McClure1 Victoria McClure Ms. Meaghan Rand English 1102.

021 31 March 2014 How Does Social Media In luence !ou" #n article recentl$ re%orted that &4' o teenagers that %artici%ate in online acti(ities that are )etween the ages o 12 and 1* ha(e )een in(ol(ed in one or +ore o ,content-creating acti(ities on the internet. such as /ace)oo01 2witter1 and other related we)sites1 +a0ing a noteworth$ increase ro+ $ears %rior in 2004 when it was noted at 3*' 45enhart6. It is e(ident ro+ studies done in the %ast u% until now and ro+ +$ %ersonal e7%erience that social +edia and internet use is a growing trend a+ong teenagers toda$. I ha(e noticed in school1 at ho+e1 and 8ust in the general %u)lic that social +edia has )eco+e a (ital %art o societ$ whether its uses range ro+ in or+ational ones to that o ad(ertise+ents or or+ing relationshi%s9the %ossi)ilities are see+ingl$ endless and the di erent utili:ations continue to grow. #s the internet and di erent or+s o social +edia continue to grow in %racticalit$ and accessi)ilit$1 so does its in luence on adolescence in societ$. 2he ;uestion is how does social +edia actuall$ in luence teens toda$" 2he earl$ (ersions o the internet were introduced around 1<&< )ut were +ainl$ a(aila)le to uni(ersities1 scientists1 and go(ern+ent o icials. =$ 1<*31 the nu+)er o sites grew to &3. 2hen1 in >anuar$ o 1<<<1 the nu+)er o hosts grew to 43 +illion and the nu+)ers still continue to cli+) toda$ 4?=S 2i+elines6. @ne o the irst social +edia sites was 2ri%od created in 1<<2 and it was o%en co++unit$ a(aila)le to college

McClure2 students and $oung adults to share thoughts and ideas 4Curtis6. Aow there are hundreds o social networ0ing sites such as /ace)oo01 2witter1 Instagra+1 2u+)lr1 and so +an$ +ore that +a0e online co++unication and co++unit$ (irtuall$ i+%ossi)le to a(oidB this connection to riends and strangers all o(er %ro(ides such a wide range o o%%ortunit$ or %eo%le1 es%eciall$ $oung adults1 that were not a(aila)le %rior to the creation o the internet. Cith the (ast a+ount o the %o%ulation in(ol(ed in social networ0ing in its (arious or+s1 it is )ound to ha(e so+e sense o an i+%act on societ$. @ne wa$ social +edia has )een ound to )e in luential on teenagers is in the sense that it creates %eer %ressure a+ong the $oung %o%ulation. #ccording to an article %u)lished in the Journal of Adolescent Health1 social networ0ing sites are an e7tre+el$ %o%ular +ode o co++unication a+ong our $outh 4Huang6. It was re%orted that /ace)oo0 alone had o(er one )illion users at the end o 20131 and o those users1 <3' ad+itted that the$ log into their account at least once a da$ 4Scott6B this concludes +e to )elie(e that not onl$ do teens rel$ on social networ0ing or co++unication1 )ut the$ ha(e )eco+e de%endent on it as al+ost a %ri+ar$ +ode or sociali:ation rather than ace-to- ace contact. It has gotten to the %oint nowada$s that $ou canDt e(en go out to dinner or a wal0 in the %ar0 without seeing cell %hones and other +odes o technolog$ glued to teensD hands and onl$ inches ro+ their aces. @ ten ti+es I catch +$sel loo0ing on +$ /ace)oo0 news eed and catch certain %eo%le %osting u%dates e(er$ hal hour or so. I thin0 when adolescents are surrounded )$ this constant indirect or+ o co++unication on a da$ to da$ )asis1 the$ are +ore easil$ succu+) to sociall$ constructed nor+s and %eer %ressure1 thus1 social +edia )eco+es +ore o an outlet or

McClure3 $oung adults to act out o their e7%ected )eha(iors and create this %ersona attached to certain conduct that our societ$ has dee+ed as acce%ta)le. >ust as societ$ has all these e7%ectations or $oung adults1 social +edia has created its own e7%ectations in a sense o %ersonal a%%earance1 and a so+ewhat a0e a%%earance at that. Instagra+ is a %o%ular site or cell %hone a%% that is (er$ widel$ used )$ indi(iduals as well as cele)rities and (arious ad(ertising co+%anies. It has e(en )een re%orted that at the end o 20131 there were o(er 130 +illion +onthl$ users and o(er 1& )illion %hotos %ostedB each da$ the site recei(es o(er a )illion ,li0es.9 thatDs al+ost 1113*410*3 li0es %er second 4Croo06E @n this a%%1 %eo%le are a)le to ta0e %ictures and u%load the+ al+ost instantl$ to this +assi(e strea+ o %hotos seen )$ all o $our , ollowers.. #lthough1 the users do not si+%l$ 8ust u%load a %hoto or all to seeB it goes through a %rocess o cro%%ing1 a%%l$ing a ilter1 tagging1 and hash tagging. 2his %rocess allows the %erson u%loading a %icture to their %ro ile to distort and edit the %hoto in a wa$ that is +ade easil$ accessi)le and a%%ealing so that it will get the+ +ore ,li0es. or or lac0 o )etter words1 societ$Ds a%%ro(al. Societ$ has generated this %erce%tion o how %eo%le are su%%osed to loo0 and what the$ are su%%osed to wear. @n this site1 users are a)le to create this i+age o the+sel(es that doesnDt alwa$s necessaril$ %ortra$ their true identit$1 )ut +a$)e who the$ desire to )e and allow the+ to %resent the+sel(es as who the world thin0s the$ should )e. In hu+an nature we stri(e to )e si+ilar to our idols1 o ten cele)rities1 and in doing so we eel a %ressure to hold oursel(es at a higher standard in the e$es o the %u)lic and gain their a%%ro(al as a whole. I )elie(e that indi(iduals should stri(e to %lease the+sel(es1 not e(er$one else.

McClure4 Man$ cele)rities are o ten %resented in di erent or+s o social +edia doing things ound ,%o%ular. in societ$ that +a$ )e against our own )eha(iors. I teensD a(orite cele)rities are seen drin0ing and %art$ing1 regardless o their age1 their +oti(es will naturall$ )e in luenced to %artici%ate in those sa+e acti(ities that their idols are %resenting to the %u)lic. /or e7a+%le1 Mile$ C$rus was a see+ingl$ innocent teen starring on the Disne$ show Hannah Montana acting as a role +odel to $oung adolescent girls. Aowada$s1 Mile$ has )een seen in +usic (ideos wearing e7tre+el$ re(ealing clothing and singing a)out alcohol1 drugs1 and %art$ing. Man$ teens who once (iewed her as an ins%iration +a$ now see her either as a disa%%oint+ent or as an in luence to ta0e %art in %recarious )eha(iors. In a si+ilar wa$1 this is re lected through the wa$ teenagers act in res%onse to +aterial on social networ0ing sites. # stud$ conducted in the Journal of Adolescent Health e7a+ined the use o social networ0ing sites a+ong riends and the$ +easured to which degree the test su)8ects were at ris0 to unsa e )eha(iors1 such as underage alcohol consu+%tion and s+o0ing1 and how it relates )ac0 to contact on these sites. 2he$ e(en ound that there was a signi icant association related to teenagersD ris0$ )eha(ior when those in the stud$ were e7%osed to riendsD online %ictures and statuses relating to drin0ing1 %art$ing1 and s+o0ing. #dolescents in the stud$ who had riends whose %ro iles on these sites consisted o %osts %ertaining to things related to drin0ing were at a higher ris0 or drin0ing than %artici%ants who had riends in the stud$ that didnDt %ost +aterial related to alcohol. S+o0ing and underage alcohol consu+%tion a+ong adolescents are still %ro+inent ris0 )eha(iors in the Fnited States 4Huang6. Man$ %eo%le ro+ +$ e7%erience ha(e )een in luenced to %artici%ate in di erent acti(ities such as underage drin0ing and %art$ing

McClure3 8ust )ecause the$ see other %eo%le on these sites %osting a)out engaging in these acti(ities tooB the$ +a$ eel as i the$ are +issing out on so+ething that a%%arentl$ e(er$one else is doing. It al+ost acts as a )andwagon a%%roach %ressuring other teens to 8oin in and ta0e %art in acti(ities that other adolescents are a %art o . #lthough there was not a higher association in the ris0 or drin0ing )etween those who had riends that didnDt %ost things related to alcohol1 the$ were in act at a higher ris0 or e7%osure to dice$ online %ictures that %ro+oted se7ual solicitation 4Huang6. It was ound that one in se(en teens ha(e )een (icti+s o unwanted se7ual %ro(ocations while on social networ0ing sites due to %ro(ocati(e %ictures 4Margolies6. E7%osure to the e7%licit content had a direct i+%act on the ris0 le(el o )eha(iors in the teens tested and it showed a signi icant correlation )etween their le(els o ris0 and those related to the unsa e )eha(iors o their online riends 4Huang6. # lot o ti+es1 teens notice that other users %osting +aterial that is %ro(ocati(e get a lot o attention and the$ stri(e to ac;uire that attention as well. 2he e(idence showed that their online riendsD )eha(iors should de initel$ )e considered as a source o in luence to other indi(iduals online 4Huang6. # %er ect e7a+%le o this is the show on M2V titled ,Cat ish.. @n this show1 %eo%le1 +ainl$ teens1 create %ro iles on social networ0ing sites and +eet others online and de(elo% relationshi%s all across the states with %eo%le the$ had ne(er +et in %erson. #n article %osted in Psychology Today %uts it li0e thisG ,2he near anon$+it$ o online interactions +a0es +an$ things i+%ossi)le in the real world1 %ossi)le in the (irtual one 4Saedi6.. Fn ortunatel$1 the %erson at the other end o the s%ectru+ isnDt alwa$s who the$ %ortra$ed the+sel(es to )e. Fsuall$ the other %erson created a a0e

McClure& %ro ile in order to recei(e attention due to lac0 o sel con idence and de%ression. 2he article also e7%lains that the %artici%ants +a$ not ha(e actuall$ allen in lo(e1 )ut the$ ha(e grown to en8o$ the eeling o )eing lo(ed 4Saedi6. 2his 8ust goes to show that social +edia de initel$ has so+e sort o signi icant i+%act on %eo%le that would orce the+ to create these alse identities )ecause the$ eel the need to )e so+eone else in order to gain acce%tance ro+ others. #lthough social +edia o ten ac;uires a )ad re%utation1 I ha(e recentl$ ound that there are +an$ )ene its that are o(erloo0ed or ta0en or granted. Social +edia and networ0ing sites are a)le to s%read news aster than other t$%es o +edia. It isnDt (er$ o ten that $ou catch teenagers watching the news1 reading a news%a%er1 or listening to news on radio stations. Ha(ing a +o)ile de(ice that allows $ou to access a (ast a+ount o in or+ation so ;uic0l$ and easil$ 8ust a)out an$where +a0es it so con(enient to get in or+ation out to the %u)lic. 2he da$ o the #urora theatre shooting in Colorado1 2witter and !ou2u)e users were a)le to re%ort what had ha%%ened )e ore an$ news channel was a)le to arri(e and +an$ (icti+s were a)le to noti $ their a+ilies that the$ were alright (ia social networ0ing sites 4Sutter6. In doing so1 I )elie(e that this hel%ed so+ewhat cal+ the %anic o the traged$ and also ga(e the rein orce+ents an idea o the situation at hand and how to )est a%%roach it. =eing a %art o social networ0ing sites has also )een shown to %ressure %eo%le in a %ositi(e +anner. =eing a %art o a social +edia site %ro(ides users with a large social grou%. /riends a+ong these sites can create so+ething 0nown as the ,contagion e ect. where %artici%ants %ro+ote healthier )eha(iors such as e7ercising regularl$1 dieting1 and tr$ing to hel% others to sto% s+o0ing 4>a$son6. In 8oining these

McClure* co++unities1 %eo%le are a)le to ha(e others to hold the+ accounta)le and to also ha(e other %eo%le to co++unicate with who are going through the sa+e t$%e o situation the$ are. Di erent or+s o social +edia +a$ also in luence teens to %artici%ate in other i+%ortant things such as (oting. Man$ /ace)oo0 users stated that the$ were +ore li0el$ to (ote i the$ saw their riends on these sites (oting 4=ond6. #n article a)out social +edia and (oting conducted research during the Ao(e+)er 2010 elections. 2he$ ound that indi(iduals that use /ace)oo0 +ore than once a da$ were al+ost three ti+es +ore li0el$ to %artici%ate in a %olitical +eeting or attend a %olitical rall$ 4Rainie6. 2he$ were also 3*' +ore li0el$ to %ersuade so+eone concerning a (ote or a %articular candidate and 43' +ore li0el$ to (ote in the elections the+sel(es 4Ha+%ton6. During the 2012 elections1 30' o registered (oters were in act encouraged to (ote (ia social +edia sites 4Ha+%ton6. Collecti(el$1 it can )e gathered ro+ all di erent %ers%ecti(es that social +edia can in act )e in luential on the teenage %o%ulation whether it )e in a %ositi(e light or a negati(e one. It is so o ten assu+ed )$ societ$ that social networ0ing is such a negati(e contri)ution to the general %u)lic and how we interact with each other. Chether we reali:e it or not1 social +edia is )eco+ing +ore and +ore widel$ renown and is also )eco+ing a (ital %art o sociali:ation. In researching this to%ic1 I was alwa$s so %artial to hearing a)out the )ene its o social +edia )ecause we are usuall$ )eing e7%osed to the negati(e as%ects rather than the %ositi(e ones-- I thin0 that it de initel$ so+ething that should change in the uture.

McClureH 2o +e1 all o this %ro+inentl$ shows that not onl$ teens1 )ut societ$ as a whole should )e educated o )oth the %ositi(e negati(e e ects o social +edia and how it can )e so in luential to ci(ili:ation. #lso1 I )elie(e that educating $oung adults on internet sa et$ and care ul use o social networ0ing sites is essential to %rotecting each o the acti(e users on these sites. >ust as +an$ other things in the world1 social networ0ing can )e used or the good or the )adB it 8ust de%ends on how in or+ed we are a)out it and how we utili:e it in our e(er$da$ li(es. Cor0s Cited #+anda 5enhart1 Mar$ Madden1 #aron S+ith1 #le7andra MacIill. Teens and Social Media. ?ewResearch Internet ?ro8ect. 12 Dece+)er 200*. Ce). 2& March 2014. Croo01 >ordan. Instagram Crosses 130 Million. 2ech Crunch. 20 >une 2013. Ce). 2& March 2014. Dr. #nthon$ Curtis. The rief History of Social Media. Fni(ersit$ o Aorth Carolina at ?e+)ro0e Mass Co++unications De%t. 2013. Ce). 23 March 2014. Irace C. Huang ?h.D.1 >enni er =. Fnger ?h.D.1 Daniel Soto M.?.H1 Ja$o /u8i+oto ?h.D.1 Mar$ #nn ?ent: ?h.D.1 Mar$alice >ordan-Marsh ?h.D.1 2ho+as C. Valente ?h.D. Peer Influences! The Im"act of #nline and #ffline $riendshi" %et&or's on Adolescent Smo'ing and Alcohol (se. Else(ier >ournal o #dolescent Health. 1 >ul$ 2013. Ce). 2& March 2014. >a$son1 Sharon. $loc'ing eha)ior *ands on Social %et&or'ing Sites . FS# 2oda$. 2* Se%te+)er 200<. Ce). 2& March 2014.

McClure< Jeith Ha+%ton1 5auren Sessions Ioulet1 5ee Rainie1 Jristen ?urcell. Social %et&or'ing Sites and #ur *i)es. ?ewResearch Internet ?ro8ect.1& >une 2011. Ce). 2& March 2014. 5ee Rainie. Social Media and +oting. ?ew Internet. & Ao(e+)er 2012. Ce). 24 March 2014. Margolies ?h.D.1 5$nn. Teens and Internet Pornogra"hy. ?s$chCentral. 2010. Ce). 2* March 2014. Mar0 Scott. Sur"rising Social Media Statistics for ,013. Social Media 2oda$. 12 @cto)er 2013. Ce). 2* March 2014. ?=S =roadcasting Ser(ice. P S Timeline of Internet History. ?=S =roadcasting Ser(ice. A.d. Ce). 23 March 2014. Ro)ert M. =ond1 Christo%her >. /arris1 >ason >. >ones1 #da+ D. I. Jra+er1 Ca+eron Marlow1 >ai+e E. Settle1 >a+es H. /owler. A -1.million."erson /0"eriment in Social Influence and Political Mo1ili2ation . Aature Maga:ine. 13 Se%te+)er 2012. Ce). 24 March 2014. Saedi ?h.D.1 Ioal #u:een. Millennial Media. ?s$cholog$ 2oda$. < Dece+)er 2012. Ce). 23 March 2014. Sutter1 >ohn D. Theater Shooting (nfolds in 3eal Time on Social Media . Ca)le Aews Aetwor0 4CAA6. 20 >ul$ 2012. Ce). 2& March 2014.

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Re lection # ter conducting +$ research1 I ha(e learned that social +edia doesnDt alwa$s in luence %eo%le1 es%eciall$ teenagers1 in a negati(e wa$. It o ten so eas$ or us to (iew social +edia as an ene+$ in societ$ )ased on e(er$thing that is %resented to the %u)lic in the news. I thought it was (er$ interesting to learn that social networ0ing was so in luential in the (oting %rocess. During the research %rocess1 I had a di icult ti+e deciding what articles and what %arts o the+ would )e rele(ant to the %oint I was tr$ing to get across. During the writing %rocess1 I ound it di icult to tie all o +$ ideas together in one luent %a%er. I initiall$ had all o these ideas and other things I wanted to discuss and I wasnDt reall$ sure how to connect the+ until I had co+%leted the conce%t +a%. # ter I co+%leted the conce%t

McClure11 +a%1 I or+ed +$ annotated )i)liogra%h$B co+%leting this hel%ed +e to deter+ine what %oints would )e +ost )ene icial to +$ %a%er. M$ in;uir$ ;uestion changed se(eral ti+es throughout +$ writing %rocess. M$ in;uir$ ;uestion was originall$ a)out the de%endenc$ teens had on cell %hones then I changed it to discuss social +edia and to deter+ine whether or not it could )e considered an addiction. /inall$1 I decided to discuss how social +edia can )e in luential to teenagers. I thought that this was so+ething that would )e %rett$ eas$ to su%%ort with e(idence and there was a wide range o %ossi)le as%ects I could discuss concerning this to%ic. I thin0 +$ ;uestion changed o(er ti+e to )etter suit +$ argu+entK;uestion. I ound that as I was researching1 I ound other things that I was interested in and wanted to include in +$ %a%er. I 0e%t ad8usting +$ ;uestion to suit +$ interests in ter+s o +$ %a%er. It was i+%ortant to re(iew the slight historical co+%onent o +$ to%ic so that it was understood that social networ0ing is still a de(elo%ing thing in societ$ and that it hasnDt ;uite reached its ull %otential. I donDt thin0 we reali:e how +uch technolog$ and internet has changed societ$ until we ta0e a ste% )ac0 and loo0 at it ro+ a di erent %ers%ecti(e. I )elie(e that +$ anal$tical s0ills ha(e i+%ro(ed as a result o this %ro8ect. I a+ a)le to %iece things together and use the+ to su%%ort an issue or %ro)le+ that I a+ tr$ing to %resent. /or e7a+%le1 when I irst started the conce%t +a%1 I had no idea how I was going to %ut all o it togetherB I didnDt thin0 that it would )e %ossi)le to connect all o +$ resources to each other to +a0e a uni or+ %a%er. I a+ now a)le to la$ things out

McClure12 and ta0e the+ one at a ti+e through the %rocess o deciding what to include and what to ocus on. 2hrough this whole %rocess1 I a+ +ost %roud that I was a)le to e7%and +$ thoughts and generate a %a%er as a result. I was an7ious at irst )ecause I did not thin0 that I could de(ise at least & %ages that were rele(ant to +$ to%ic1 )ut I was actuall$ struggling to narrow down +$ content so that it wasnDt too o(er)earing. 2hin0ing )ac0 to the conclusion o +$ to%ic1 I would li0e to 0now +ore a)out the %ositi(e e ects o social +edia. Ce are so o ten onl$ educated a)out the cons o social networ0ing and I thin0 it would )ene it societ$ to widen their %ers%ecti(e and learn +ore a)out the %ositi(e as%ects as well.