Social networking sites have taken the planet by storm. It is nothing but a revolution that changed human behavior in many ways. While there are benefits to social media, concerns about the negative impacts of social media, especially among the youth, are rising.

Social Networking Platform Wants Your Account Safe

Affecting the Psyche

The youthful years, ages 15 and 24, are the most crucial in everyone's life. They shape our outlook, our personality and mold us to become either a better person. The youthful years tremendously affect our psyche.

With the youth of the present generation spending much of their time on social networking sites, the impact on their psyche is profound.

The influence of social networking sites among the modern youth is such that the amount of 'likes' one gets is directly proportional to their popularity. Youngsters thus indulge in photoshopping their profile pictures to enhance them. This kind of behavior is synonymous with living a life of lies. The mentality of spending time creating our brand on these social networking sites may be the standing testimony to the awakening of the narcissist in us.

Can we thus say that social networking sites are breeding a narcissist generation? A generation that is devoid of empathy and caring towards others? Maybe yes.

Bullying Culture

As the craze for social networking is increasing day by day, people do not understand that the world of social networking is not transparent. Privacy is scarce on social media, and there is intense scrutiny on what we share.

It is in human nature to get socialized with others. Social networking sites offer this prospect. We can share our thoughts, memories and converse with our friends, relatives, well-wishers, and others on social networking sites.

The status updates, wall posts, and tweets yell about every move we make, every step we take. We are violating the sanctity of our personal space by posting even the minute details of our life on social networking sites. It is here the danger lurks.

Craze Of Social Networking Sites Among the Modern Youth

Unscrupulous elements snoop on our private life and bully us. Staying anonymous, they pass insensitive comments hurting the confidence of the receiver. Social networking sites are the breeding ground for online bullying culture. It is the youth who are bearing the brunt of this culture.

Numerous cases of young people falling victim to online bullying are popping up every minute. Many victims of online bullying are struggling to regain their confidence after such incidents. Some have even taken the extreme step of ending their lives. The youth should realize that there is more to life than taking online comments seriously. Ending life is not a solution.

Use Social Network for Making Life Better

There is no doubt that social networking sites among the modern youth or social media has revolutionized the world. It brought people across the world closer than ever before, making life easier than it ever was.

We should use social media judiciously to better our lives. It has the potential to offer a better tomorrow. Using social media, you can connect with people, stay in tune with the current happenings across the world, have constructive discussions, and can enjoy your leisure. But, do not waste your precious time scrolling mindlessly through the social media feed. Use social media purposefully and not make it your life.

Hence the BBC Principle – Balance, Boundaries, and Communication – must be followed while using social media. The youth needs to possess Balance, which refers to maintaining equilibrium between the online and offline worlds. Boundaries ask the importance of getting clear guidelines about what is and what is not an appropriate online interaction. Communication refers to providing value to the world through your conversations rather than becoming a source of dumb information.

There was the Stone Age, the Bronze Age, and the Iron Age. All these are major turning points in the history of human civilization. Now, enter the modern world, we are in a virtual age where conversations and social connections happen online. Powered by Social Media, this virtual age will be the most defining age for human civilization moving forward.

For now, it appears that the craze of social networking sites among the youth is nowhere to subside. With the help of schools, parenting, and government advisories, we can minimize the adverse effects of social media on the youth.

In the end, the world youth, which is the most influenced by the power of social media, must decide what impact it would create on them. The choice is ours now!

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