Social Media --- Empowering or Harming Teenagers?

Social Media. Two words that are some of the most ubiquitous to be heard in today’s society. The big question surrounding social media is: Is social media empowering or harming teenagers?

One of the themes discussed in class this week was the concept that one individual has the power to impact society. With such accessible and large platforms within social media, many people are given the ability to influence many others. This “power” can be amazing in spreading world issues, educating about certain worldwide topics, and to empower people, but it can also have the exact opposite effect. With such large figures on social media portraying society’s “ideal standards” (most of which are fake anyways) can greatly negatively influence younger generations. Young kids growing up assuming they need to look like one cookie cutter mold of a person is extremely toxic for self esteem and self image. Follower count and likes should not have as large of an impact as they

currently do. The constant want to be accepted and to fit into social media’s standards of what is acceptable is damaging today’s youth in many ways. Both the need to feel accepted among peers and the constant societal struggles contribute to generation (gen z) and millenials having the highest rates of depression and anxiety. 

However, social media is a major factor in many amazing movements occurring in society. The easily accessible platforms make it extremely easy to get important messages heard all across the world with the press of a single button.There are many positive influencers on social media, using their platform to build confidence in youth, and empowering them to be the generation of change. As Henry David Thoreau said in Civil

Disobedience, “if only one honest man, were to actually withdraw from this copartnership” (Thoreau 386). These positive influencers are taking these steps to try and be that one person that sparks change in “the machine” (Thoreau 385) that is society. Social media is also a tool for life threatening world issues to become noticed, and many of the recent peaceful political protests have stemmed from social media awareness.  

To sum up, if there had to be an answer to the question I posed, it would be “all of the above”. Depending on how different things are interpreted and viewed, social media can empower, harm, and simply just inform today’s youth. Many different factors influence the effects of social media on teens, and each factor is specific to each teen. Each generation has their own views on how social media impacts teenagers, and coming from a 16 year old, take it from me that a teens relationship with social media can be very complicated and complex. 

Ending this blog post, I want to leave anyone reading with the curiosity to ponder how social media impacts their daily life and mental health. Never forget to take away society’s lenses when looking back at its impacts.