ONLINE ESSAY

Essay Question: Does the extensive use of social media have a positive or negative impact on the health of young people? What are the most recent academic papers on this topic? Clarify what all sides of the argument claim and only then offer your reasoned opinion based on facts.

Extensive social media use has both a negative and positive impact on the health of young people. Social media is defined as a ‘form of electronic communications (such as websites for social networking and micro blogging) through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages and other content (such as videos)’ (Prasad 2013, p. 492). Recent academic articles suggest that there are multiple issues with mental health as a result of bullying, misleading identities and stalking on social media. Secondly, these articles also suggest that there are physical health issues among youth as a result of excessive social media use.  However, some academics believe that social media use creates positive health benefits both mentally and physically. Overall, an evaluation will be drawn from the evidence displaying how youth are affected by social media.

Academic articles highlight that there are negative mental repercussions for youth that use social media on a daily basis. Studies suggest, “the most commonly used media tools for personal use are social networking sites” (Barnes et al. 2011, p. 196). Firstly, youth are vulnerable and social media can take advantages of this vulnerability. For example peer to peer influence is common on social media sites such as Facebook and twitter. Dr Rosen’s studies suggest that teens that are persistently logged onto Facebook are more likely to show psychological disorders, including: mania, paranoia, aggressive tendencies and anti-social behaviour (Couts 2011, p. 4).

Next, cyber bullying is a constant issue putting youth at risk of mental distress (Barnes et al 2011, p. 197). Cyber bullying is an issue that an adolescent can never escape from, because of the rising use of social media. Just because each individual has a right to publication of their own thoughts and opinions does not mean they should always express their freedom of speech, because some comments can be damaging to particular individuals (Walaski 2013, p. 44). Racial harassing, obesity comments and unappealing photo shopped images are a few examples of cyber bullying. Originally, bullying was in the playground, but with the use of social media it is able to follow an individual anywhere they go. This constant affliction with bullying can lead to serious cases of mental instability and attempts of suicide (Kappos 2007, p. 557). However, suicide is the most severe outcome of social media bullying effects, it is a reality that social media contributes to these issues. On the other extreme the effects of constant cyber bullying can lead to out breaks of rage and temper issues associated with the victim. Therefore they can develop anger management issues as an adult, because of their issues with online bullying (Kappos 2007, p. 567). Mobile phones, laptops, tablets and even iPods can store social media applications meaning that the psychological impacts of bullying are everywhere and there is no regulatory body that controls abuse and harassment of peers (Bilandzic, Patriarche & Traudt 2012). Not only does a child have to face the trauma of bullying at school, but when they log onto their social networks there is a wave of opinionated and cruel comments on their sites.

Secondly, another psychological health issue with social networking is the isolation factor. As a result of connections online youth become distracted by technology and begin to ignore the world’s issues. Although teenagers may find themselves opening up to new people online they are becoming physically anti-social (Jones 2011, p. 185). It is noticeable in public that youth are constantly connected to their mobile phones. This makes it harder for youth to interact on a social face-to-face basis and creates issues for those working in communication roles within the workforce.

Issues with ‘unfriending’ on Facebook or ‘unfollowing’ on Twitter can create mental problems, because relationships can be terminated online with the click of a button (Bevan, Pfyl & Barclay 2012). As a result, youth arguments and online bullying can be sparked from these issues, or the ‘unfriended’ individual may be tempted to create a false account to regain online friendship with a past friend. Adolescents have the opportunity to create false identities and become their idealistic self. This can lead to split personality syndromes and issues for those they communicate with under the fake profiles (Maple 2013, p 5). Young people also create these profiles in order to follow their friends or individuals that they may want to know about. By creating a false identity they believe that they stalk another individual without personal contact or their peers knowing (Yang et al. 2012, p. 37). Most individuals do this so they can create a more appealing version of themselves, because they are pressured by the virtual world to look their best online.

Body image and physical comparison can create both mental and physical issues for youth. Those that excessively use social media are exposed to perfected images of models and fellow social media networkers. This constant exposure to modelled images creates a psychological idea that youth have to be skinny and beautiful. As a result of this subliminal social message many teenagers develop anorexia, bulimia, anxiety and depression (Kappos 2007, p. 559). Social media creates a platform that allows teenagers with body issues to compare themselves with their peers. Therefore, particularly young females that use social media on a daily basis begin to perpetuate physical issues because they are constantly contrasting themselves with fellow networkers (Kappos 2007, p. 561).

 Physically youth that use social media on a daily basis are more vulnerable to obesity, back pains and physical issues when they reach an older age. “Sitting for a long time in front of a screen leaves less time for physical activity and playing” (Kappos, 2007, p. 558). Whether children are playing social games or talking on social media they begin to develop addictions and dependencies on electronic devices. Health issues can arise with sleep deprivation and dependencies, because there is an addiction to the media and youth are unable to determine when they have consumed too much social media (Vanderwater & Denis 2011).

Alternatively, social media creates positive health benefits for those that use media on a regular to excessive basis. Social media networks are largely utilised outlets for news and information gathering (Maple 2013, p.1).  It is therefore a tool that can be used by youth for educational purposes. In conjunction with this because it can become a healthy job utility as it teaches youth communication skills that most adults would only acquire after a lengthy period in the workforce (Lewis 2011, p. 1). Adolescents are also able to understand the world around them through the use is communication on social media, which is essential for the development of children’s minds.

Additionally, “the collaborative nature of social media allows users to connect with people they might not otherwise meet” (Walshe & Smith 2011, p. 16). Students can communicate with teachers and interact on a more one-to-one level, as well as collaborating with other students that they may not have talked to before. For that reason, it can be identified that social media is a modern technology that can enhance communication skills. Again, because social networks have the capacity to communicate to billions of people every day they have become tools for raising awareness of charities, organisations and causes (Norman 2012, p. 3). As a result, social networks are also a free publicity tool.

Recent studies also suggest that social networks and forums are commonly used for personal medical curiosity and research. Approximately thirty-eight percent of consumers use social media for health related matters, including medical symptoms and sharing opinions about their treatments. In addition, forty percent identified that they had used social networks to review treatments and doctors (Health chatter 2013, p15). As a result, health issues can directly be discussed and resolved online; youth are therefore more informed in medical issues that could potentially affect them in the future.

Overall, it can be suggested that an excessive use of social media creates more negative than positive impacts on a young individual. These major negative impacts include psychological issues, cyber bullying, isolation, false identities, stalking, exclusion (unfriending), body image, physical comparison, obesity and other associated issues. Despite there also being benefits to use of social media, there are issues associated with too much use of social media. While using social media adolescents need to monitor what they are using it for and how long they are using it. This will optimise time spent using online communication and deter individuals from excessively using social media or becoming addicted to it. Therefore health issues can be avoided by simply spending less time fixated on social media networks.

In conclusion, extensive use of social media has both negative and positive impacts on the health of young people. Recent academic articles outlined that social media can create various issues with mental health and stability. Secondly, these articles also highlight that physical health issues are common amongst youth that excessively use social media.  However, some academics believe that social media also creates positive health benefits both mentally and physically through the use of communication networks. Overall, an evaluation was drawn that outlined that youth should minimise their social media use in order to avoid health related issues involved with excessive use.

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