Teenagers and careless usage of social media

 

Digital technology is rapidly evolving and is widely used by teenagers, potentially endangering themselves and others. The survey says that teenagers and young people aged 16-24 spend most of their time on social media. Girls and young women in this age range spend an average of 3 hours and 11 minutes every day on social apps, while their male counterparts only 2 hours and 46 minutes. Negligent use of technology such as sharing personal information or meeting people known from social media can increase the risk of addiction, cyber bullying, depression and other mental problems. Studies show that such behaviors are more common among older teens sporadically than younger ones routinely.

Managing personal information and data on social media can be risky if done negligently. An example of a failure to understand such risks is when someone reveals a personal password in return. This phenomenon highlights the lack of risk perception among users. Although some studies suggest that general activities on the internet are not predictors of risk, certain actions such as accessing pornographic sites, forums and gambling sites may increase harm. Teens may also be unaware of the risks behind such situations. This practice is still common today, even though it has been going on for more than 20 years.

It is important to provide education on the wise use of technology from an early age, before the age of 12, to prevent risky behavior in the future. Digital literacy and social media usage training from a young age is essential to help young people manage information and risks in the digital world. Three important elements in youth training are managing friend requests from strangers, maintaining privacy by not showing location, and keeping social media profiles open. It is important to limit teens' social media usage time to prevent inattentive habits and cyber bullying. Offering positive experiences in technology use outside of school is also important. Parents need to provide support and education to their children in the appropriate use of technology. Digital literacy training before the age of 13-15 can help prevent negligent use of technology. Factors such as socioeconomic status, age and education affect technology use, but a positive attitude from parents is essential.