Social media is a vital factor in the lives of the adolescents of this generation; it is the only way most people communicate outside of work and school. However, the extremely high dependence on technology is becoming a problem: social media and smartphones limit healthy communication that is necessary in order to succeed after high school. Social media is not only a distraction, but it is damaging to society and its posterity.

There are more negative effects of social media than positive; it affects the way young adults communicate. The dependence on technology for communication causes a lack of the ability to carry on a face-to-face conversation. Not only is it affecting teenagers, it is impacting children too. Kids as young as five carry smartphones and have social media accounts; children that young should not be exposed to the language and behavior of the older people on sites. These actions and posts can impact children in negative ways.

Furthermore, the exposure to harsh words and brutal actions force younger kids to have body image issues. The effects of bad language and personal attacks through social media, anonymous or not, creates a chain reaction that carries into even younger children’s lives.

While too much technology can be damaging to kids, platforms such as Twitter and Instagram gives everyone the ability to communicate with people across the world; they impact the world in positive ways. These interactions lead to cultural diffusion at the push of a button. Without the technological advancements, including media, this generation has provided, the world would struggle to see through the eyes of others.

With social media comes risks: kids mature faster through exposure to teenagers’ posts and the skills to communicate in reality are decreasing every year. In order to put an end to these problems, adults should take on the responsibility to limit kids’ access to social media.