on the Internet and social media platforms. Social media may therefore be harmful to children as it may cause them to become isolated from their families.
In conclusion, social media enables individuals to communicate and interact with each other via the Web. However, the use of social media can be harmful to children if not monitored by their parents. This is because they may be exposed to cyberbullying, become isolated from society and family, and be exposed to harmful content. Cyberbullying occurs when children are being bullied over the Internet and other social media platforms. The effects it has on children can be detrimental to their emotional and psychological well-being. Children who are exposed to cyberbullying offer tend to become depressed, have suicidal tendencies, stay absent from school, and experience anxiety as well. Furthermore, social media is also harmful to children as they may be exposed to sites that are not meant for their viewing. Children often act out what they view as they are not able to distinguish between reality and fantasy. These harmful materials include violent video games, movies, videos, pornography, and sexting as well. Spending too much time on social media may cause children to become isolated from their family and friends. They lose out on quality time and bonding with their families when spending hours on social media platforms. Although there are positive aspects of children using social media, such as cognitive development and enhanced computer skills, the harmful effects of social media can be detrimental to children and their well-being. It is therefore essential that parents ensure the safety of their children when allowing them to use social media platforms.