Link to Clinical Report- The Impact of Social Media on Children, Adolescents, and Families

In my first dive into research for this project I found an article written by the American Academy of Pediatrics that outlined their research on the impacts of social media on youth and adolescence. The article breaks down their observations into categories  of “benefits of children and adolescents using social media” and “risks of youth using social media”

The benefits that the Academy outlined were “socialization and communication”, “enhanced learning opportunities”, and “accessing health information”. Under the first category of socialization, many points were further put into detail. They spoke of community engagement through the use of social media. The growth of creativity through inspiration found online and the ability to share this creativity. Also, the “growth of ideas” through research and independent inquiry. Finally finding a community was emphasized, as many teens feel that they finally find like-minded people on online platforms. Through these benefits, you can find enhanced learning opportunities like independent research along with educational tools like blogs that give the students more opportunity and ease of learning. As far as the third and final point of “access to health information”, the internet and social media are places to self diagnose which is not always a good thing but can be if used correctly. For those dealing with chronic illness, they may be able to find a community within social media that they are lacking in the real world.

The risks of youth using social media, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, is lengthy, but avoidable. They touch on the risks of cyberbullying and online harassment. They state that by having an online presence, you are more open to this sort of behaviour. They list cyberbullying as the top risk for young people on the internet. They continue their argument with sexting as it comes with the risk of child pornography, unwanted sharing, cyberbullying, and a general breach of privacy. This leads to the “digital footprint” that young teens are not always conscious of. The Academy warns teens on what they choose to put online, as it can follow you into your more professional life as they get older. Finally, they argue that advertisements have a way of skewing teens’ expectations and wants.

The article finishes with going over the basics of the “Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) which prohibits web sites from collecting information on children younger than 13”. They state that parents are not always abiding by this law (not allowing their child access to social media before the age of 13), and by doing so are putting their child at risk of the reasons stated above. They offer that pediatricians can be a place of guidance for both children and parents to navigate this time in their lives where social media is an unknown frontier.

Review:

Overall, this article brought up many valid points. The connection social media offers and the endless research it allows are benefits that I can attest to. The risks outlined, especially privacy and cyberbullying are also negatives on social media that I have thought about.  One major point that I found to be missing is how social media and advertisements affect young people’s body image. I think this is one of the biggest dangers of social media facing young people because the images that people see of “the perfect body” are not always real, leaving them with unattainable goals while they are growing into their bodies and trying to find self-confidence. As far as pediatricians acting as a resource, I see their point, but I wouldn’t have been open to their opinion, as it sort of lies outside of their protocol in my mind. In conclusion, this article is a wonderful resource to act as a springboard for this project and I hope to fill in some of the gaps as I go along.