Everyone loves social media, but some people think it’s not safe for kids and teens. Here’s why they believe it’s better to stay offline.
In my opinion, social media can be good, but it can also be awful. Many people tend to lean toward the idea that it is bad. Here are my reasons. Have you ever heard of cyberbullying? If so, then you know people on the internet can really hurt others by saying negative things. Social media can cause mental health problems like anxiety, depression, or low self-esteem. It can also harm people by influencing their self-perception and body image, leading to comparisons with others. Sometimes, it involves stalking someone or feeling insecure about whether they are hanging out with your whole friend group without you.
Social media can also be beneficial, such as FaceTime and messaging, which many people enjoy using. Approximately 70% of Californians use video or voice services like FaceTime or Zoom for communication. Social media is helpful for maintaining connections with friends and family, as well as for finding someone to talk to when you need a listening ear. It can help with mental health by fostering connections with friends, family, and support groups, reducing feelings of isolation and loneliness.
As we all know, social media can affect everyone, but it can really impact middle schoolers because middle school is when you start to grow up, and some people aren’t very kind. They will bully you about everything you do—whether it’s your looks, how you act, or even if you have bad acne. But that doesn’t define you. People may post things about you on social media, and sometimes it’s not nice. They can also reply to your posts and make fun of you on those apps.
Students also say that social media can be both bad and good. Eighth grader Abigail Sanchez states, “Social media is good because we can use it for communication with friends and family. It can also be good for us when we get bored and for everyday use.” Abigail agrees, but Emeliann Grandin has more mixed feelings. She says, “Social media is good and bad because you can ask Google for help, but on the other hand, you don’t need to be looking at your phone every day.”
Therefore, everyone has different opinions about social media. Most think that it’s not good, but you tell me—Is social media really that good after all? Or do you just think that because you want to learn all the newest TikTok dances?
