Teens find both benefits, pitfalls in social media

Photo by Anya Tchelikidi

No matter the age, everyone’s lives have been affected by social media. The ASL community sees this every day. With phones and other electronics readily available to students, it is nearly impossible for teens to disconnect from the messages sent through social media. There are undeniably important benefits to staying connected. However, with all the good technology brings to people’s lives, there is also a lot of harmful content, including peer pressure. Teens now have to learn how to filter the messages sent to them through social media.

With instant and easily accessible means of communication, phones can foster connections that would be otherwise impossible. Health teacher Mr. Kelley Reid said that, “What [social media] does is expand the connections and possibilities for us to interact with other people and other ideas.”

Mr. Reid said that he noticed that since the advent of social media, he has seen students grow more accepting of their fellow peers. He stated that he is an optimist, and believes that social media can do great things for students and adults alike.

Social media can also be used as an educational resource. Mr. Reid said, “Kids are much more open and accepting, and that’s a very positive thing. I think that one of the reasons for that is because kids are smarter about the world, and one of the reasons they are smarter about the world is social media.” With all that social media has to offer, it is clear that can be a force of good.

The instant, nonstop nature of social media is what makes it phenomenal, but it can also be its biggest flaw.  Health teacher Ms. Bambi Thompson said, “There’s a term call virtual peer pressure. It’s online peer pressure. There can be more voices at one time virtually. With this comes a risk of anxiety and depression, as well as lower self-esteem. Spending hours on social media can boost social standing, but can also pressure students to do things that they shouldn’t do.”

There have been many recent cases, both at ASL and around the world of cyber bullying, and many studies are being done on phone addiction, and other harmful repercussions of phone usage. With all of the serious dangers that can be posed by social media, it is necessary to be able to be aware of and combat the dangers it presents.

Ms. Thompson thinks that to protect oneself from harmful messages, one must stand up to them. She said, “It takes courage to stand up and say something. If a student sees something they know is hurtful, it is really important to say something. When something is not right and is damaging to us, we should voice alternative messages. We need to challenge it.”

If students do this, they will go a long way towards being able to reap the benefits social media offers, while still shielding themselves from the damage it can do. 

About Lena Levey ('21)

Features Editor (2016-2017)

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