Effect of Mass Media on Youth

MASS MEDIA’S EFFECT ON YOUTH

Over the years, technology has progressed from being merely a form of practical functions to forms of entertainment, such as computer and video games. Since the commencement of these technological advancements, our lives have become significantly more convenient. However, as technology has considerably developed, it has had detrimental effects on members of society, especially on youth. Young people now identify social internet networks, video games, cell phones, and numerous other electronic amusements as essential technological devices. Nevertheless, juveniles are utilizing these electronic devices in a misguided manner, resulting in an increase of negative outcomes in this age group. Technology has adversely influenced how youths manage their time. Younger children’s daily routine is often regulated by parents, but after outgrowing the early stage, young people are given more freedom and authority to set their own limits. Now being free of their parents’ supervision they are now taking advantage of their freedom by playing video games continuously. Rather than using their time productively, the majority of teens boundlessly play video games, go on Facebook, and text on their cell phone. Many even carelessly use their time by texting discretely in school all day. Most teenagers are aware that they are consuming an excessive amount of their time on mass media, but they do not bother to modify their behaviour. This addictive pattern contributes to many factors of failures in a youth’s life. As the degree of usage of technology started to augment in recent years, bullying in cyberspace has increased correspondingly. Bullying through the medium of social networks has become widely known as cyber bullying and known also as the most severe issue since existence of bullying. Cyber bullying was originally enabled by Internet and Facebook until the cyberspace expanded which stimulated youths to bully on their