Understanding the Negative Effects of Social Media on Teens

Raising teens in today’s world is HARD. Of course we want nothing more than to keep our kids safe but as technology evolves, and social media becomes the new “norm” – It makes it harder for us.

Either you’re the “cool” parent that allows your teen to have Social Media because it’s the norm. Or you’re the “strict” parent that doesn’t allow your teen to have Social Media because you know how harmful it is for them. (I’m the “strict” parent)

Regardless of which parent you are, I have valuable info I want to share with you. So grab a cup of coffee and let’s dig in!

Social Media | Online Predators

Social Media is such a dangerous place for teens, as it can be a breeding ground for online predators.

Firstly, teens are very naive when it comes to believing a person is who they say they are online. Which is why predators often use social media to target teens.

Secondly, online predators use manipulative tactics to gain the trust of teens.

Thirdly, they go above and beyond to groom teens. They know teens are so vulnerable which makes them an easy target.

However, this can lead to dangerous situations where teens may be coerced into sharing personal information, sending explicit photos, or meeting up in person.

Social Media Dangers Exposed

Below is a video of a mother who went undercover as an 11-year-old girl to expose the dangers of online predators.

Instant Download Worksheet

In addition, I’ve designed a worksheet that goes along with the video to help teens fully understand the dangers of social media. And also for parents to be able to verify that their teen watched the video, and know that they fully understand it.

Receive your FREE ‘Social Media Dangers Exposed’ worksheet.

Mental Health

Mental health within teens is at an all time high. And unfortunately, the leading factor behind it is Social Media. Pew Research Center shared an article in 2022 about how social media stirs a range of emotions and reactions in teens. This is an interesting article as it shares how teens react to the things they see on social medai.

Fear of missing out

Consequently, social media creates a constant need to stay connected within teens. When they scroll through their feeds, they see their friends posts and feel like they’re missing out on something if they weren’t included. The constant need to be “in the loop”, causes anxiety, stress, and depression.

Unrealistic Expectations

Social media creates a false reality of what is “normal”. Teens often compare themselves to their friends, celebrities, and influencer’s and/or their life which created unrealistic expectations for their own life.

It’s easy for teens to believe that everyone else’s life is perfect, while theirs falls short. This creates unrealistic expectations for how their life should be and could cause depression.

Too often, teens don’t understand is that social media only shows a quick “highlight” of someones life. What we see on social media is not reality, and it’s important that teens are made aware of this.

Cyberbullying

Meanwhile, cyberbullying on social media can be a serious downfall for a teen’s mental health. Bullying online can be more hurtful than normal bullying because it’s harder to escape.

Teens who experience cyberbullying have a higher risk for developing anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues.

According to Pew Research Center, Nearly half of U.S. teens have been bullied or harassed online.

Nearly half of U.S. teens ages 13 to 17 (46%) report ever experiencing at least one of six cyberbullying behaviors asked about in a Pew Research Center survey conducted April 14-May 4, 2022.

Over-Sharing on social media

Although, teens feel the social pressure to constantly update their social media with exciting events – it leads to over sharing way too much information.

Ultimately, teens feed off instant gratification. Constantly sharing info to let others know what they are doing but don’t realize the harm they are doing when doing so.

As a result, it’s important to have conversations with your teen about the importance of privacy on social media. Encourage them to think before they post and to only share information with trusted friends and family in order to keep them safe.

Related: Negative Effects of Snapchat for Teens

How to protect your teen on social media

The best way to protect your teen on social media is to simply not allow social media.

Nonetheless, if that isn’t an option for you – it’s best that you at least use a monitoring app.

There are several popular monitoring app options that you can use to monitor your teens phone, including:

• Bark: This app monitors social media, text messages, and emails for signs of cyberbullying, depression, and other potential issues.

• Norton Family: This app allows parents to monitor their child’s online activity, set time limits for device usage, and block inappropriate content.

• Mobicip: This app allows parents to monitor their child’s web browsing history, block inappropriate content, and set time limits for device usage.

• Qustodio: This app allows parents to monitor their child’s online activity, including social media, text messages, and web browsing history.

• FamilyTime: This app allows parents to monitor their child’s location, set time limits for device usage, and block inappropriate content.

Furthermore, I use the bark app (Premium) for monitoring my teens phone, and I’ve found it to be extremely helpful.

7 free day trial

$5.00 after the trial is over

Manage screen time

Filter websites

Location alerts | Check – ins

7 day free trial

$14.00 after the trial is over

Manage screen time

Filter websites

Location alerts | Check – ins

Monitor texts, emails and apps

Get alerts when something is concerning

Conclusion

In conclusion, it’s important to make decisions about social media that will benefit your teen. Talk to your teen about the negative effects social media has on them and the huge impact it plays on their mental health.

Encourage your teen to focus on their own achievements and strengths, rather than comparing themselves to others.

In addition, it’s important to help your teen build resilience and coping skills to help them deal with social media-related stressors.