As a parent if you listen to the media the majority of news on social media is negative. They talk about the negative impact social media has had on teens regarding their image and how it has affected the rise in bullying among children, teens and tweens. While all of this may be true studies have shown there is also a positive side to social media.
See if this changes your viewpoint:
Eileen Masio, a mom of two in New York, monitors her daughter Amelia’s Instagram account 24/7. Yes, most of the posts are “selfies,” but it’s the comments that make her think there is also a positive to this nonstop engagement.
“I think just as damaging as social media can be, it can … help to build self-confidence, too,” said Masio. “When they post selfies, all the comments I usually see are ‘You’re beautiful,’ ‘You’re so pretty,’ ‘Oh my God, gorgeous,'” said Masio.
This was confirmed further by a report done by the nonprofit child advocacy group known as, Common Sense Media. This report stated that one in five teens said social media made them feel more confident compared to 4 percent who said it made them feel less confident.
Their survey was done with more than a thousand teens ranging in age from 13 to 17 years old. They were asked how they view their digital lives. This is what they found: 28 percent said social networking made them feel more outgoing versus 5 percent who said it made them feel less so; and 29 percent said it made them feel less shy versus the 3 percent who said it made them feel more introverted.
When it comes to relationships with friends more than half of the teens said, “Social media has made them better versus just 4 percent who said it has negatively affected those relationships.” “On the whole, teens said that they feel that social media has a more positive than negative impact on their social and emotional lives,” said Shira Lee Katz, Common Sense Media’s director of digital media. “They believe that social media helps their friendships, makes them feel more outgoing and gives them confidence.”
Other benefits that they referenced include helping isolated kids feel less isolated when connected with other kids with the same interests online. Teens have also used social media to make their voices heard when they feel there is an injustice. They want their voices heard.
So, what do you think now?
©EthLeen
