The increased use of social media may be seen as beneficial, considering the restrictions many of us have faced due to the pandemic. When one thinks of the word “social media” they often connect it to communication apps that are used to text friends and upload posts. The social concept of it is well known and people of all ages use these apps to keep in touch with friends and family. The media portion of social media gets overlooked by many. The information one consumes can range from educational to harmful, in some cases it may be life threatening. The internet is used as a place for teens to escape reality whether it be games or meeting strangers. When one is vulnerable it is not ideal to put yourself out there like that, even though there is the possibility of it being beneficial, the potential harm outweighs any reason to do so.
Mental Health awareness has risen dramatically over the years, and more young adults are reaching out for help and going to therapy. Social media is the biggest platform for mental health awareness, which makes sense due to teens being the target audience. Many people use social media as an outlet for their thoughts and feelings, most times finding communities or strangers that they relate to. Content from an influencer going through similar hardships could bring comfort to them knowing they’re not alone, and even encourage them to get help. The opportunity to access information from the comfort of your home opens the ground for unlimited research for any topic ranging from what a doctor does at their job or how to make pie.
Contrasting, social media could easily become toxic and harmful when used in the wrong ways. Social media easily triggers eating disorders and issues relating to self image by setting unrealistic standards. The standards are set by celebrities and famous influencers, most of whom have their images edited to perfection. Harmful images and ideas like self harm or drug abuse as coping methods may also pop up. Though regulations are enforced, many users are able to get away with posting misleading and harmful things. Stranger danger is still an ongoing issue, young kids are still getting manipulated and put in danger. This is due to the neglect of parents, when children don't have people to turn to they turn to these “friends” who possibly have the intention of causing harm. The Blue Whale challenge resulted in teens committing suicide. Internet trolls would threaten and blackmail these teens, telling them to send pictures of symbols carved into their bodies or other ridiculous things. After some time they would be told to kill themselves to complete the “task”.
Social media has a lot of potential to be useful and educational. Teens can find resources to cope and people to relate to during hard times. But a lot of times online presence is abused and can be harmful. Insecurities and misleading information can result in a decline in mental health. Vulnerable people can easily be targeted and manipulated by internet trolls and potentially be harmed. Everyone must be cautious while using social media, parents of young teens should make sure their child is not being put in danger and enforce basic rules for safety.