Social Media: The mental drive for tweens

Social media usage is the most common media activity among tweens, as they use it for

an average of 6 hours a day (Baker, Katie J.M). Social interaction through a technology is

considered as social media, few websites such as Facebook, Twitter, Group me and Kik

messenger (O'Keeffe, Gwenn Schurgin, et al). Social media websites are widely used among

tweens. Although some studies have indicated that parental guidance can control the impact of

social media on tweens, the majority of research suggests that social media has caused negative

impacts on children including sexting, cyberbullying and depression.

Figure1: Image of children playing on devices while outdoor (Allegre, Myros)

During the last 5 years, the quantity of preadolescents and young people utilizing such

websites has expanded significantly (O'Keeffe, Gwenn Schurgin, et al). Using social media has

pros and cons. A number of negative factors are, due to restricted capacity for self-regulation and

vulnerability to group pressure, children and adolescents are at danger as they play and discover

with social media (O'Keeffe, Gwenn Schurgin, et al). The risks can be such as depression,
cyberbullying, and sexting. Social and emotional development for majority of tweens is now

happening on social media with access to internet and cell phones. Social media is used among

tweens for many different purposes like education, entertainment, and communication etc. There

are some famous social media websites for tweens which has distinctive features. Some of the

most popular websites are Club Penguin, Kimingo, play kids talk etc. (Homayoun, Ana). As

rated by Common Sense Media, a non-profit organization helpings kids thrive in a world of

media and technology. Even though there are many social media websites specially designed for

tweens and children, around 7.5 million tweens use Facebook (Bernazzani, Sophia). Compare to

other social networking websites, Facebook have the highest number of users around the world

(Bernazzani, Sophia). Even though it is against the Facebook company policy for tweens (under

13 years) to use Facebook still millions of tweens use it (Vanevenhoven, Steve). What is that

attracting the tweens to use Facebook?

Facebook is a huge platform for people to communicate. Mark Zuckerberg started

Facebook in 2004. This website was created only for university students in Boston, and later it

was introduced to other American universities. A registered Facebook user can start from the age

of thirteen since 2006. This website was initially used on personal computers, and later phone

applications were introduced. As Facebook was gradually developing its features for users,

options such as sharing videos, music, images, and playing virtual games was introduced. There

were many games like Farmville, City Ville, Pet Society etc. available on Facebook. These

games attracted many tweens to log in to Facebook, as these games gave virtual incentives and

could be played with one’s Facebook friends competing at various levels (Vanevenhoven,

Steve). As Facebook was upgrading its features, options such as Facebook Live, creating groups

and pages was started. These features attracted millions of users. In these millions of users, many
of them were tweens. Per the report of ABC news, there are 7.5 million users under age 13, and 5

million are under the age of 10 (Baker, Katie J.M.). The figure mentioned could be low as it was

concluded from results of a survey by parents who were aware of their child’s underage use of

Facebook. Facebook removed 800,000 kids off the website in a year as it was against their age

policy (Baker, Katie J.M.).

Facebook provides an option for a person to report an underage child using the website,

by providing the URL of the Facebook profile, age, and name. It is mentioned on Facebook

policy page that if a person is reporting an account that is below the age limit law on Facebook

i.e., 13 years, then action will be taken in order to remove that account. If it is not verifiable then

Facebook cannot take any action. It is recommended that if anyone knows about a tween using

Facebook against the Facebook policy, they should encourage the parents of the user to verify

the age (Homayoun, Ana). Even after stating it is against the Facebook policy, to use Facebook,

many tweens still enter a wrong age and use this social media platform (Baker, Katie J.M.).

There are many negative effects of using Facebook for tweens. As per Piaget’s Cognitive

Development Theory, tweens fall within the concrete operational stage, age 7 to age 12. “This

period spans the time of middle childhood and is characterized by the development of logical

thought”(Mazzarella). In this age kids struggle with understanding abstract ideas, they don’t

really know what is right and what is wrong. The reason Facebook has more negative effects

than positive effects for tweens is because of their developing age, tweens don’t understand the

negative consequences. Using Facebook may lead to many negative effects like cyberbullying,

sexting, depression, and suicides (O'Keeffe, Gwenn Schurgin, et al). Using Facebook effects

tweens mentally and physically.

 “Cyberbullying is defined as tormenting, threatening, harassing, or embarrassing another

person using the internet or other technologies, like cell phones” (Vanevenhoven, Steve).

Cyberbullying usually happens while using social media websites through cellphones and

computers (Vanevenhoven, Steve). Bullying becomes an easy decision to make when it is done

anonymously than in person, and a bully can pick on someone with less risk of getting caught

(Vanevenhoven, Steve).The victims are often tweens and teens. Though most of the reported

cases are among teens, many of the cases are among tweens. Cyberbullying happens in every

part of the world with access to the internet. Cyberbullying can include gossip, stalking (hacking

into someone’s email or online profile and taking control), harassment, cyberstalking, insulting

(fights on the internet where offensive messages are posted), and cyber threats (Osama,

Mohammad).The tween who gets bullied, feels bad about what happens to them on a social

media platform. The tweens who are bullied are more likely to be depressed, withdraw from

social activities, avoid schools, feel lonely, and anxious (Homayoun, Ana). They may develop

low self-esteem and eventually think about suicide. Even though Facebook does not allow

tweens to use the website per there age policy, they log in with a fake date of birth and use it.

This makes them come across other teens and youth and adults who may bully them. Most of

them are bullied while playing Facebook games and chats. Using social media for games and

competing against friends sometimes leads to a fight and later to bullying by the stronger one.

Tween girls are bullied more than boys. Tween girls Facebook accounts are sometimes stalked

and later they may also be harassed by sending messages on Facebook. The children who bully

others are more likely to be convicted of a crime as adults and bullying can be a sign of anti-

social behaviors (Osama, Mohammad).

As the tweens are introduced to social media at an early age, schools can teach them about the

basic information about the pros and cons of social media. An information session for parents

about cyberbullying, where parents understand about the consequences of Facebook usage. If

someone is getting bullied on social media, it is important that they inform their parents and stop

responding to rude messages, save the rude messages to report to the law. It is important that

tweens not use Facebook as they can become a victim of cyber bullying. There are many other

social media platforms designed for tweens that could reduce the chances of being bullied as

they require parent’s consent to use as per Common Sense Media, some of the websites are

YouTube Kids, Netflix. Cyberbullying can lead to many other effects on tweens and one of the

effects may be depression. Depression is a familiar and important medical illness that adversely

affects how one feels (O'Keeffe, Gwenn Schurgin, et al). It causes a feeling of sadness and loss

of interest. This is the reason tweens are not allowed to use Facebook, as they don’t know what is

going to happen. Researchers have proposed a new phenomenon called Facebook depression.

The term Facebook depression originated from tweens spending hours and hours on Facebook

which led to show signs of depression (O'Keeffe, Gwenn Schurgin, et al). At the age of tween, it

is an essential element for them to stay connected even after school hours. When not on this

social media website, Facebook depression causes tweens and teenagers to go on websites that

are not reliable. These “help” sites may lead them in making wrong decisions and encourage

substance abuse, aggressiveness or self-destructive behavior (O'Keeffe, Gwenn Schurgin, et al).

The chances of getting affected by depression at this age are more. It is necessary that parents

check the social media websites of their kids, and if they have the symptoms of depression, talk

to them about it. An interview conducted with Mrs. Singh concluded that children nowadays

have access to cell phones at a very early age. From her personal experience, both her children
were given the privilege to use cell phones when they entered high school. She also mentioned

the need to set the right age for your children is very crucial. (Kaur, Gurpreet)

One of the other problems among tweens is sexting. Sexting is defined as sending or

receiving sexually explicit photographs, messages, or videos via different mediums of

communication (O'Keeffe, Gwenn Schurgin, et al). Sexting happens through social media and

texting among tweens. Many tweens share sexually explicit photos, videos, and messages. When

the sexting information is shared broadly among others either on a social media website like

Facebook or via mobile phones which leads to negative consequences (O'Keeffe, Gwenn

Schurgin, et al). At this age, if anything is shared to a huge audience, the tween can go into

depression or consider suicide, school suspension and emotional distress (O'Keeffe, Gwenn

Schurgin, et al). As the tweens are given mobile phones at an early age by the parents, they can

come across sexual content either online or any friend can introduce them. Imposing strict rules

for tweens using any device with internet connection can lead to less negative consequences.

One of the other effects of tweens using a social networking site is suicide (Phillips, Kristine).

Some tweens have suicidal feelings, they feel low due to many reasons like failing a test, family

problems, and trying to escape feelings of rejection, hurt or loss (Phillips, Kristine). There is a

case where a child aged 12 years was sexually abused by a family member and committed

suicide because she couldn’t take the hard feeling (Phillips, Kristine). This suicide took place in

her house on Facebook live. Facebook live is an option on Facebook where one can go live and

record any event and broadcast it to one’s friend's list (Bernazzani, Sophia). As per the report,

the girl was live for 40 minutes where she broadcasted and showed the tree where she was going

to hang (Phillips, Kristine). She suicides on Facebook Live. The video was still on her Facebook
account after she suicide, it was taken down after 2 weeks by the Facebook authorities (Phillips,

Kristine). Even though it is against the company policy for a child under 13 to use Facebook, she

was using it and neither her parents nor anyone else reported on her.

There are organizations and regulations which regulate children’s media content. They

regulate content, advertising, and marketing practices for films, online, and in a video. Some of

the major organization in the United States is Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

which is a government agency. Some regulations which manage children’s content are

Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA)

and Children’s Television Act (CTA). Regulations such as “COPPA imposes certain

requirements on operators of websites or online services directed to children under 13 years of

age, and on operators of other websites or online services that have actual knowledge that they

are collecting personal information online from a child under 13 years of age” (Children's Online

Privacy Protection Rule (‘COPPA’). There are some private organization such as Common-

Sense Media. This website rates videos, games, movies related to children’s and social media

websites. This website rates the appropriate age to use or watch, positive messages, violence,

sex, language, consumerism, drinking, drugs and smoking. This also has options for parents to

log in, create an account, and learn about children’s media content.

As the technology is increasing, the benefits of it are also increasing. Which is later

creating a lot of disadvantages for a certain age. Social media websites are very useful for kids to

learn and develop their mind for the future. The reason many tweens are attracted towards

Facebook is, it is used worldwide and can connect easily with a lot of features, whereas other

social media platforms for children under 13 don’t have enough features to attract them for a

long time. Some of them have a texting option, some allow posting videos, while some have
options to broadcast live. But Facebook has all. As seen, it creates a lot of negative factors for

tweens. It is preferred that they stop using it at an early age and use it lawfully. Pediatrician are

teaching parents to take strict rules for kids on using Internet (O'Keeffe, Gwenn Schurgin, et al).

This can save many children’s life.

There are many other social applications which can be used by tweens. There is an

application named Togetherville, which is like Facebook but designed for children under 13

(Bernazzani, Sophia). It provides a safer environment for tweens. The effect of the harsh social

media can lessen on their minds. More creator and developers are encouraged to make such

website for tweens where parents don’t have to worry about their child all the time. The basic

goal is to let kids engage in online activities with parents that can trust social media and its

effects on their child’s mental health.

 Bibliography

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age-on-facebook-make-it-easier-for-child-molesters-to-find-their-friends

Bernazzani, Sophia. “How to Use Facebook Live: The Ultimate Guide.” HubSpot Blog,

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January 2018, p. LZ01. (Newspaper)

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