Research shows that artificial Intelligence and social media have become more popular among teenagers. Artificial Intelligence is integrating itself into social media even more as the years go on. This article will explain the pros and cons of AI and social media among teens in my opinion. At the end of this article, you will also find healthy practices for mental health.
What are the academic effects of AI? You might look at AI as a great tool to use, but some others may think differently. Artificial Intelligence provides two big academic advantages. One advantage is personalized learning; personalized learning is an advanced Al that can analyze students’ performance and adapt to that student’s educational space. This can improve the students’ learning habits and can ensure no student is struggling or falling behind! On the other hand, personalized learning can become too frequent. Students are using this feature to get answers to things they may not know instead of learning why that is the answer. This can lead to the downfall of students’ problem-solving and critical thinking skills. Without these skills, students are unable to think “outside the box”.
Another academic use of AI s for tutoring. Using AI for tutoring allows students to get instant feedback for any remaining questions about homework, but students can lose the confidence to ask their teachers for extra help on homework. To sum up everything on the topic of AI, students will continue to use these resources as AI continues to grow in popularity.
Overall, the social impact of the internet can be positive and negative. Social networks are used worldwide among teenagers. Let’s start with the positive side of social networks. One positive is easy access to information on the internet. For example, teens use Google, Safari, and many other online tools to get answers to their questions. Some teens will use social networks for online shopping, online communication, online reading, job finding, event finding, fun activities, and sometimes even schooling. People are often social beings, or as some say, “social butterflies”. This means people need social interaction, whether it be online or in-person, but because social platforms are easy to access (such as Facebook, Twitter(x), YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, & Snapchat,) many teens are forgetting how to interact socially in-person. This can lead to teens struggling to have in-person conversations with one another without any technology.
Many people may use social networks for paying off bills (mortgage, taxes, etc.), working/ finding jobs, etc. Most use social networks because they don’t have to leave the comfort of their own home. On the other hand, some teens experience cyberbullying, cyber racism, and many more. Often, teens will experience these things, and we may never know because teens can sometimes be afraid to openly talk about it.
Some other things we don’t think about are internet addiction, social isolation, and sometimes depression. These are often noticeable when talking to someone you may know. Some signs of internet addiction are picking up your phone in the middle of a conversation, and even when you want to go out but don’t want to miss something online. These signs can also indicate social isolation. There can be physical effects of internet addiction as well. Do you ever feel like your body aches? Well, sometimes when you are on any device you have bad posture which can lead to back pain and neck pain. Your devices give also off radiation called blue light. Blue light can lead to bad eyesight.
Social networks can also contribute to shorter attention spans. For example, Instagram has reels that are not usually longer than one minute and because they are short, our brains don’t get enough simulation to pay attention to things that don’t interest us. Networks often don’t have correct or real information. People don’t always trust what the internet offers because of false information. “Nine-in-ten U.S. adults say they at least sometimes come across news they think is inaccurate, including 42% who say this happens extremely often or often.”
Due to all the interactions on the internet, we need some ways to help our brain stay healthy. Some ways are mindfulness, offline interactions, being mindful of privacy, and limiting screen time. Mindfulness is to use your thoughts and senses to increase awareness and reduce stress. When using this skill, you can increase your ability to be aware of what is happening offline. Staying connected means having in-person conversations. For example, go out with a friend but don’t bring any headphones. Be mindful of privacy! To be mindful of privacy means both yours and others. Don’t share your personal information and don’t ask for others information. Limiting screen time can be beneficial when feeling overwhelmed. You can also designate certain areas in your house to be “offline”. “Offline” means that there are no devices allowed in a certain space. Your personal devices can be beneficial, but can also be damaging to your brain and mental health.
