We know that the list of dangers of social media is endless, and vulnerable kids are more at the receiving end of it. Use the Bit Guardian Parental Control to ensure your kid’s safety in the digital world.
The Internet has practically entrapped everyone, from kids to their grandparents. Such is the reach of social media that even the person living under a rock would be aware of what it is!
Do you know how many children use social media? Half of the children aged 11 and 12 have accounts on social media.
Having been born with gadgets in hands, children know the technology like the back of their hands. But they are ignorant of the risks associated with overexposure to the devices. Let us learn some facts about kids and social media.
15 Interesting facts about social media and kids
1) In 2015, the U.K. Office for National Statistics found that children spending more than 3 hours each school day on social media platforms experienced delay in their emotional and social development.
2) According to a report published by IZA Institute of Labor Economics - just one hour a day on social media can make a child miserable.
3) Another 2015 study by the British Psychological Society reveals that teenagers feel obligated to respond to social media posts (liking them), replying to texts, and direct messages. This undeniable affects their mental health.
4) A University of Michigan study suggests that the use of social networking websites negatively affects young adults. The more time they spend there, the more dissatisfied they are from their lives.
5) DoSometing.org - one of the largest organizations for young people and social change – specifies several alarming effects of social media. This includes sleeping disorders, depression, smartphone addiction, stress, lower self-esteem, isolation, insecurity.
6) According to a survey conducted by the Australian Psychological Society, FOMO(Fear Of Missing Out) is one of the main reasons for teens’ extensive use of social media.
7) A 2019 study from the University of Montreal has established that compared to other types of screen time, social media is more likely to develop depressive symptoms in teenagers.
8) Instagram mainly affects teen girls more because they unrealistically start comparing themselves with others.
9) According to Patricia Greenfield, professor of psychology in the UCLA College, when kids use digital media for social interaction, they spend less time developing social skills. They find it difficult to understand the emotions of other people.
10) A survey carried out by the University of Glasgow states that many children use social media at night particularly. Their profound emotional involvement leads to poorer sleep quality, lower self-esteem, and higher levels of anxiety.
11) Research by Larry Rosen, a professor of psychology at California State University, suggests that the teens who use social networks like Facebook extensively might suffer from narcissism and find it difficult to sympathize with others.
12) A recent analysis published in the journal PLOS ONE found that teenagers spending more time on the Internet have thoughts of self-harm or suicide. They have increased chances of being victims of cyberbullying too.
13) According to Pamela Rutledge in Psychology Today, “a teen who lacks self-confidence might develop an obsession with selfies, which is a form of ‘acting out,’ a typical behavioral pattern to get attention.”
14) A study published in the medical journal JAMA indicates that the teens continuously checking social media and stream video might develop symptoms of ADHD, which causes shorter attention span, or distractibility.
15) Research by a team of economists at the University of Sheffield implies that the more time teens spend chatting on social networking sites, the less happy they feel about their school, appearance, family, and their life overall.
Screen relationships distract kids from spending time in real-life relationships and developing social skills.
Download Parental Control Apps for Android, apply screen time control, limit their smartphone addiction, and create a safe digital world for them to explore.
