The Effects of Social Networking on Kids

There
is no doubt that social networking has had both positive and negative
impact on our lives. But how does social networking affect kids? This
has been discussed in this article...

A few decades after arrival
of the Internet, came the social networking sites (with a boom). Since
then, the popularity of these websites has only seen an upward rise.
Social networking sites are popular among all, from kids to aged people.
These sites are fun to use, very effectively facilitate communication
and thus help people stay connected. But there is not a single social
networking website that is free from discrepancies (see: Pros and cons
of social networking). From problems backed by privacy to the hazardous
effects of bullying, there are plenty of other drawbacks that cannot be
ignored. Now coming to our point of discussion, the effects of social
networking on kids. Well... all of you would agree that kids these days
are smart enough to handle electronic devices and are also capable of
using the Internet. They are proficient enough to use the social
networking sites. On a serious note, kids below eighteen are not allowed
to create accounts on networking websites. But the age can easily be
faked and thus children sneakily start using such websites. While some
sites allow children as users. Conclusion - children are active members
on the social networking scene. But is networking on the web good for
kids? What effects does it have on children? Questions like these have
been addressed below.

How Social Networking Affects Kids

At
the onset, let me convey that as far as kids are concerned social
networking has more negative effects. There are in fact very few
positives; helping kids socialize and finding friends is the only
prominent advantage I could think of. Several studies have pointed out
that regular and overexposure to these websites negatively affects the
minds of children and also hampers their development. The negative
impact has been discussed in detail in the coming paragraphs.

Affects Focus
If
a child spends more time socializing on the web it affects his ability
to learn and concentrate on studies. On the other hand, adults are good
at organizational skills and know how to manage their time fruitfully.
Once exposed to networking, most kids find it hard to shift their focus
from these websites. These days a big number of kids own cellphones that
have Internet access and thus can also access social networking sites
at any time. This can become a big distraction, and research also
supports the fact that kids who frequently access their accounts find it
hard to focus on studies and subsequently obtain lower grades in
school.

Impact on Health
Social networking sites being very
popular among children, a lot of research has been conducted to
determine how it affects the health of children. And it showed that it
does have an impact on the behavior of kids and can give way to
narcissistic tendencies, which is harmful. Exposure to these sites makes
kids prone to depression, antisocial tendencies and aggressive
behavior. This can be due to reasons like an online fight with a friend
or someone not responding to their messages. Another big disadvantage is
that it restricts the social life of the kid and this then affects the
development of communication skills in them. Kids hooked to chatting on
the web generally do not play sports and this has a negative impact on
their physical development.

Unnecessary Exposure
It is the
responsibility of parents to teach their wards the safe use of social
networking websites. If children are not made aware of the safe use of
the Internet, it leaves them vulnerable to dangerous things like
cyberbullying and viral videos. It need not be told that viewing such
content has adverse and permanent effects on a child's mind. Parents
should monitor their child's activity on the website and teach him/her
about the importance of privacy and the correct use of social networking
websites and the Internet.

These were the effects of social
networking on kids and teenagers. It is not that kids should be kept
away from social networking websites because in a good way it
successfully bridges the gap between children and their long distance
friends. I would like to conclude by saying, teach your kids the
importance of time management, organizational skills and the meaningful
and safe use of social networking websites. Spending an hour or two on
these websites daily after managing all other important activities will
have no negative impact on your kids.

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