Social Media: Negative Impact on Teens

About 77 percent of people have social media profiles. Which means about 77 percent of teens can see whatever they post. Social media is seen as something fun and just an app that was downloaded from the app store, but social media impacts many people's lives in a negative way. It is not thought about how hurtful the things said or how something posted can affect someone when they are posting. There are so many social media venues where so much can be said.

Having social media makes it so much easier for people to post hurtful things about others. People post things that they would never actually say to someone in person. The reason people say things online that they would never say in person is that they find it safer. They would be able to avoid a face to face conversation. It may seem that when they say it online it is less real. However, no matter where it is said it is real. Behind the screen, teens feel protected and safe. Teens feel they won't be confronted with what they had typed while quietly sitting in their bedroom. According to an ask.fm survey, about 80% of what teens post, is posted without them even thinking about the content. Teens post hurtful comments without thinking about what the consequences may be.

The saying think three times before you say something. Well, it goes the same way with social media. Think three times before you post something. Is this something I would ever say to this person in person? In the long run am I going to regret this post? Posting this, will it hurt someone else? There are so many things you should think about before you post.

Posting the perfect picture. Everyone wants their social media account to be seen as something. They want their perfect social media envision to come to life and to make it real. Taking lots of time to take the perfect picture, the perfect selfie. Finding the perfect lighting, the perfect angle, and the perfect background. Taking the perfect picture to make their life seem perfect. It almost makes these people self-fish or self-centered. They take these perfect pictures hoping to get lots of likes and comments and hope that everyone sees their picture.

When someone is posting their perfect picture, they edit it. Face-tune it. Photoshop it. The picture ends up not even looking like themselves anymore. Teens are quick to judge each other on social media. To prevent being judged, teens post what they feel is something they won't get judged for. When scrolling through your social media feed you see everyone's perfect pictures. These pictures could make you feel bad about yourself. Seeing their picture makes you wish you had a life like them or that you looked like them or had the number of friends they have. According to a survey by TruePic, Posting the perfect picture isn't important. If you post a picture post yourself not a fake version of yourself. Don't think about what other people would think of your picture and post what you like.

Snapchat, it's felt as a teen safe place, or so they think. They think they send it, the receiver sees it, and it's gone forever. But is it really gone forever? No. There's always a way somehow, somewhere, where someone can get those messages back. Just like when you post something you regret and delete it, it's never actually gone because once you post something on the internet, it's there. There is no going back.

Are you trying to get a new job? Hopefully, nothing on the internet was posted by you or about you that would cost you that job. Teens think social media is all just for fun, but it can have consequences in the future. What is posted can determine whether you get the job or not. These people will search your name and see what comes up and see if you're worthy of working under their business name. So think, if I post this, is it something I'd be okay with my future boss seeing?

The impact social media has on others, in my opinion, is negative. Teens use social media for cyberbullying. Teens feel protected behind the screens. Social media is used to show a made-up life. One created by teens using altered photos. Social media is used to post pictures that make you feel good about yourself and to show everyone the perfect life you are trying to create. Or thinking when something gets deleted it really is actually gone. But it's not. It is out there somewhere. Or if you're trying to get a new job but you don't get it due to what's been posted about you or by you. Just remember to think before you post. Think three times before you post and think of all the questions before you post something.

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