Is Snapchat Bad for Teenagers?
The picture messaging application Snapchat has been around since 2011 and allows for pictures to self-destruct anywhere from one to ten seconds after the picture has been viewed. It is also designed to allow viewers access to the picture or video sent to a group of friends on “My Story” for twenty-four hours before disappearing. This fast paced, disappearing form of social media can instigate poor judgement. In watching the way teenagers use the application Snapchat, it appears they are learning negative traits such as self-centeredness, poor time management, and creating addictive personalities.
According to Marcello Ballve, “Snapchat's users are majority female, and most users are between the ages of
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Their time management skills are being attacked by each and every “snap”. It is as if they cannot focus on their homework or anything else in front of them due to the endless distractions. “Parents in previous generations fretted about the hours teens whiled away hanging out or chatting on the phone. Today’s teens aren’t spending hours on landlines, but they are still conversing” (Boyd 79). The frustration among parents has been the same from one generation to the next. The difference nowadays is the source of communication. Teens are no longer forced to communicate by telephone at home, rather they can communicate anywhere they go. Boundaries need to be set by the parents in order to help guide their children and help them develop their time management skills. These skills are not taught in school, yet the students are expected to know how to manage their …show more content…
As mentioned in a blog by Adam McLane, “any time you get a new snap or scroll through stories or send a snap, your brain’s reward system is triggered” (McLane). For example, it is like a bag of potato chips, who can eat just one chip? Today’s youth are just like youth from years past, they want more time with their friends so they can develop their social skills. Boyd also says “teens turn to, and are obsessed with whichever environment allows them to connect with friends. Most teens aren’t addicted to social media; if anything, they’re addicted to each other” (80). Teenagers long to fit in and find a group they can be comfortable around, but it is up to the parents to set guidelines for their