Running head: SIGNATURE ASSIGNMENT: FINAL RESEARCH PAPER 1

Signature Assignment: Final Research Paper

Tweeting Teens: The Benefits of Social Media

Rebecca Moore

Ottawa University
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Tweeting Teens: The Benefits of Social Media

Children, especially tech-savvy adolescents, thrive in the modern world. One way in

which these teenagers use technology is through the use of social media. Parents have been

worried in the past that an overuse of social media could lead to addiction, as well as other issues

such as cyberbullying and depression. As smart phones become more easily accessible for

teenagers, there was concern that these devices would destroy traditional communication

methods. Surprisingly, adolescent use of social media has not increased since 2012. What has

changed is the frequency with which adolescents access and use social media, averaging several

times in one hour (K, 2018). While there are potential problems from social media use, there are

quite a few interesting benefits, including social, emotional and mental wellbeing. When used

properly, social media can provide many benefits for adolescents.

Social media is a frequently used method of communication and social interaction,

especially in the United States. Social media is any online program, application or platform that

allows people to share information, pictures and/or conversations using a smartphone or

computer. Apps like Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat are some of the biggest

platforms for social media. These apps and sites allow users to post images and text, along with

the ability to comment, give a rating (likes, hearts) or share content. Adolescents ages 12-19 are

some of the largest users of social media (K, 2018). They use social media to communicate with

friends and family all over the world and to follow celebrities, brands, interests and trends. Teens

use social media to connect with both online and offline social networks (Dunbar, 2016). 

Negative Interactions on Social Media

Sadly, social media has been associated with negative interactions across nearly every

platform. The negative effects of social media include cyberbullying, depression, social anxiety,
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and exposure to developmentally inappropriate content. Cyberbullying is when a person is being

harassed, ridiculed or otherwise bullied over a digital platform such as social media, email or text

messages. Cyberbullying tends to be just as frequent, if not more so, than offline bullying, due to

the anonymity afforded by the internet (Uhls, Ellison and Subrahmanyam, 2017). Some have

been worried that the large amount of people in teens’ social media networks could lead to more

issues occurring, but the people teens connect with the closest is about the same size as the

number of offline friends the average person has (Dunbar, 2016).

Depression can also be associated with using social media, as teens expose themselves to

criticism and potential negative interactions when they post online. However, the amount of

depression and emotional issues caused by using social media is miniscule and comparable to

any other repetitive, daily usage activity. Teens should not experience an increase in being

depressed just by using social media daily, but adolescents who have pre-existing emotional

issues may be more likely to use social media more frequently than others (Frye, 2019). Frequent

use of social media is linked to issues, which manifest more as depression in girls and anxiety in

boys. Many teens who overuse social media fear being left out, which can lead them to

compulsively checking their devices to make sure they are staying current and relevant in the

conversations and content (Oberst, Wegmann, Stodt, Brand, and Chamarro, 2017). 

Social anxiety and depression can arise for adolescents who use social media, especially

if they have been the victim of cyberbullying or inappropriate content. Thankfully, many teens

who use social media tend to increase their resilience and coping mechanisms when issues do

arise. They are also quick to reach out to others to help cope after a traumatic incident occurs

(McHugh, Wisniewski, Rosson and Carroll, 2018). Teens who are taught to use social media

properly generally report incidents quickly when they happen. They also block content they do

not wish to see and seek others for comfort if they feel vulnerable. Cyberbullies are often dealt
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with quickly, especially when the victim has a strong network of friends online to help them.

Often having an adult family member in their social media circle prevents unpleasant

interactions from ever occurring (Koutamanis, Vossen, and Valkenburg, 2015).

Benefits of Social Media

Social media has many benefits to its users, but especially to the adolescents who use it.

Social media helps teens to increase their self-esteem, explore their identity, connect with others,

build social networks and search out information relevant to their interests and struggles. The

adolescent years are the time in which young people begin to shape their sense of identity. Teens

use social media to help explore their sense of self. They post pictures and share their lives with

others, and in doing so learn to present the parts of themselves they like best, or that they find are

best accepted by others. Using social media this way allows teenagers to explore how they want

to be seen. They can add filters, change outfits and create moods in their posts while gauging the

reactions and feedback of friends. They also learn to manage how other people view and

perceive them based on the media they choose to present, which is a social skill known as

impression management. Impression management is an important skill people use in their daily

and professional lives and it is easily developed by using social media (Uhls, Ellison and

Subrahmanyam, 2017).

Self-esteem is an important part of how teenagers develop during their formative years.

Social media supports the need adolescents have to be accepted, supported and approved by their

peers. Teens can use social media to find others who share their interests, hobbies, talents and

goals, which boosts their self-esteem when they interact with like-minded friends. Teens who

feel accepted are generally happier and do better in school and relationships, both on and offline.

They feel more confident and able when they communicate with others through social media.
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Teens who have supportive friends online will have better self-esteem (Uhls, Ellison and

Subrahmanyam, 2017).

Teens use social media for networking, finding support and feeling connected to others

(K, 2018). Many people were concerned as social media use became widespread that teens

would stop communicating effectively offline and have smaller social networks physically

available to them. This is not the case, however, because teens have proven that the use of social

media has not caused their offline social networks to shrink. Rather, they navigate a complex

network that includes online and offline friends, and many of their friends move between the

two. Social media also helps adolescents who are struggling with issues like learning difficulties,

sexual identity and gender identity to find like-minded peers for support and acceptance (Uhls,

Ellison and Subrahmanyam, 2017). 

Teens are using social media to learn at their own pace and to research relatable content,

like hobbies, interests, news, health and sexuality. Many teens are going to social media and

online sources to learn about things they are interested in or worried about. They are able to ask

questions and receive answers and help with anonymity. Teens are learning about news and

current events through social media. Sites like Facebook allow teens to engage in sharing

political content, volunteering and fundraising. Many organizations have social media accounts

that generate educational content, such as the Discovery Chanel and the Smithsonian museum.

There are also programs for adolescents which they can text, email or follow to learn about

mental health, personal health and sexuality (Hogan and Strasburger, 2018).

Safe Social Media Use

There are ways for teenagers to use social media safely and prevent negative interactions

from happening. Teens should use strong passwords and never share them with others or write

them down in easy to find places. They should know what sources on their devices are using
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GPS and location services, as these can track their online activity and physical locations. They

should also be careful about sharing private addresses, emails and numbers, and only share these

with people they trust. Another way adolescents can stay safe online is by using smart

communication strategies, such as not oversharing, not publishing sensitive and private

information, avoiding sexual advances from others and explicit content. Knowing when and how

to block and report people and accounts on every platform they use will help curb problems

before they turn into cyberbullying or harassment. Teens can also help cut down on

cyberbullying by treating others with respect and empathy, understanding their personal value

and staying true to their self as they post and share on social media (Connect Safely, 2017).

Conclusion

Social media can have a lot of benefits for adolescents when it is used properly and

safely. Social media apps can include everything from texting to Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook

and many other apps and sites. Social media is used more by adolescents and is accessed more

frequently. It can produce issues in teens who are already affected by emotional issues and can

increase depression, anxiety and cyberbullying. There are still many benefits to social media use,

including identity exploration and formation, networking, learning, connecting, communicating,

self-esteem boosting and finding support. The use of social media is not going away any time

soon and will more than likely continue to increase in use, especially for teenagers. When used

correctly, social media can help adolescents find their personalities and identities, as well as a

vast network of friends and people who support their social and emotional needs.

        

 
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References

Connect Safely. (2017). Tips for Safe Social Networking for Teens. Retrieved from

https://www.connectsafely.org/social-web-tips-for-teens/

Dunbar, R. (2015). Do online social media cut through the constraints that limit the size of

offline social networks? R. Soc. open sci.3: 150292. Retrieved from

http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsos.150292

Frye, D. (2019). Are Screens Really Hurting Teens? Psychology Today, 52(3), 20.

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Hogan, M. and Strasburger, V. (2018). Social Media and New Technology: A Primer. Clinical

Pediatrics, 57(10), 1204–1215. https://doi-

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McHugh, B, Wisniewski, P., Rosson, MB., and Carroll, J. (2018). When social media

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org.ottawa.idm.oclc.org/10.1108/IntR-02-2017-0077

Koutamanis, M., Vossen, H. and Valkenburg, P. (2015). Adolescents’ comments in social media:

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Oberst, U., Wegmann, E., Stodt, B., Brand, M., & Chamarro, A. (2017). Negative consequences
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