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Popular Media's Negative Effects On Children

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Children today are being shaped by the media as they are raised using screens beginning at a very young age. Being surrounded by media can have both positive and negative effects on the development of today’s kids. Popular media sources such as television, the internet, and social media promote negative self-body image, contribute to a decrease in physical activity and self-esteem, an increase in cyberbullying, and premature exposure to inappropriate violence and discrimination. Although there are positive outcomes to the growth of media, the negative effects outweigh these few. A decrease in physical activity and an increase in weight is evidently a huge epidemic in America. The rate of obesity and the rate of those overweight has increased …show more content…

34% of 11-year old girls and 28% of 11-year old boys in the U.S. think that they are too fat, while 38% of 15-year-old-girls and 24% of 15-year-old-boys in the U.S. also believe that they are too fat (World Health Organization, 2008). Unrealistically ‘attractive’ body images are created in photo shop and put into commercials and magazines everywhere. Young men and women look at these images as something they should look like if they want to be deemed attractive. This lowers self-esteem and body image and ultimately can cause eating disorders. The National Eating Disorders Association shows numerous correlational and experimental studies have linked the thin ideal in media to body dissatisfaction and disordered eating among women. Pressure from mass media to be muscular also appears to be related to body dissatisfaction among men.
In addition, cyberbullying has emerged along with social media (Hamm, M. P., Newton, A. S., Chisholm, A., Shulhan, J., Milne, A., Sundar, P., Hartling, L., 2015). It is significantly easier to send hateful messages behind a keyboard rather than face to face. According to a study by JAMA Pediatrics, the most common reason for cyberbully was relationship issues with mostly girls as the target. Another study found that higher exposure to media containing risk behavior contributed greatly to higher rates of cyberbullying behavior (Journal of Adolescent Health,

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Moreover, Body Image, Media and Eating Disorders states that 30% of children are dissatisfied with their body image due to being overweight and 15% are dealing with obesity (Derene & Beresin, 2006). This demonstrates that the number of children watching television and the number of overweight, obese children are involving their selves more into the media rather than more crucial events. Correspondingly, the average model is 23% thinner compared to 25 years ago (Ravelli & Webber, 2012). Today’s media has an impacting effect on how women should appeal themselves to others in society. This guides them to behave a certain way and not truly be themselves.

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When kids, teenagers, or adults are behind the screen, they can interact with anyone, so this makes a cyberbullies’ job easier as they do not have to participate in face-to-face interaction. Also, the cyberbully can disguise themselves as anyone, making it more likely for someone to be fooled. Since the rate of cyberbullying is increasing by the minute, cyberbullying could also affect the physical and mental state of a victim. To illustrate, the article states, “The psychological harm inflicted by cyberbullying, just like bullying, is reflected in low self-esteem, school failure, anger, anxiety, depression, school avoidance, school violence, and suicide” (Li). Cyberbullying is causing profuse amounts of negative energy and side effects.

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