Mobile phone technology and the Internet have become an integral part of people's daily interactions and activities, especially adolescents. Often referred to as "digital natives," this generation has been exposed to technology since birth. The idea that digital devices and the Internet have a lasting influence on the way humans develop, socialize and thrive seems to have great relevance, especially as the time young people spend online has doubled in the last decade. The rapid development of software applications and the increasing use of the Internet raise many questions about the impact of this technology on the lives of adolescents. Some researchers have hypothesized that adolescents bring to Social Networks (SNs) the problems of their "offline" lives regarding identity construction, peer group relationships, sexuality, search of sensations and the assumption of risks, aspects that they typically face during this period of psychophysical development.
Recent studies have indicated that social media usage among 13-17 year olds is around 93-97%, and since the introduction of social media, such as Facebook and Instagram, the scientific community has questioned whether a such massive use affects the well-being of adolescents. and health. However, the results to date have been mixed.
According to Strasbuger and his theory of "super peers", social networks, unlike face-to-face interactions, seem to exert a strong influence and pressure on adolescents, forcing them to engage in risky behaviors that, instead, are represented as normative. Another theory, the "Facebook Influence Model", describes social media, in contrast to face-to-face situations or "traditional" media, as a mechanism for amplifying peer influence in which behavioral reinforcement is manifested. in the form of "likes" and/or comments, as well as the possibility of interacting directly or indirectly with a broader network of people outside the peer group.
An aspect that should not be underestimated, closely related to the use of social networks and their ability to "cross borders", is related to online violence. We are referring here to "hate speech" (or "cyber hate"), a form of online aggression towards people based on their race, gender, national origin, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion or disability with the aim of promoting hostility, discrimination and/or violence. Hate speech can manifest itself through highly offensive posts, comments, messages, videos or images online. The difference between hate speech and cyber bullying, cyberbullying or cyberbullying is that the latter forms are usually directed against an individual or a small group of individuals, while hate speech is directed towards specific social subgroups or a group of people representative of that determined. subgroup.
Several studies have shown that teens' online experiences with cyber hate are relatively common. Cyber hate can be offensive, cruel, or threatening, and can be expressed through demeaning writing or speech online, such as posts, comments, text messages, videos, or images. Violent and discriminatory behaviors carried out "online" by young people generate a wave of excitement related to aspects of recognition and approval and, in addition, the negative consequences of the actions committed tend to go unpunished, thus favoring a process of de-responsibility. While there are no direct consequences associated with violent actions online, there are detrimental consequences of social media use that include health problems, emotional problems, Internet addiction, and self-harm, including suicide. SNs can also provide benefits, such as increased perceived connection to others when, for example, in-person social interactions are severely limited (eg, the COVID-19 pandemic). In addition, positive peer, family, neighborhood, and school relationships appear to mitigate some negative outcomes such as delinquency and risky behavior.
Therefore, the potentials and risks of NS for adolescent development and mental health have yet to be clarified. For example, it is not clear whether the number of accounts owned or the frequency with which they are reviewed can affect psychosocial functioning.
There are gender differences in the use of the Internet, particularly in the use of Social Networks. In fact, several studies have shown that the interaction with SNs is greater with women than with men. In particular, girls spend more time on social media, smartphones and computers for social networking, while boys are more likely to use the Web for online gaming. Additionally, men may be more influenced by marketing strategies and are at higher risk of developing behavioral addiction.
Conversely, girls are more likely to use social media as a platform for social comparison and feedback about their appearance and personal value. Arguably, this attitude could be the result of girls objectifying themselves more (ie, placing more emphasis on how their physical bodies appear to others). In fact, NS use is linked to specific concerns about body weight, especially among adolescent girls. The relationship between time spent on social media and symptoms of anxiety and depression is stronger for girls than for boys, which is consistent with other contributions indicating that girls may be more sensitive to feedback than boys. that is provided to them on social networks, so they react with higher levels of attention. anguish.
Should we prohibit the use of Social Networks?
Social media is a ubiquitous part of modern social life and represents an artificial world in which there is a growing desire to present ideal representations of oneself as an extension of offline identity in which users present relatively authentic versions of themselves. themselves. This allows users to create a "virtual me" by interpreting or editing the content that is presented to others. The artificiality of these platforms reveals a constant tendency towards self-idealization that can be detrimental to individual well-being.
While a growing body of research suggests a mixed effect (i.e., both positive and negative) of social media use on well-being, our findings, in line with Bailey et al., 2020, suggest that social media social can, in a certain sense, help individual well-being. However, this depends on the way these platforms are used; in fact, while creating an “enhanced” personal figure can be beneficial on the one hand, authentic self-expression is always preferable and psychologically beneficial on the other.
Any future research could assess the role of individual differences in self-expression on social media in preventing the development of social media addiction. A more advanced study among adolescents, and that is global, should aim to highlight the uses and dangers of social networks in order to develop prevention procedures against the risks of social networks (for example, cyberbullying, Internet addiction) without demonizing the use of social networks as such.
It is up to parents and teachers to know how to limit their use when they see some signs of addiction, such as asking for psychological help in such cases.
