لخّصلي

Social media is a fast-emerging platform that has changed how people communicate and connect.Children of 13 years and above: Facebook, Twitter, Tiktok, and Youtube Children of 16 years and above: Whatsapp, LinkedIn, and Myspace Children of 18 years and above: Monkey, MeetMe, and Tagged According to a Pew Research Center survey, approximately one-third of teenagers chose Snapchat (35%) and YouTube (32%) as their preferred online platforms.(Food & Nutrition), MBA Fact-checked by Apoorva K, MSc (Counseling Psychology) Last Updated on Aug 30, 2024 ?Therefore, controlling their usage can become challenging (2).

Social media is a fast-emerging platform that has changed how people communicate and connect. Since these networking platforms are easy to use and entertaining, they have attracted the attention of most children. Therefore, it becomes essential to discuss the effects of social media on children. Social media, if used wisely, is a good platform to interact, learn, communicate, and have fun; however, if misused or excessively used, it may lead to cyberbullying, anxiety, and health problems. So, before allowing your children to access this digital technology, you should be aware of its functionalities, privacy settings, and age limit. This post discusses social media’s positive and negative effects and tips to keep your children safe.

What Is The Right Age For Children To Be On Social Media?

Do not allow your child to access social media before adolescence independently. Even after adolescence, the age limit for using different networking sites will differ to avoid adverse effects (1).

Children of 13 years and above: Facebook, Twitter, Tiktok, and Youtube
Children of 16 years and above: Whatsapp, LinkedIn, and Myspace
Children of 18 years and above: Monkey, MeetMe, and Tagged
According to a Pew Research Center survey, approximately one-third of teenagers chose Snapchat (35%) and YouTube (32%) as their preferred online platforms. Instagram was a primary choice for 15% of teenagers, while only 10% reported using Facebook frequently

What Are The Effects Of Social Media On Children?
According to Pew Research Center’s last survey, 95% of teenagers have easy access to smartphones, and 45% are almost online all the time.

Therefore, controlling their usage can become challenging (2). Before trying to control their social media activities, parents need to be aware of its positive and negative effects.
Home • Kid • Behavior

The Impact Of Social Media On Children: Positive & Negative
Social media can have positive or negative effects, depending on how the child uses it.

Reviewed by Catherine Mok, LMSW
Written by Pragya Bhargavi, MSc, BEd
Edited by Swati Patwal, M.Sc. (Food & Nutrition), MBA
Fact-checked by Apoorva K, MSc (Counseling Psychology)
Last Updated on Aug 30, 2024
✔ Research-backed
Child Using Social Media, Indicating Effects Of Technology
Image: ShutterStock

Social media is a fast-emerging platform that has changed how people communicate and connect. Since these networking platforms are easy to use and entertaining, they have attracted the attention of most children. Therefore, it becomes essential to discuss the effects of social media on children. Social media, if used wisely, is a good platform to interact, learn, communicate, and have fun; however, if misused or excessively used, it may lead to cyberbullying, anxiety, and health problems. So, before allowing your children to access this digital technology, you should be aware of its functionalities, privacy settings, and age limit. This post discusses social media’s positive and negative effects and tips to keep your children safe.

In This Article
What Is The Right Age For Children To Be On Social Media?
What Are The Effects Of Social Media On Children?
Positive Effects Of Social Media On Children
Negative Effects Of Social Media On Children
How To Help Your Children Be Safe On Social Media?
Frequently Asked Questions
Infographic: How To Help Children Be Safe On Social Media
Key Pointers
Illustration: The Impact Of Social Media On Children: Positive & Negative
Community Experiences
What Is The Right Age For Children To Be On Social Media?
Age limits for using different social media websites for children
Image: Shutterstock

Do not allow your child to access social media before adolescence independently. Even after adolescence, the age limit for using different networking sites will differ to avoid adverse effects (1).

Children of 13 years and above: Facebook, Twitter, Tiktok, and Youtube
Children of 16 years and above: Whatsapp, LinkedIn, and Myspace
Children of 18 years and above: Monkey, MeetMe, and Tagged
According to a Pew Research Center survey, approximately one-third of teenagers chose Snapchat (35%) and YouTube (32%) as their preferred online platforms. Instagram was a primary choice for 15% of teenagers, while only 10% reported using Facebook frequently

What Are The Effects Of Social Media On Children?
According to Pew Research Center’s last survey, 95% of teenagers have easy access to smartphones, and 45% are almost online all the time.

Therefore, controlling their usage can become challenging (2). Before trying to control their social media activities, parents need to be aware of its positive and negative effects.

Positive Effects Of Social Media On Children
Social media helps you link up with people all over the world. The positive influence of social media on children include (3) (4):
Helps to connect with extended family and friends
Helps develop better perspectives on various issues
Enables them to learn new things, exchange ideas, and hone their networking skills
Provides an effective platform for enhancing your child’s knowledge through online education
Helps children get involved in charitable activities and campaigns
Motivates children to get better at communication and encourages freedom of self-expression
Helps connect with educators and facilitators from different parts of the world
Get emotional support from people during difficult times
Facilitates the development of technical expertise and practical understanding of technology in your child
Social media influencers can serve as positive role models for children, promoting healthy habits, positive attitudes, and inspiring creativity.
While there can be many topics among teenagers, the survey conducted by Pew Research Center on teenagers’ experiences on social media platforms identified some popular topics that they usually post about. The graph below shows that about half of teens (49%) post about their accomplishments, followed by family posts (44%) and posts about feelings and emotions (34%). Other topics include posts on dating life, personal problems, and political views.