Effects of Social Networking Sites: Adolescents and Young Adults

Raheem Calvin

English IV Ms. Jones 28 March 2014

Outline

Calvin i

Thesis: The use of social networking websites can have many effects on adolescents and young adults; these effects can include depression and the loss of privacy. I. Background Social Networking A. History 1. Meeting new people. 2. World wide web (www.). 3. Long Distance communicating. B. Affects adolescents and young adults. Adolescents & Young Adults A. Health Conditions 1. Laziness 2. Lack of exercise B. Mental Health 1. Personal Interactions 2. Nervous Brake down C. Time Consuming Depression A. Suicide B. Self-esteem C. Drug use D. Lack of sleep Privacy A. Stalkers B. Location C. Fraud D. Identity theft

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Calvin1 Effects of Social Networking Sites: Adolescents and Young Adults Nationally adolescents and young adults fall victim to social networking. Social networking is the use of a network that consists of social interaction and personal relationships. The social networking can be through the use of various websites or applications, this is usually referred to as social media, which allows people to communicate or socialize with other users, or to search for people with similar interests as themselves ("Social Networking"). The article, Cyberspace Culture, explains that "internet social networking sites redefined the way Americans understood and manage personal relationship" (Bargeron, Tidd pg 295-298). People may think that social networking is a recent phenomenon, but it actually started around the 1970s. Social networking increased in the 1990s with the creation of the World Wide Web ("Social Networking"). Some examples of social media are MySpace, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, there are many more available. It is important to know about social

networking because technology is the future. They may be fun

Calvin 2 to chat and communicate with family, old friends, and new friends, however, it can also be quite dangerous for people who are unaware of its threats. The use of social networking

websites can have many negative effects on adolescents and young adults, these effects can include depression and loss of privacy.

Depression and loss of privacy can negatively affect adolescents and young adults physical as well as their mental health. Social networking can cause laziness. Some users are so consumed in being part of the social networking site, that they lose interest in doing other things. The sites make them procrastinate completing more important tasks. Users are on computers, tablets, and cell phones throughout the day which leads them to be stationary more often. A stationary lifestyle is physically unhealthy. Adolescents and young adults should be active daily and get plenty of exercise. Adolescents and young adults are also mentally at risk. Frequent use of Facebook and other social networks is thought to be associated with certain behavioral changes, and some authors have expressed concerns about its possible detrimental effect on mental health. (Pantic pg. 90-93). By being on computers, tablets, and cell phones, they are missing out on

Calvin 3 personal interactions with their peers. Personal interactions prepare them to be active or involved in communicating at school, in public places, and for some young adults at work. Depression is one of the most frequent psychiatric mood disorders. Depression is major during the adolescent and young adult years and it is tied with the negative health and social outcomes. Students who post the most recent Facebook activity are most likely to display signs of depression. Adolescents sometimes share more information about themselves on social networking sites than they would in person. The Art and Science of Mental Health use Facebook to study the patters of depression for diagnostic and treatment reasons over time (Megan Moreno 447-455). As Moreno stated in his research Adverse outcomes include poor academic achievement, increased rates of substance use, co-morbid psychiatric conditions, and suicide. (Moreno et al. 448)

Many stories on the media about adolescents and young adults are in people concerns. Committing suicide usually occur after various patterns of depression were displayed on social

Calvin 4 networking sites. This illustrates, the importance of recognizing they types of information are being displayed. Depending on what may be posted and displayed to be read by others it can be obvious to determine if a young adult retain to being depressed or inflecting self-harming acts. Although, these negative observations about social networking may seem

There is already evidence that that using Facebook can have effect on an individuals self-esteem. Profile editing (Pantic pg. 90-93).

Calvin 7 Works Cited Cyberspace Culture." American Decades: 2000-2009. Ed. Eric Bargeron and James F. Tidd, Jr. Detroit: Gale, 2011. 295-298. Student Resources in Context. Web. 15 Mar. 2014. "Facebookers: what they do?" Flare 15 May 2013. General OneFile. Web. 15 Mar. 2014. Moreno, Megan A., et al. "Feeling Bad On Facebook: Depression Disclosures By College Students On A Social Networking Site." Depression And Anxiety 28.6 (2011): 447-455. PsycINFO. Web. 15 Mar. 2014. Pantic, Igor, et al. "Association Between Online Social Networking And Depression In High School Students: Behavioral Physiology Viewpoint." Psychiatria Danubina 24.1 (2012): 90-93. PsycINFO. Web. 15 Mar. 2014. "Social Networking." Gale Student Resources in Context. Detroit: Gale, 2012. Student Resources in Context. Web.

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