Social Media’s Collateral Damage on Teens: The Hidden Risks Every Parent Should Know – Part 2

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Teens, Tech & Trends: Continued From Part 1

Physically unharmed, mentally at peril. Read HERE.

Sleep Disruption due to Tech

Source: Hysing M, Pallesen S, Stormark KM, et al; Sleep and use of electronic devices in adolescence: results from a large population-based study
BMJ Open 2015;5:e006748. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2014-006748

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Our Distraction Addiction

What: Tech has tuned us out and engrossed us in a world of screens and fantasy fiction. Its desensitizing us and making us overlook human connections.
Facts: If you’re driving 55 miles an hour, and look down at your phone for 5 seconds, you’ve just now driven the length of an entire football field completely blind. ~ Allison Graham
Risks: Reduced attention spans

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Teen Brains, Media And Stats

High school seniors spent an average of 6 hours a day in new media. Eighth graders spent an average of 5 hours per day with new media. (Twenge, 2017)

A little bit of stimulation to a growing teenage brain leads to a strong craving for more rewards that can easily become an addiction (Jensen, 2015)

YouTube: Loaded with porn: 333,000 videos were counted in 2009. (Covenent Eyes Porn Stats 2018)

Linear Communication

What: Most of these you wouldn’t even dream of doing in real person. Curse, use crude, sassy comments, make jokes about sexual orientation and political party affiliation. Yet, online everything goes.
Stats: Since 2006, national SAT scores are down 13 points in critical reading, 13 points in writing (Twenge, 2017)
Risks: Its linear and lacks empathy.

Fame Hungry

What: It feels good that we have likes, there is absolutely no requirement for talent or having to be exceptional, rare and have anything valuable to offer. Cue, the Kardashian sisters.
Stats: I tweet, I post, I blog, therefore I am. ~ Dr. Mark Federman
Risks: Shallow lives.

Cyberbullying

What: On the internet, it takes very little for a harmless joke to become a deeply hurtful verbal assault, especially if its done publicly. Parents can be held liable for juvenile behavior.
Stats: 59% of U.S. teens have been bullied or harassed online, and a similar share says it’s a major problem for people their age. At the same time, teens mostly think teachers, social media companies and politicians are failing at addressing this issue. (Pew Center, 2018)
Results: Suspension or jail sentence for bully

Teen suicide rates has increased 46% from 2008 to 2015. (Twenge, 2017)

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Sexting

What: Teens share nude or semi-nude photos of themselves. Or forward compromising pictures of friends or others that they’ve received.
Stats: Around 15% of teens are sending sexts, nearly 27% of teens are receiving them. (Covenant Eyes Porn Stats, 2018)
Risks: Legal trouble

Porn

What: Porn is addictive and its shown to light up the same parts of the reward systems in the brain as cocaine addiction.
Stats: Nearly one in twelve 13 year olds are afraid that they’re addicted to porn. Why? Because they can’t stop thinking about it. They can’t stop thinking about searching for a new video, watching a new experience, seeing something that they haven’t seen before. They’re looking for more and they’re looking for different. They can’t help it, because that’s how brains work. ~ On porn addiction in teens by Ben Halpert
Risks: Traumatic emotional responses, increased sexual compulsions

Online predators / Sex offenders

What: While they’re seeking stimulation, strangers are seeking their attention. Kids are starving for attention and are befriending strangers on the internet.
Stats: 57% of teens have met a new friend online, and nearly 29% say they’ve made more than five friends in digital spaces (Lenhart, 2015)
Risks: Psychological, mental and physical assaults

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Truth About Technology – A Digital Literacy Project