Social Networking Effects Teenagers Negatively

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Social networking sites have become extremely popular in recent years. There are many different sites that appeal to many age groups for much different reasons. Adults may use sites like LinkedIn for professional reasons or Pinterest to get creative. Teenagers use sites like Facebook or Twitter strictly for social networking. Although these sites make it easy to communicate with friends and family, they can also have a negative effect on teenagers. Cyber bullying and identity fraud are two examples of negative consequences teenagers face while using social media. Cyber bullying happens when one person uses electronic technology, such as a cell phone or computer, and a form of communication, like text messages or social media sites, to harass or embarrass another person. Victims of cyber bullying are easily accessible through social networking sites. Before this type of technology and the social networking they provide, bullying was done in schools or the playground, where adults could be told and the problem could be handled. Today, bullies are able to hide behind a computer rather than face the person they intend to embarrass or harass. This makes bullying much easier and less likely that the bully would face punishment. It also creates opportunity for a number of people to join in and verbally or emotionally abuse the target as a group. A bully can use social media to post nasty comments or pictures on the victim’s profile page. These images and words may be seen by all the other people within that networking site. It becomes a great platform to spread rumors or harass the intended party. Depression and isolation can often overcome the sufferer. They may begin to withdraw from their family and friends. They may also start to believe what the intimidator says about them and think others feel the same way, negatively affecting their self-esteem. With so many
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