Doherty 1

Amanda Doherty
Mrs. Layton
English 1010
4 May 2015
Social Media
Introduction
Back in the day, teenagers used to bring apples to school, giving them to their teachers as a
way of showing appreciation, kindness, and occasionally bribery. Today, teens are bringing
apples and using them to text, tweet, or post updates. Apples are no longer fruit, but rather a cell
phone device used to communicate with people all around the world. Usually this
communication is done through some form of social media. The dictionary defines social media
as websites and applications that enable users to create and share content or to participate in
social networking. A teen might define it as a documentation of their life or a way for them to
talk with their friends. Either way, there are many uses behind this thing we call social media.
Some of the uses are seen as good and some seen as bad, and hopefully this paper provides some
information on that.
In 2003 one of the first social media services was launched, Myspace. It was a site that
allowed friends, family, coworkers, and even strangers to communicate through the internet. This
was done through bulletins, chatting, pictures, and various other forms of communication. Over
the years new forms of social media have been launched and revamped. Today, sites such as
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr are all the rage. They still provide the same types of
services to their users that Myspace did, but in more modern ways. For example, not only are

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these sites available on peoples computers, but they are also downloadable on phones. This
makes the websites even more accessible, allowing users to spend a lot of their time on them.
Over the years, the amount of time spent on social media has increased. Teens are using some
form of social media multiple times a day. A post from the New York Times reports, according
to Facebook, the companys 1.23 billion users log into the site for an average of 17 minutes each
day...and thats just one website. Numerous reports estimate that 18- to 34-year-olds spend as
much as 3.8 hours a day on social media (Reclaiming Our (Real) Lives From Social Media).
This is about sixteen percent of persons day spent on some form of social media. But, these
numbers probably dont include the time it took someone to edit their picture for Instagram, or
watch a video posted on YouTube, or scroll through someones Twitter feed. The truth is, teens
spend the majority of their day on social media.
Although these websites and apps are accessible and used by all age groups, they are mostly
targeted towards teens. This is because the creators of these social media sites know what teens
want. Teens are wired. Technology is so integrated with teenagers lives that creating useful and
usable websites for them is more critical than ever. To succeed in a world where the next best
thing is a click away and text message interruptions are the rule, not the exception, website
creators must clearly understand what teens want and how to keep them on a site (Teenage
Usability). Website creators are constantly looking for ways to keep their users interested and
happy. This is why websites and apps are constantly being updated. It is their way of saying how
new and improved they are.
The most common question being asked these days is whether social media is a good
thing or a bad thing. These social media sites give teens a place to socialize, update their friends
and families, catch up on the latest news, and much more. But, along with these benefits there

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are also some negative effects. Social media can be time consuming, addictive, dangerous, etc.
There are many other advantages and disadvantages when it comes to this topic.
Because social media is used by just about everyone, it is a common topic to be
discussed. People often say things like spewing hate put less value on their real world
identities and disconnects us when asked about social media. But, there are also those who
enjoy social media. Those people say things like allowing young people to practice interaction
developing positive attitudes and reduce loneliness and improve well-being (ProCon.org).
These are all quotes from real people expressing their opinions on social media. Each person has
their own opinion based on different facts, experiences, and stories.
It is obvious that social media plays a major role in peoples lives. With this being the case, it
is important to know and understand what these websites and apps are all about. This paper will
provide a look into the advantages and disadvantages when it comes to social media. Some have
been mentioned above and more will be discussed below.
Major Debates and Commentary
The majority of people today have heard some of the complaints and comments about
social media. Its not an easy topic to ignore when it affects so many people. As of May 2013,
fully 95% of those ages 12-17 use the internet. Eight in ten online teens use some kind of social
media (Teens and Social Media Use). This shows that almost all teens use some form of social
media in their lives. Thus, making it a very common topic. Its something that is constantly being
talked about, but everyone seems to have their own opinion on it. This is because there are so
many different ideas and points of views as to what is right and what is wrong. Some say that
social media has led to addiction, lack of privacy, and damages the way people communicate
with one another. Other people debate that social media has given people a way to discover and

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develop themselves, and has also brought improvements to peoples communication skills. Each
person has their own arguments and reasonings as to why their opinion is the only right one. Its
impossible to cover everyones side to this argument, but some of the major debates will be
covered in this section of the paper.
One of the major debates being discussed today is that teens have developed a sense of
addiction to their social media accounts. As stated above, teens spend a large portion of their day
on some type of social media. Some might even say that social media is their life. In an article
posted to the Huffington Post, writer Devynn Barnes tells of how, in a way, she became addicting
to social media. After sending a selfie to a friend of hers and receiving a compliment she
started thinking of ways in which she could gain more compliments. I wanted the gratification
of likes, of people acknowledging my efforts. My ability to just enjoy the confidence that
comes with wearing an outfit I loved was compromised by my desire for the affirmation that
comes from a like (Huffington Post). After posting the picture to her Facebook account, she
obsessively checked it to see how many likes and comments she had received on it. Today, it is
common for teens to become obsessed with their social media accounts. They are constantly
choosing the right filter for a picture or coming up with a funny and relatable caption for their
Instagram post. When you go to a concert most people are watching the performance through
their camera screens, capturing the moment for their next Snapchat story. People are tweeting
live updates of their lives just to prove that theyre doing something fun with their life. Anything
that will get them the most likes and favorites. These teens are becoming addicted to the idea of
being accepted and they use social media to verify their acceptance or fill the void of not being
accepted.

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Another widely discussed debate is over the privacy, or lack thereof, that social media
provides teens. Most people assume that their social media accounts are for their eyes only, but
this is far from true. Before one can even register for an account they must provide their name,
date of birth, a photo, city location, e-mail address, and a password. Then, after setting up an
account, a person can release any type of information that they want. The name of their school,
address, any personal information. Now, most teens dont think of this as a big deal because only
their friends can see it, but thats not always the case. As of 2011, 15% of Americans have never
checked their social networking privacy and security account settings (Internet Safety 101). By
not checking their settings, a person is allowing anyone access to their information. This has
been the cause of many bullying and kidnaping scenarios. Its extremely dangerous if you think
about it.
Some people say that social media has benefited their lives by giving them a chance of
self-discovery. Social medias prime demographic is people between the ages of 13 and 21. This
is also the age division of when people begin getting to know themselves. Social media is a place
where teens can go to learn more about themselves and express who they truly are. There are
thousands of websites online dedicated to teaching people; whether it is teaching about religion
or sexuality or mental illnesses or any other thing a teen has ever wondered about. Some form of
social media will have a tweet, or picture, or blog post about it. People often feel more
comfortable expressing themselves through social media rather than in real life. They are able to
show people who they truly are in a more effective way.
Another debate that people are talking about is how social media allows teens to connect
and communicate. Gone are the days where being social with someone actually requires face-toface interaction. Cell phones and social media are the primary source for teens to communicate

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with their friends. Whether it is through texting, direct messaging, or video chatting. Calling
someone on the phone is a dreaded task for most teenagers. They would much rather just send a
text. In David Crystals article he writes, In the UK, in 2001, 12.2 billion text messages were
sent. This had doubled by 2004, and was forecast to be 45 billion in 2007. On Christmas Day
alone in 2006, over 205 million texts went out. World figures went from 17 billion in 2000 to
250 billion in 2001. They passed a trillion in 2005. Text messaging generated around $70 billion
in 2005. Thats more than three times as much as all Hollywood box office returns that year (2b
or Not 2b?). The number of texts a person sends out rises each year, this is why most phone
companies offer their members unlimited messaging.
Some people view this form of communication as a good thing while others do not. Texting,
tweeting, and snapchatting are the preferred forms of communication for teens today. These
forms of communication are fast, convenient, and, for the most part, private. Social media allows
people to edit their messages before sending them. This allows people to think before they speak,
a problem most people have when communicating in person. Texting also allows messages to be
documented. This is great for remembering important information or saving memories. But,
these forms of communication do have disadvantages. Studies have shown that communicating
through social media can have a negative impact. It is quite common for people to misinterpret a
message when its sent through the media. This is because it is hard to display emotion through
words, especially when you have a character limit and emojis dont always get the job done.
Communicating in these ways is also less intimate. When people communicate face to face it is
almost like a form of bonding because you can connect with the person in a different way.
Everyone has their own preference on how they communicate with people and sometimes social
media can help and sometimes it destroys the message.

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Since social media is such a widely discussed topic there are many people involved in it.
This topic is widely talked about in high schools. Teachers, counselors, and peers are often seen
discussing the topic. Most schools have assemblies dedicated to informing students on social
media, this allows students to be aware on how to stay safe and secure on the internet. Schools
also use social media to get information out to students and parents. Some have twitter accounts
that allow counselors to get information out fast and efficiently. This is also a topic that affects
people like the president. The current president, Barack Obama, was the first president to use
social media as a campaign strategy. By tweeting out reminders to vote and posting pictures of
his campaign posters, Obama gained a significant amount of votes thanks to social media. As
the 2012 elections show, social media is no longer the exciting new frontier for political
campaigning. Social media is a normal and central form of communications with distinctly
different properties than traditional mass media approaches. Obama has set the bar for future
campaigns but social media and network structures should be given serious attention in the
media strategy, whether its for politicians, organizations, brands or public service initiatives
(Rutledge). People all over the world are using social media and it has become the social norm.
All of these people have their own opinions towards the topic and all of them are valid,
even those that disagree with what is written. The fact is that there are many benefits when it
comes to attending college. Some were discussed above, some were not, but there are also some
that arent widely talked about.
Areas Of Further Inquiry
As seen above there are many advantages and disadvantages when it comes to social
media. But, there are also some areas that have not been discussed or need further discussion.
One area that should be further discussed is the topic of how social media can increase a person's

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intelligence. Social media improves mental development, provides people with updates on
current events, and much more.
Most people think of social media as a waste of time or as a means for distraction.
Although this is true in most cases, social media can also be used for intellectual purposes. It has
been proven that social media can be used to increase mental development in younger people. In
Steven Johnsons article he describes how todays television shows are helping to make people
smarter. One example he provides is the Sleeper Curve, a way of measuring how difficult a
television show is to understand. Johnson explains that a few decades ago TV shows were very
simple and understandable, but now you have to pay attention, make inferences, track shifting
social relationships (Watching TV Makes You Smarter). This theory can be applied to social
media. Teens dont just scroll through Twitter dumbfounded. The horrid subtweet is a good
example. What is this person trying to say? Is it about me? I wonder what this means.
They must read, comprehend, and interpret what theyre seeing.
Social media builds peoples knowledge on current events. In a matter of seconds a person in
Los Angeles, California can hear about an event that just occurred in Beijing, China; a 6254
miles distances. When was the last time you saw a person, under the age of 25, open up a
newspaper? Instead, people are subscribing to their favorite newspapers twitter account to get
brief summaries of the latest news. In Malcolm Gladwells article he states that, the world, we
are told, is in the midst of a revolution. The new tools of social media have reinvented social
activism. With Facebook and Twitter and the like, the traditional relationship between political
authority and popular will has been upended, making it easier for the powerless to collaborate,
coordinate, and give voice to their concerns (Small Change). Facebook groups are being created
to join people together for similar causes, Twitter is updating people with the latest news, and

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Instagram is being used to notify people of charity work. People are spreading the word through
these sites, thus increasing peoples knowledge on todays worldly events.
After reading this paper it is hopeful that people will begin to rethink their opinions on
social media and perhaps ask themselves, How has the use of social media change the way I
look at the news? It is important to look at the advantages and disadvantages of social media,
rather than just one or the other. Social media has become a major part in peoples lives. It is
used to relieve boredom, communicate with friends, look up recent event, and much more. The
world of technology is constantly being updated and used. It is quite possible that people will
rely only on social media and technology for their day-to-day lives.

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Works Cited
Barnes, Devynn. "Social Media and the Ability to "Be"" The Huffington Post.
TheHuffingtonPost.com, 5 Mar. 2015. Web. 09 Apr. 2015.
Bilton, Nick. "Reclaiming Our (Real) Lives From Social Media." The New York Times. The New
York Times, 16 July 2014. Web. 9 March 2015.
Crystal, David. 2b or Not 2b? They Say I Say. ED. Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein and Russel
Durst. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2012. 335-346. Print.
Gladwell, Malcolm. Small Change: Why the Revolution Will Not Be Tweeted. They Say I
Say. ED. Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein and Russel Durst. New York: W.W. Norton &
Company, 2012. 312-328. Print.
Johnson, Steven. Watching TV Makes You Smarter They Say I Say. ED. Gerald Graff, Cathy
Birkenstein and Russel Durst. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2012. 277-294.
Print.
Loranger, Hoa, and Jakob Nielsen4. "Teenage Usability: Designing Teen-Targeted Websites."
Nielsen Norman Group, 4 Feb. 2013. Web. 9 March 2015.
"Part 1: Teens and Social Media Use." Pew Research Centers Internet American Life Project
RSS. N.p., 21 May 2013. Web. 09 Apr. 2015.
ProCon.org. "Are Social Networking Sites Good for Our Society?" ProCon.org. 13 Apr. 2011.
Web. 11 March 2015.
Rutledge, Pamela, Dr. "How Obama Won the Social Media Battle in the 2012 Presidential
Campaign." The Media Psychology Blog. N.p., 25 Jan. 2013. Web. 09 Apr. 2015.
"Social Media Statistics." InternetSafety101. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Apr. 2015.