I cannot, in words, convey
how destructive the misuse of social media and wide range of apps “could” be
for our students, especially those in Middle School, if not monitored and
managed properly. Most parental concerns
are related to bullying and crude behavior toward and against other students on
campus, but there are also deeper, more emotional concerns.
The OJAAP writes regarding
these; “The main risk to preadolescents and adolescents online today are risks
from each other, risks of improper use of technology, lack of privacy, sharing
too much information, or posting false information about themselves or others.”
These types of behavior put a student’s
individual privacy at risk, which delves into their emotional and spiritual
well-being.
Social media apps like
Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat provide students a covert means to bully other
students in a variety of ways. They also
provide open access to the Internet with little accountability. Snapchat is one
of the worst offenders, as it offers students the opportunity to post messages
that delete automatically and provides suggestive content that cannot be
eliminated.
While I agree that social
media is not, in itself, either inherently evil or supremely good, I would
suggest that all of social media provides students with temptations that, in
many cases, are too much for them to handle on their own. This is especially true for Middle School
students. Students change more during
the three years of Middle School than at any other time in the educational
lives. Social media left unchecked can
be detrimental to students, especially during these Middle School years.
I recently read an article
which referenced Facebook and how “likes” on Facebook actually trigger the same
endorphins in the brain that build addictive tendencies. I neither support or
deny this claim as I have not done any research beyond the article, but I
reference it as one example of how powerful and still unknown the impact of
social media is on our students.
Social media can be a
wonderful tool for students to use to communicate with one another, but it can
also be destructive and debilitating. I
encourage you to engage your students regarding social media. Have
conversations with them; examine their phone from time-to-time. Many students desperately need this
accountability because the apps themselves provide none. The issue of social media is not going away. Become educated on the pros and cons of social
media for the sake of your students.