Did you know that almost 5.17 billion people use social media? This equals 63.7 percent of the world’s population. There are many different ways it can affect people of all ages. Unrestricted time on social media can damage children and their minds in so many ways. Some kids are exposed to explicit content, while others have developmental problems. Other kids become insecure, self-conscious, and even suicidal due to cyberbullying. Social media can expose inappropriate content to kids. 1 in 5 youth will experience online exposure to explicit material on social media More than 50% of kids ages 10 – 12 have been exposed to inappropriate content online.
Large amounts of free time on social media may cause mental problems in children. Studies show that 13% of kids ages 12 to 15 have reported that they experience depression, while 32% of kids on social media report anxiety. Another poll showed that eighth-graders who spend over 10 hours on social media every week are 56% more likely to report unhappiness than those who spend less time on social media.
Cyberbullying on social communication sites can make adolescents feel insecure and self-conscious. According to a study in 2004, 39% of those who were cyberbullied dropped out of school, 37% showed delinquent behaviors, & 16% were severely depressed. 20% who are cyberbullied consider suicide and 10% try to commit suicide. That equals about 4,500 deaths per year.
A real-life example of how too much social interaction online can harm kids is in the case of Molly Russell. Molly is a 14-year-old from London, who committed suicide in 2017. Molly had been on social networks such as Instagram and Pinterest, where she saw harmful content about depression and suicide that degraded her mental health. Her parents found that these posts made her feel even more inadequate than she already was, and this likely contributed to her death. This tragedy shows the risks of allowing kids to use social media without limits. The next time you go on social media, think about what effect your actions will have before you click on a website, chat, or even watch a video.
So the next time you go on social media, think about what effect your actions will have before you click on a website, say something, or watch a video.