The Social Media Conundrum
For most platforms, there is an age requirement (usually about 13) to be able to use social media. I think that this requirement is necessary and should be a requirement for all social media platforms. We should not expose young children to the ugly side of social media. Many children do not have the resources or are not prepared to deal with cyberbullying, and the cons of social media heavily outweigh the pros in younger children.
Social media can have negative effects on a child's mental health, possibly causing depression, anxiety, FOMO, and is linked to worse academic performance. Even if social media can connect people, teens and children need to be educated on appropriate social media use before they go down the endless rabbit hole. By restricting the age for social media use to 13, companies are helping young children by not exposing them to social media. We must help future generations by protecting them against social media until they are ready to handle it.
I believe that 13 should stay the youngest age for social media. Not only does it protect younger children from cyberbullying, it also gives them time to get educated on it and learn proper social media use before they are exposed to it. This greatly helps with their mental well-being. For children 12 and under, limited versions of social media (e.g. YouTube Kids) can provide them with a more protected experience while still connecting them with others.
I also agree with the statement that platforms should follow an age requirement in order to use it. Like you mentioned, young children don't know how to deal with cyberbulling but also social media and the internet in general contains some really disturbing, and graphic content. I wish this age requirement was a stricter rule on most platforms, as children that are not the age to access a certain site can still pretend that they are indeed 13 or 14 or whatever the age requirement for that particular site is.
ReplyDeleteYeah, social media is very much a double-edged sword, since it has its fair share of both upsides and downsides. On one hand, it allows people to interact with each other from far away, and it can prove to be helpful, in the instance of YouTube tutorials and such. However, social media is a also a place where cyberbullying, scamming and other bad things can happen. Also, the fact that social media, especially apps like instagram, tiktok, or snapchat, can serve as a collection of only the best parts of someone's daily life. This can give inaccurate impressions of your life to others, and they may become insecure about their own life, leading to many other problems. I agree with your idea of an age restriction for such apps, or at least some types of content.
ReplyDeleteJosh
I would agree with 13 being the age for social media. Using apps like instagram can very negatively impact children and teens because of the things you listed such as anxiety, fomo, and in some cases depression. If a user is very educated and mature enough to use platforms like instagram, it can be a fantastic thing. The idea of connecting with so many people remotely is amazing, but only if used correctly. Many insecurities that children and teens have can be hugely worsened through social media, but not if it the person is mature and educated on social media.
ReplyDeleteYou bring up some very good points in your blog. Social Media can definitely have negative effects on peoples' minds, such as self-image issues and FOMO. I agree with your points on restricting social media from younger children. The internet is a very open place where there is smaller jurisdiction compared to other forms of media like television or radio. This can make it rather dangerous to children, yet more appealing to them at the same time.
ReplyDeleteI personally feel like the age should be upon entering middle school, because thats where shit gets real. I am glad my parents didn't shelter me very much, because I would have been traumatized otherwise. So I think 11 is a better age personally, but to each their own.
ReplyDeleteThis is definitely an important topic to talk about. Social media can simultaneously be an amazing platform and a toxic warzone. You brought up some great points about how it can be beneficial but also very harmful for young children who don't know how to deal with cyberbullying.
ReplyDeleteThis is a really compelling post I really agree with. Social media can be toxic and damaging to people's mental health (not only for kids but teens and adults). So having a age limit can at least give people the chance to learn about the internet before going out into the world like you said.
ReplyDelete-Kai