How Can Social Media be Beneficial and Destructive?

Social media has the potential to do great harm to adolescents. It can cause or worsen depression because of its addictive nature and the possibility teenagers are substituting positive activities for time spent on their phones. Social media can even create a loss of friendship closeness by showing adolescents events they were not invited to or decreasing time spent with friends in person. If teenagers are not careful, they may bring grief to themselves. However, social media has the power to positively impact the everyday lives of adolescents. It can increase feelings of positivity and self worth through kind responses from peers. It can also be used to promote positive messages and eliminate negative ones. Lastly, social media is a way of allowing adolescents to develop their digitally mediated interpersonal skills which can help themselves and others in the future. In conclusion, social media platforms have a wonderful potential to improve the lives of adolescents, however if it is not used with caution it can cause more harm than good.