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Social media is damaging young people
Most people in my generation believe social media is a blessing, but actually it can be very harmful. Yes, there are many reasons why social media is good, but it is very dangerous to kids, as well. Kids aren’t fully aware of what can go on in social media and I think that is where the biggest problem lies. Teens and kids may see a negative self-image, bullying and even start following bad trends.
Young teens are subjective to trying to fit in. I believe more parents should take control and limit their kids online.
With social media, they may see other people and wish they looked like them. That then could possibly lead to further mental health issues. Other bullies may even comment about a teen’s body and then that can also cause a negative self-image. They may see all these beautiful models and then start wishing they looked like that. They may start following a diet and doing exercises to help them look like a model.
It can be very damaging to our young teens and even kids. These issues could lead to life-threatening issues such as an eating disorder. Our mental health and confidence is low and I think social media is the reason why. We need change. We need people to take care of our young teens and kids that are subjective to this negative self-image.
Kids being on social media can lead to bullying because people like to express themselves and some others may find it odd, which causes them to bully because it is un-normal to them. No one really knows the real reason for bullying, but we do know it isn’t right. Cyber-bullying can potentially be one of the worst types of depression. Bullies can sit there anonymously and speak about others’ bodies and it can lead to depression. It can even enhance depression.
Many people don’t take depression seriously. Social media can enhance a kid’s depression because they can see other people struggling and see that they have attempted suicide which can cause these kids to believe that they should attempt, too. It can cause self-harm and body issues, and can make a person really closed off.
Kids can be unaware of the harms of giving personal information out such as location. They could potentially put themselves in danger. They don’t know any better but to give that information out. Pedophiles try to get these young kids to meet up. They will buy them things and manipulate them into going out with them. It is sad to say many kids have gone missing because of this reason.
These pedophiles know exactly how to get these young teens to meet up. They know how to seduce these poor teens into getting what they want. These teens don’t know any better but to just let them. They aren’t educated enough on the topic of pedophiles and not giving their addresses out. Even some apps can have your location and they can get hurt that way, such as Snapchat. They have your exact location and even have the number of miles away from a person. It is sad that we have people trying to take advantage of these young teens.
Social media can be very damaging to the brain, from causing depression to negative self-image, and even can be harmful to life. Many people fail to realize how damaging it actually is. Parents being aware of limiting social media can be a big help.
— Sarah Butterfield, Terre Haute
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