Influence of Social Networking on Youth

What is Social Media and Why they founded ?

Influence of Social Networking on Youth : The latest trend in this day and age is about being social. Your Instagram followers tell your worth. The number of likes on your profile picture tells how popular you are. Is this what we want our coming generation to think? Social media unfortunately is not about being social anymore. Facebook, twitter and Instagram’s launch was entirely based on the idea of interaction of people living far from each other. They are getting bigger and bigger and have billions of users. According to a research over 65% of adults use social media sites.90% of the population of these sites belong to the age group of 18-29.Its main aim was to connect people. But the youngsters misinterpreted it. The basic thought is completely misplaced. Being on Facebook and having thousands of friends online whom you don’t even know is a status symbol at this instant.

Effect of Social Media on Youth

People are so engaged in being “social” that they don’t have time for their family members. They are occupied in making new friends and forgetting the old ones. They are obsessed with this materialistic stuff and addicted to these social networking sites to a great level as a result they have made a whole new world on the internet. They are talking to people they have never met, giving out personal information to people they hardly know and these things outcome as a big disaster. You never know who is on the other side of the computer and what trouble he can give you.

Disadvantages of Social Media

Cyber crimes have gained a lot of popularity lately and are increasing at a drastic rate. These include money oriented scams, emotional cheating, hacking, etc. For the young blood this is the easiest and fastest way to earn money. Fake accounts are made in a large number each day. Some are just for fun, some to make fun of others, some for other kinds of hoax. Apart from these crimes there are other vulnerable issues like- Facebook depression, cyber bullying, sleep deprivation, addiction and even obesity. A study found that 15% of teens were distressed and uncomfortable about having had their private messages forwarded to a public forum and about 39% teens have been bullied in some way. And only 22% teens do not use social networking sites. Facebook depression is defined as an emotional disturbance that develops when preteens and teens spend a huge deal of time on social media, is now a very real malady.

Benefits of Social Media

Social media if used for the purpose it is meant for can be a liberator. It is a thing to be used wisely and will give you a lot of benefits else it will only bring trouble. The foremost pro of this evolution is the worldwide connectivity. You can now talk to a person while seeing their face on their computer. Internet has no boundaries. You can send a letter (e-mail) in seconds. Obviously internet has made the world grow in so many ways that no one could have ever imagined. It is a room for learning new things, creating your own things and also to make money out of it. This is a totally new profession for people who are curious and imaginative. People have found their life partners on social networking sites, as I said, you just have to use them wisely and it will bring you some beyond price gifts of life. Social has helped a lot in bringing awareness about many topics which were unknown to the general public and often taken as taboo. It has brought a huge evolution in the business sector as connectivity with other countries is much easier than before.

Read Also : Advantages and Disadvantages of Social Networking Sites

Conclusion : Influence of Social Networking on Youth

Like everything social media has its pros and cons and we are the ones who invite them. Using these shrewdly can help us overcome all the drawbacks for which we need some awareness and technique. I wish you a happy social networking experience in your life.