Adolescence in the Digital Age

Adolescents using technology and being part of the digital world causes a lot of discussion for many people. Many adults and older people feel that adolescents are too consumed with technology or the internet. Although majority of adolescents do use the internet more often than they used to, does not mean they are being affected in a negative way. There are fall backs to everything and with technology it can often be things like being too distracted, cyber-bullying, and more. Many people seem to believe that using some form of technology leads to an individual having less social interaction and relationships. However, there is no evidence to support this claim. After researching this, adolescents that participate in social interaction with each other sometimes have a stronger bond.

There is such thing as overusing something, which can happen with adolescents and their phones. Most people feel like they cannot go anywhere without their phone or they do not feel right. However, what a lot of people do not realize is that their devices or phones help them with things like discovering their identity or helping them answer questions they do not feel comfortable asking someone. For example, most teens do not want to ask an adult a question about sex, their body, or even with health. Of course they need to be careful about what they read but often times the internet is a place they can research topics that are difficult for them.

It is actually very interesting to see the things that seem be on a rise due to adolescents using technology. For instance, things like teen pregnancy, STDs, and drugs are at an all-time low. However, there are things that have escalated like suicide, bullying, and gun violence. It is important for adolescents to know that although social media and the internet can be a great tool for them, they need to be aware of the affects it has on them. They need to know to be respectful and careful about what they post, share, and view. I think it is interesting that majority of the accusations made about technology and adolescents cannot or is not support by actual facts and research. Research has actually proved most of those thoughts wrong. Adolescents in the digital world is not harmful and should be accepted, not frowned upon.