The internet is one of the most powerful and influential forces today, affecting nearly every aspect of our lives. Almost everything, in some way or another, connects to the internet and the media, and because of this, many positives and negatives come out of them.
One of these subjects is how the media and the internet generally affect kids and teenagers. In today’s age, kids and teenagers are people who have grown up with the internet throughout their whole lives, so how they view it and understand it is different from people from older generations who didn’t grow up with the technology. Their age views technology differently, and it affects them more. This technology brings both positive and negative effects to their lives. Almost every aspect of their lives revolves around the internet and the media; many negatives come with the positives.
The Negative Influence of the Internet
Some of the negatives kids and teenagers may suffer due to the internet involve cyberbullying, distractions from the real world, unrealistic views of other people, and peer pressure. These are just a few of the negatives. However, it is still concerning that teens have to go through this. These negatives can affect their development and lead to problems further into their lives.
An article poster by healthychildren.org writes, “children and teens often use entertainment media at the same time that they’re doing other things, such as homework. Such multitasking can have a negative effect on how well they do in school.” The article also discusses how kids can easily find and access information about substance abuse and other terrible behaviors: “Teens’ displays on social media often show risky behaviors, such as substance use, sexual behaviors, self-injury, or eating disorders. Exposure of teens through media to alcohol, tobacco use, or sexual behaviors is linked to engaging in these behaviors earlier” (healthychildren.org). These behaviors described by healthychildren.org are concerning because they not only affect kids now but can also cause developmental problems in the future.
That easily harmful “displays” are accessible to kids and how quickly they can be convinced to do the wrong things these “displays” propose is also concerning.
The Internet’s Positive Influence
While a lot of negatives connected to kid’s media usage exist, the internet also provides a lot of positives. The media and the internet were make life easier. Even though there are a lot of negatives that come with the internet, a lot of those are man-made problems. If users employ the internet and media in an appropriate way, then they bring with them primarily positives.
Some examples of positive aspects of the media are accessing abundant information, maintaining relationships with friends and family, and creating a sense of belonging and self-esteem. These positives bring kids the ability to educate themselves and help form their identities.
An article posted by BBC affiliate internetmatters.org contributes further writing, “with so many ideas shared across several platforms, [children] can discover and use areas of interest in an educational capacity.” As the article states, internet access allows kids to educate themselves better and to understand the world and different cultures. The internet allows kids to better “appreciate different perspectives.” Overall, the internet allows kids and teens to become the people they want to be and learn more about the world than any other generation could.
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