Question

In the eyes of adolescent psychology, explain why It is not beneficial for teens to have social media on their cell phones. Use at least one concept from adolescent psychology.

Answer 1

Nowadays, with the developing technologies and with an easy access to the internet, children as young as three year olds know how to operate certain applications on their tablets or parent's phone and computers. Almost everything is available online, ranging from productive to non-productive information. Internet has both pros and cons attached to it. While everything is easily accessible on the internet which is a great advantage, the increasing number of cyber crimes is the biggest disadvantage.

Everybody has Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, Tinder and various other applications which are a click away on their phones. Most people do not realize but these applications could be life-threatening to them. People constantly post their minute to minute, day to day activities, including their location. This could be a disadvantage to an individual who have stalkers out there, tracking their every move and have intentions of harming them in some way.

Online dating sites are not the safest for teenagers especially. The virtual world has its serious disadvantages. Nobody knows how fake or real the person is on the other end. It is not beneficial for teens to have social media on their cell phones because they do not know how to use it judiciously. Teens are still incapable of making the right decision for themselves. The pre-frontal cortex of the brain which is responsible in decision making process does not develop until the age of twenty one. Adolescents think they are capable of making the right decision, however, biologically it is impossible and thus, it is not beneficial for them to have access to social media a click away.