How many times a day do you look down at a luminescent screen? According to a recent study done by the Nielsen-funded Council for Research Excellence (CRE), the average American spends 8 ½ hours a day looking down at screens (computers, phones, tablets, etc.). Technology, particularly social media, is an increasing phenomenon in society today and there is no doubt that these advances have benefited the human species. However, social media is an addictive product negatively impacting the development of the younger generation. 

As humans, we naturally want more and are almost never satisfied, resulting in a competitive environment. This competitive environment drives society forward propelling evolution among our species. However, the technological growth and success complementing it began to eradicate the same competitive nature that created its success. Humans now spend more than 33% of their days looking at their phone, computer, or tablet (CRE). If the other 33% is designated for sleep, then the majority of our day is no longer work but breaks to check media such as Instagram, Facebook, or Snap-Chat. 

This negative impact is occurring most significantly with adolescents’ social development and connections this generation shares. Due to increased “screen time” youth have severely tarnished communicative skills and can connect with others online but not tangibly in real life. Issues such as body shaming, addiction, psychiatric disorders, civic disengagement, technology in the classroom, and loss of communicative skills are all negative influences on an adolescent’s social development. By looking at these influences we can see the inflated amount of tribulations produced by social media. This is important because the developing brain is exceptionally sensitive making adolescents’ vulnerable to social media abuse. These difficulties diminish an individual’s social impact and negatively affect their overall health. 

The brain is a very complicated mechanism responsible for managing physical/emotional security. Social media is constantly breaching this sanctuary in a destructive manner. AsapScience, an online informatory group, explains how through, “5 Crazy Ways Social Media Is Changing Your Brain Right Now.” Of the five topics in this video, four are negative and only one is a positive involved with social media use. According to AsapScience, social media releases dopamine in the brain, similarly to a drug, instigating an addiction to the applications. This results in an inability to walk away from our devices. Additionally, the same psychological disorder is found in drug addicts sparking concern for social media abuse. On the contrary, pro-social media affiliates may argue that this addiction is beneficial since social media is connecting users with his/her “community.” However, the connection is solely technological and no community flourishes off of online interaction, but through palpable actions/efforts exerted from community members working towards a common goal. 

Social media use isn’t all that society has made it out to be. Adolescents are being trapped in online worlds and cannot genuinely connect with the real world. This is because sites have not even been around long enough for older generations to have been effected as substantially. Older individuals’ brains developed through practical experiences, whereas younger generations attach themselves to social media, increasing technological dependencies and limiting their communicative abilities. The New American recently stated that, “youth delve into a communication pipeline that can glamourize fame, fortune, and image,” which in affect gives rise to a “concern over a lack of moral development.” Their studies showed that nearly 60% of children aged 11-16 use the social media application Snapchat on a daily basis. This is merely one application, in one age group, mounting concerns of the amount of social media children are exposed to and the “fame, fortune, and image” it glamorizes. Supporters of social media use among adolescents state that this glamorization is beneficial since young adults have role models to strive to be like. This thinking will only lead to low self-esteem and independent issues. The younger generation should be taught to think for themselves, be who they are, forget about fame and fortune, and strive for happiness instead. 

One issue relating to social media and the negative effects it has on youth social development is the lack of communication and connectivity with others. To be “socially well/healthy” or have success in a social environment means to develop and maintain positive working relationships. The tools necessary to achieve this include communication skills and an ability to connect with community members. The Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology published a study stating, “Undoubtedly, social media platforms such as social networking sites alter how communication happens.” This trend of the millennial era creates controversy regarding if this “alteration of communication” is beneficial or disadvantageous. Social media-effect experts, Subrahmanyam and Greenfield, of the Journal “observe that the lines between the virtual and real world [are] increasingly blurred for youth today” and “consequently, the virtual world serves as a playing ground for developmental issues from the physical world.” Before the rise of such social media “playing grounds”, parties would settle their disputes/developmental concerns by physically communicating with each other, rather than hiding behind screens at home. Now adolescents encountering developmental issues turn to social media to address these issues, eliminating the practical experiences crucial to understanding how to cope with concrete situations. 

Although there is an extensive amount of research to support this idea that practical experiences are necessary for youth social development there are still pro-media groups in opposition. These individuals promote intense social media use among young adults, arguing that through these outlets minors can connect with more people. Kelly Wallace of The Cable News Network (CNN) wrote, “The Upside of Selfies: Social Media Isn't All Bad For Kids,” promoting positives of social media use among adolescents. Wallace used a survey completed by Common Sense Media, which found that “one in five teens said social media makes them feel more confident,” additionally, “28% said social networking made them feel more outgoing.” These numbers are certainly not detrimental to her argument; however, the study doesn’t necessarily improve her stance. The argument’s flaw is the very source used as evidence; Common Sense Media is a biased source since the organization strives on the business of social media and its adolescent users. Additionally, the adolescents being surveyed may feel social media is crafting them into more outgoing, independent individuals; however, in reality their viewpoints are irrelevant. Harsh, yes, but adolescents are becoming addicted to social media, so like any addict their viewpoint will be subjective. They may believe the applications increase their sociability, but really the opposite affect is occurring. Rather then creating relationships in real life they are limited to meaningless online relationships. The “addicts” may be outgoing online but in reality their communication/connectivity with others is at an all time low.

The inability to communicate with others is a negative of social media so immense that another negative; civic disengagement derives from this flaw. Citizens of legal age, 18 in America, have the right to vote and elect governing bodies for representation. For communities to be accurately represented, civic engagement among civilians is required. Although the majority of adolescents are not of legal age to engage in voting, soon they will be legal voters and should be adequately informed about politics. Unfortunately, there has been a decrease in informed, engaged adolescents, directly linked with an increase in social media abuse. Those in opposition think, “the Internet may reduce the costs of participation by increasing the availability of information,” according to T&F Online’s study; “Does Internet Use Affect Engagement?” These people conclude that adolescents are civically engaged due to the availability of information and the little to no cost of participation. 

This may seem like a reasonable philosophy, however, adolescents are civically disengaged regardless of the availability. “Participants fear that because citizens do not have complete information regarding government achievements and because public criticism of government policies and procedures is common, citizen participation could be very negative (Science Direct).” In other words, adolescents may use government applications and/or get involved with political issues on social media; however, they are using them for destructive purposes. Dr. Sergio Picazo-Vela of Science Direct found that these purposes “include using profanity or complaining about government procedures instead of being constructive” and “this could create an inhospitable environment for users of the social network.” In summary, there is an increased amount of social media usage among adolescents and this usage may include government applications and/or political involvement, but it is diminutive and destructive. The younger generation is retracting from political discussion due to social media and when they are drawn back in it is to criticize/condemn government. Adolescents’ social development is therefore suffering since rather than attempting to support their communities, young adults are civically disengaging online or engaging to mock. 

The social development of an adolescent’s brain is quite complicated and can be effected by many aspects, not the least of which being the connection to addictive qualities. Danny Bowman was only 19 when he committed suicide because of his obsession with taking ‘selfies’ (Alternet.org). This tragedy illustrates the need for concern with social media abuse among adolescents. Danny Bowman was so addicted to social media that he felt ending his life was a better solution than continuing on with his addiction. For many, the idea of social media addiction is a myth, however, Danny Bowman eradicates this irrational thinking.

Scholarly sources such as Alternet.org have studied the effects of social media use on youth social development in order to avoid cases like Danny Bowman. According to their findings “70% of teenagers age 12-17 spend time on a social media site in a typical day, which amounts to 17 million teenage users. Those that interact via social media on a daily basis are five times likelier to use tobacco, three times likelier to use alcohol, and twice as likely to use marijuana.” The same chemical released from the brain when drugs/alcohol are in effect; dopamine, is being released when individuals use social media. In addition, “those exposed to pictures of drugs and alcohol are more inclined to seek and experiment with it themselves.” These heightened probabilities are severe concerns for the social development of adolescent consumers since drugs and alcohol have detrimental effects on a developing brain. Dr. Charles Sophy, a psychiatrist and Medical Director for the L.A. Department of Children and Family Services states, “People are genetically predisposed to use excessive amounts of potentially harmful tools to self soothe.” The doctor adds that social media is one harmful tool being used excessively to the point of addiction. These addictive qualities are critical negativities involved with social media abuse among adolescents. 

In addition to the addictive problems associated with social media there is also evidence to support inclinations in youth psychiatric disorders. The 70% minimum of teenagers spending time on social media everyday are logging into applications such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to communicate their problems to others, however, never attempt to resolve these issues. Dr. Jim Taylor of The Huffington Post writes that the “ease and frequency that technology affords children to communicate allows them to ‘co-ruminate,’ that is, dwell on their problems without providing any solutions.” For example, teenagers spend time posting about problems developing in their life when they could be using that time to find remedies. This has a negative effect on their social development since they will have no experience solving personal problems, develop dependencies on social media, and therefore, be less independent. 

Dr. Taylor also explored the positives social media has on youth social development. The main contradictory argument is that “shy children can use social media to overcome what is perhaps their most difficult challenge, namely, initiating new relationships, in a low-risk environment.” In addition, “introverted children can also practice social skills with the relative distance and safety afforded by social media.” The hitch in this argument is that they are “practicing social skills with [a] relative distance,” therefore, never actually concretely communicating with others and gaining palpable social skills. Furthermore, these children have increased chances of psychiatric disorders. The Post included a comprehensive study that found “among young adults, Facebook overuse was also associated with Histrionic Personality Disorder, Antisocial Personality Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, and Sadistic, Passive-Aggressive, Borderline, Paranoid, and Somatoform Personality Disorders.” These disorders, along with anxiety and unhealthy behaviors, fall under a phenomenon coined “Facebook Depression.” The term is a name for the psychiatric disorders associated with social media abuse on sites such as Facebook. 

Similarly to “Facebook Depression,” body shaming has been rising among adolescents’ expending social media use. Psychology In Action established that social media “users frequently engage in selective self-presentation strategies to portray an ‘ideal self’ through social media,” also known as body shaming. This is concerning for adolescents’ social development because “it can trigger a sense of exclusion, envy, and loneliness,” which “has also been associated with mental health problems.” Evidently, body shaming is crucial to an individual’s self-esteem and has an exceptionally negative effect on youths. The depressive symptoms accompanying these occurrences are disconnecting youths from their peers and giving “rise to a growing obsession with impression management and self-presentation online.” As a result, adolescents will be ill equipped for a successful social life and be damaged mentally during the developmental stage of their sociability. 

Another influence of social media on youth social development is the integration into the classroom. Some argue that the incorporation of social networking sites into the classroom is beneficial towards a youth’s social development. One such scholar is Paul Tess from the University of Minnesota’s Department of Educational Psychology. Tess published “The Role of Social Media In Higher Education Classes,” disputing the benefits of such applications. Tess found through a study of 136 faculty members that “social networks [are] viewed as a useful tool for improving student satisfaction (32%) and increasing student interaction (56%).” Additionally, “ease of use, usefulness, and compatibility were the primary determinants of attitudes” when conducting the study. Tess’s results show media within the classroom is adored by students and may increase their interaction. However, these students are likely (70%) using these sites everyday and probably addicted. Therefore, implementing social media within their classrooms supports/fuels this addiction. Also, students are noticeably interacting within the classroom only when social media is involved, illustrating the need for concern. If social media is integrated into the classroom then students will relentlessly abuse class time by consuming it rather than the subject/material. 

 If social media is used to teach developing young teens then individuals will never learn practically, therefore, requiring social media’s inclusion in every learning experience those individuals encounter. Another disadvantage is that students will use the sites for purposes unrelated to the course. Tess’s survey showed, “of all the uses identified, communication regarding coursework was least on the list. [As a result], the faculty was less likely to support Facebook as an instructional tool,” illustrating why social media cannot be used for teaching. Lastly, older generations must teach younger generations, however, adolescents are the experts on social media. Therefore, social media in the classroom would lead to professors’ failure to operate the applications and students’ lack of respect for faculty due to this inability. 

Individuals don’t need statistics/surveys to realize adolescents’ undesirable social transformation. Next time you walk down the street look up and watch people passing you. The majority of people will be staring down at their smart phone. The depressing part is not their usage of the product; but how they are using it. Most people admit to scrolling through social media feeds with no purpose at all. These passive users are passing you on the road right now and maybe they even scrolled through your newsfeed, however, the true connection they could have experienced with you was just lost and they have no clue. These interactions are how societies flourish and people grow close, but they are being completely eliminated through social media.

These resourceful inventions have helped evolve our species but society’s attachment to these devices needs to change. Social media is ironic in itself because the consumers are actually becoming less sociable. The evidence is shown through the one generation (millennial) that grew up completely surrounded by technology. I have witnessed these problems throughout my entire life and I too am guilty of the addiction associated with these networks. Relationships, connectivity, love, and communication are important aspects of our social lives and govern how we feel. These aspects must come through real interactions with others, not an online message board. Social media is negatively effecting the social development of adolescents, however, this negativity can certainly be reversed.  
