Social Media and Youth

Introduction

Social media contribute enormously an extremely significant role in the lives of youths. In addition, youths can either real risks or opportunities from social media. The risks are not rooted in technology but issues regarding the youths’ social and personal development. It is imperative that youths are guided so that they develop appropriate skills as well as the resilience required to navigate social media opportunities and risks. Peer groups should be given the opportunity to develop and negotiate shared comprehension of reasonable and safe online behavior patterns.

There is a need for a better understanding of how youths are using social media and how it is likely to affect their lives. It is therefore, noteworthy that the medium is understood. Reading this paper will give an insight as to why youths spend more of their time online as well as how they cope with it. There is a rapid change in social media technology and the social attitudes accompanying it. The social attitudes also involve older generations and, therefore, it is difficult to generate rules based on current technology.

To ensure social media sites are safe, trusted and professional youth workers to engage with the youths are required. This can be achieved by offering youths guidance and support on the social media, using it as a marketing tool where youth work activities and opportunities are promoted and as an interactive communication tool. The youths creative expressions can be promoted, political engagement, wider social and personal development, the starting point to assist youths develop capacities, interests and skills in various areas and issues, and a platform for novel online youth work. In order to adopt positive and safe online behaviors, youth work methods need to be used as they support and encourage youths

Social media

Globally, thousands of millions of individuals have incorporated the internet in their daily lives. The internet is a routine feature in