Adverse Effects of Online Social Networking on Children and Adolescents

Abstract

Technological advances over the last few decades have probably had a much bigger impact on our lives than we had imagined or were indeed prepared for. Social Networking Sites (SNSs) have become an intricate part of modern life. They are the perfect examples of technological and social platforms converging to provide a new communication medium. There are a number of SNSs where individuals set up their online profiles to establish and maintain social contact with others. Children and adolescents have taken to these SNSs quite effortlessly. These SNSs provide them with a lot of novel and innovative opportunities but at the same time also give rise to additional risks such as potential abuse, exposure to inappropriate content, online bullying all potentially having psychological implications. Some of the risks are a continuation of those experienced by children and young people offline but many are new and not anticipated. While these SNSs have brought a lot of positives generally, there is no denying the fact that we have been found ill prepared to deal withsome of the risks that they pose.