Influence of social media on young people
Jan 20, 2023
iCrowdMarketing powered by iCrowdNewswire
Social networks in young people have undoubtedly caused a very relevant impact on their daily life. However, it is essential to promote rational and coherent use, as improper use of social networks, mainly Facebook and Instagram, in adolescence entails a series of risks that in some cases can trigger problematic, even addictive, behavior.It should be borne in mind that the first years of life are key in the neurological development of the brain, and this is much more vulnerable to any type of stimuli, including technological ones.
Children, the initial step and their interaction with social networks
Today, children are continuously acquiring new social and cognitive skills and technology has become part of this acquisition process. The same is true for the vast majority of young people and adolescents, but it should be borne in mind that in the case of adolescents, technological use is much more intense than in the previous stage, even becoming essential in their lives and their relationships with others, so the attention that should be paid to it at this stage should be much greater.
Effects on communication
New ways of communicating through social networks indeed encourage new ways of interacting with peers, but the concept of relating to others "face to face" is also being lost and social interaction through screens is being normalized.
Fundamental social skills for psychosocial development are being lost and contexts of non-verbal disability are developing, where body language, facial expression, and even vocal reactions are becoming invisible.
All this without referring to the states of anxiety, self-esteem problems, insecurities, etc. that are hidden behind the screens and that can arise when we expose our lives to others and do not get the recognition or do not get the number of 'likes' we would like.
In this way, the fact that children communicate more indirectly through technology, creating online identities and projecting idealized images, is creating a crueler, insecure, and unscrupulous communication where attacks and aggression go unpunished, as many users take advantage of the anonymity provided by the networks to attack others.
Advice for families
The best thing that parents can do in cases of misuse or abuse of the internet is to keep them monitored at all times, in this sense, it is important to know some apps that you can use to have greater control over your children's Facebook and Instagram accounts.
- Reduce your own social media consumption.
- Set an example and reorganize time together to invest it in doing things as a family.
- It would also be interesting to establish technology-free zones and times, when no one uses a phone, computer, tablet, etc.
- Strengthen the bond between parents and children.
Given that technology is at our fingertips, parents should be the first to accompany their children in the digital world, always creating spaces for dialogue, trust and communication, conveying the benefits of using the networks, but also everything that lies behind them, so that they are alert to any doubtful stimulus.