The study shows positive examples of social media use by teenagers. Time spent online with close friendson knows that being offline is associated with higher levels of well-being. Other uses for smartphones are more problematic. With regard to the use of social networks by teenagers, the studies follow one after another and very often they are negative. In fact, government agencies are increasingly looking to regulate large platforms in order to protect minors from the harmful effects of these services: depression, low self-esteem, etc. But a recently published study by scientists from Cardiff University in Wales is a little more optimistic. Looking at data from a previous study from 2019, the researchers did note that the time teens spent online chatting with their group of close friends was associated with improved well-being.
The positive role of WhatsApp
In contrast, time spent with people they don’t know is correlated with lower levels of well-being. The same goes for all those who send little or no messages online. Another conclusion of the researchers: young people own tools that their elders do not necessarily own. This applies, for example, to notifications, which they can change according to their needs and desires at the moment. And it’s the private messaging apps like WhatsApp, Telegram or Signal that seem to be particularly suitable for enjoying conversations with loved ones. We think in particular of groups dedicated to family, friends, on back to colleagues. On the other hand, many teens (and this certainly applies to adults) may find that conversations on networks like Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, or Snapchat tend to escalate quickly. Therefore, this article is an opportunity to recall the aspect… social social media. But on of course, don’t forget to mention the many other studies that point to the risks of these services. To give just one example, scientists at the Saint Justine Hospital in Montreal noted in 2019: “Over and over again, we see that the impact of social media is much stronger than other types of digital screen. They have already pointed to social networks such as Instagram, sometimes mentioned in depressive disorders in young people. On this platform, they are especially prone to comparing their lives with those of other users who belong or pretend to belong to a more privileged social background, which can be embarrassing and upsetting.
