The Social Networking Effect on Teenagers

The Social Networking Effect on Teenagers The social networks are to people today what the TV was to people 20-30 something years ago. Human dependence on computers and the internet has come to the point that if the social networks ceased to work, relations and social connections would falter more so in teens than in adults. Teenagers have taken to social networking to do their everyday tasks and activities like interacting with friends and family, socializing and entertainment. While this sounds convenient, it really hinders a teen’s development. Teenagers may get hooked to these websites due to their many features and become social outcasts because they form a social life on these websites. As a result, one-on-one interaction with friends, family and even enemies are slowly phased out. To top all that off, social networking websites are haven for cyber bullies and stalkers and a playground for predators who are looking for their next target using fake profiles. Even after all these effects, critics still maintain that social networking websites are good for today’s youth because it helps them gain computer skills and improve their literacy skills. The government needs to form a body to at least monitor the use of these social networks because these websites have the potential of leaving teenagers socially and physically inactive and expose them to other lurking dangers. People who support the use of social networking websites argue that these websites are actually beneficial for teenagers. These people assert that by spending so many hours on social networks, teenagers are gaining newer and better computer skills. That, they say, is helping them work their way towards getting a job a with a computer company. Even if working at a computer company is not what teens want, learning computer skills is still helpful because computers and internet are here to stay. Lauren Gerber, a journalist for PC1news.com wrote “The thing that parents don’t know is that even