Unit V ENG

Literature Review

In the modern-day, technology has become an integral part of daily life. The advancement in technology, especially in the field of media, has enabled most Americans to access information especially news on different platforms. Web sites, digital newspapers, social media platforms are some of the ways people can get to know the things happening around the world. Social media provides multiple ways people can reach others, communicate, and share information regardless of distance. This technology has transformed the way people view the world and how they communicate, but at the same time, it has given people with bad intentions a platform to commit a crime and do the unthinkable. The use of social media among teenagers and children in the modern-day is not a new thing in the society. Youngsters have access to smartphones and personal computers and can access social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Instagram, blogs, and YouTube among others (O’Keeffe & Clarke-Pearson, 2011). These sites allow children and teenagers to communicate, share information, get entertained and have expanded significantly over the years. Technology has advanced considerably over the years and keeping children and teens away from these developments would be a hard task. Adolescents and children are significantly susceptible to peer pressure, they are limited to self-regulation, and they are exposed to several risks as they go through social media. On the contrary, participating on several social media platforms can significantly affect young children positively in that it develops their social connection, their communication skills, and well as their technical expertise. Thus, there is a need for parents and guardians to be aware of the nature of social media platforms accessible to their children since not all these networks and sites are healthy for their kids. Based on these facts, therefore, social media access should be limited to children and teenagers. Allowing them to access the internet freely without the consent or supervision of an adult puts the lives of themselves and their families at risk of cyberbullying, child predators, internet stalkers and identity theft.

Literature review

The popularity term “social media” begun in the 1990s and since then it has become a popular term in the society. Per Niemer (2015), in the modern-day, online social media communities play a critical role in the globe and teenagers have the most connection regarding electronic as compared to all generations. Technology has created a generational gap where teenagers have become social media and computer savvy than their parents and grandparent. This generational gap can, however, be closed by the parents learning more about social media and providing guidelines and setting limits on how their children can use social media.

The risks of using social media have become more often that parents realize. For example, according to Dinleyici, Carman, Ozturk, and Sahin-Dagil (2016), most parents are unaware of the optimal age for opening a social media platform such as Facebook. Therefore, it is evident that there is a lack of sufficient guidelines and research on protecting the safety of children about using social media devices. This lack of control and guidelines, therefore, places many children and teenagers at great risks. According to O’Keeffe and Clarke-Pearson, one of the greatest risk of children using social media without control and guidelines is the exposure to online harassment and cyberbullying. This danger involves the use of digital media such as social media platforms to embarrass, pass false or unfriendly information about another individual. This is the most prevalent risk teenagers and children are exposed to when they use social media platforms. Secondly, these children are also vulnerable to the risk of sexting when they have unlimited access to social media. O’Keeffe and Clarke-Pearson, continue to suggest that the term sexting is used to refer the posting, receiving, or promoting sexually explicit messages, images, or photographs, through the computer, mobile phone or other digital devices. This content is therefore easily transferred through social media and puts these children at the risks of emotional distress, being preyed by sexual offenders, as well as a negative influence on their mental health.

The third risk of using social media in an unlimited way involves the loss of privacy. According to Hatch (2011), social media platforms such as Facebook gives children the opportunity to share too much information with users who could be posting false information about themselves. These practices put the lives of these children and their families at risk. In addition to this, the use of digital technology has a negative impact on the health of the children. According to Hatch, the heavy use of electronic media has an impact on the children’s development in that most of these children spend most of their time on technology playing, communicating and sharing information with their friends and family. This practice challenges their body in that they do not achieve the required motor and sensory development. Therefore, the use of digital technology for many hours without physical activity can affect the health of the children and influence diseases such as diabetes. Luxton, June, and Fairall (2012) assert that social media can influence suicide-related behavior. Social media puts the lives of children and teenagers at the risk of committing suicide through cyberbullying and online harassment. This risk occurs when another child using social media networks, instant messages, or emails repeatedly and intentionally attacks a child.

Despite the risks associated with the use of unlimited social media among young children, the technology has a positive influence on the lives of these children. According to O’Keeffe and Clarke-Pearson, some of the ways social media can positively influence children and adolescents is through communication and socialization. These provide an opportunity for teenagers to grow positive ideas, expand their online networks through shared interests, participate in community development activities and foster their individual identity and social skills.

Social media can also affect the education for young students positively. For instance, children and teenagers can use social media to connect with one another on group projects and compete for homework. Thirdly, children can use social media to access important information about their health and the things around them. Social media platforms have multiple topics that address interesting health topics such as methods of reducing stress, workout methods, sex education, as well as signs of depression. Teenagers can use these platforms to learn more about themselves and the society (O’Keeffe & Clarke-Pearson, 2011).

It is clear that social media can affect the lives of children and teenagers positively and negatively. Therefore, there is a need to limit and guide children on how to use the social media to have a positive impact on their lives. According to Shields and Behrman (200), computer technology has influenced the society positively and because of the increasing numbers of parents providing their kids with computers, at home, there is a need to supervise activities and the content accessible to these children. Shields et al., assert parents need to assist their children to be safe and well informed while using the social media to ensure positive social engagement. Secondly, parents, educators, and other adults that work in close collaboration with children and teenagers need to control the amount of time these kids spend on their computers and manage the content they access to ensure their safety and promote computer literacy. According to Nikken and Schols (2015), the influence of the parents on the children’s use of technologies is vital because it assists in shaping the cultural tastes and preferences of the child at an early age. Furthermore, the parents’ involvement can help to protect the child from the risks involved in using social media.

In conclusion, it is clear that social media can have significant negative impact on the lives of children including exposure to online bullying and harassment, loss of privacy, sexting, and negatively affect their health. On the contrary, social media also provides opportunities for these children to socialize and communicate participate in community development projects, advance their learning as well as accessing important health information. Most importantly there is a need for parents, teachers, and adults that are close to these children to control, guide, and limit the amount of time the children spend on their computer and more so social media. In brief, the access to social media should be limited for young children because unlimited access exposes these children to numerous risks.

References

Dinleyici, M., Carman, K. B., Ozturk, E., & Sahin-Dagli, F. (2016). Media Use by Children, and Parents’ Views on Children’s Media Usage. Interactive Journal of Medical Research, 5(2), e18. http://doi.org/10.2196/ijmr.5668

Niemer, E. (2012). Teenagers and Social Media | alive. alive. Retrieved 6 December 2016, from http://www.alive.com/family/teenagers-and-social-media/

Hatch, K. E. (2011). Determining the effects of technology on children.

Luxton, D. D., June, J. D., & Fairall, J. M. (2012). Social media and suicide: a public health perspective. American Journal of Public Health, 102(S2), S195-S200.

Nikken, P., & Schols, M. (2015). How and why parents’ guide the media use of young children. Journal of child and family studies, 24(11), 3423-3435.

O'Keeffe, G. S., & Clarke-Pearson, K. (2011). The impact of social media on children, adolescents, and families. Pediatrics, 127(4), 800-804.

Shields, M. K., & Behrman, R. E. (2000). Children and computer technology: Analysis and recommendations. The Future of Children, 4-30.