Over the years, as technology and the internet continue to grow, social media has become a huge part of everyday life, especially amongst the younger generations. Consequently, there has been a highly controversial question that emerged: is social media helping or hurting youth culture?
The answer is not simple, as social media has both positive effects on our youth, especially when it comes to mental and emotional health.
Social media has become a major part of people’s routines, specifically with the youth. It has influenced the way people communicate, express themselves, and view the world around them. Teens are constantly glued to their phones, with the primary reason being social media.
Apps such as Instagram and TikTok make it easy to communicate with friends, even if they live far. This can be especially helpful for students who move often or feel lonely at school, as they are able to socialize with their friends. Being able to message friends can help teens feel included and supported.
Social media also gives young people a place to express themselves. Many teens and young adults use it to share their art, music, writing, or opinions. By doing so, they are able to discover their interests and build their confidence. Teens are also able to learn new skills, follow the news, or discover hobbies they may not have found otherwise. In this way, social media helps youth culture grow more creative and open-minded.
While also allowing teens to express themselves, social media can teach teens and young adults to be more responsible. They learn to think about what they post online as it can affect others and stay on the internet for a long time. Learning to be responsible and think before posting has changed youth culture by making digital citizenship an important skill.
However, social media also has serious downsides. It can affect mental health, and their psychological well-being. Social media can feel addictive. Many apps such as TikTok are designed to keep users scrolling for as long as possible, sometimes known as “doom scrolling.” Likes, comments, and notifications give quick bursts of information. Some teens may begin to feel anxious when they are not online or worry about missing out on posts. With this constant need of social media, youth culture has become more centered on screens than real-life experiences.
Social media has also changed how conflict happens amongst teenagers and young adults. Arguments and bullying can now happen online any time and anywhere, making our youth susceptible to problems easily. Bullying and hatred can spread quickly and can be hard to escape, making teens afraid to express themselves.
When young people spend too much time online, it can impact their school habits, attention spans, and motivation overall. Youth culture has begun to put emphasis on quick entertainment, like watching reels or short videos, instead of putting effort into long-term commitments, like homework or their own hobbies.
Social media can affect youth culture positively, but also, vastly negatively, as well. By connecting teens, encouraging social interactions, and spreading creativity, it gives young people the chance to have a voice online; at the same time, it increases pressure, online conflict, and can lead to a social media addiction. It is important to balance online life with real life so it can help youth culture instead of harming it.
