What Are Some of the Negative Effects of Digital Media? <\/h2>Negative Physical Impacts of Digital Media<\/h3>
Extensive use of digital media and technology can have a host of physical side effects, including eye strain, vision issues, carpal tunnel syndrome, \u201ctech neck\u201d (neck pain that\u2019s caused by strain and stress to the muscles and tissues of the cervical spine), and headaches. <\/p>
When we look at our preteens and teens, specifically, we see that digital media and technology impacts their sleep. Research<\/a> shows that three-quarters of American adolescents have at least one screen-media device in their bedroom and that roughly 60% of teens report regular use of those devices in the hour before bedtime. Stimulation and blue light exposure have been shown to interfere with circadian rhythms and reduce melatonin production, resulting in a delayed bedtime and decreased total sleep time. <\/p> At a time in their lives when preteens and teens need more<\/strong> sleep<\/strong> than full-grown adults, sleep deprivation can negatively impact academic functioning, alertness, mood and behavior management, and self-regulation. To help counteract this, research from Harvard University<\/a> suggests that putting screens away at least 2-3 hours before bedtime is extremely beneficial to overall sleep health. <\/p> Increasingly, studies show our teens\u2019 mental health is significantly impacted by the use of digital and social media. The Centers for Disease Control<\/a> published a study in 2017 that found that increased media and screen time was linked to increases in depressive symptoms in 8 – 12 graders and suicide-related outcomes (increasing 65% from 2010 to 2015). <\/p> Other significant risks include body dysmorphia and low self-esteem as preteens and teens compare themselves with often altered images of individuals that appear to be \u201cmore attractive,\u201d \u201cthinner,\u201d \u201dmore muscular,\u201d \u201cmore popular,\u201d and \u201chaving more fun.\u201d Coupled with this, we are seeing increased rates of other mental health issues including anxiety, isolation, substance abuse, and the negative fall-out of cyberbullying.<\/p> What\u2019s worse, internal documents<\/a> from companies like Meta (Facebook and Instagram) reveal its own awareness of its toxicity to adolescents \u2014 teen girls in particular \u2014 and its knowledge that it is causing significant mental health challenges, including eating disorders, self-harming behaviors, and suicidality, alongside its total failure to do anything to mitigate those risks. <\/p> As learning, textbooks, and educational resources move increasingly online, there are moderate risks to our youths\u2019 overall comprehension and long-term memory for learned information. Studies<\/a> have shown that students who read texts on computers have a slightly lower overall comprehension of what they read and are less likely to set goals, reread difficult sections, or check in to see how much they have understood as they read (also known as \u201cmetacognitive learning regulation\u201d). <\/p> Reading and working online is more physically and mentally taxing, and we may be less likely to convert information into our long-term memory. <\/p> Distractibility is also a challenge with the use of digital media for educational purposes, as it is so easy for students to divert from the task at hand to checking email, playing an online game, posting on social media, and more. When distraction persists, overall learning and academic performance often suffer. <\/p> Digital media is changing the way that we interact with one another and shifting our dynamics offline. While cyberbullying is probably the most obvious way we see media negatively impact relationships between adolescents, it is also causing challenges for many preteens and teens who, while becoming increasingly comfortable navigating online relationships, are struggling with in-person social skills and social anxiety. <\/p> Family time, face-to-face interactions, and learning to function in the wider world are all invaluable for our youth; but the constant stimulation that technology provides, as well as its addictive-like nature challenges even the most dedicated of caregivers as they seek to help their youth manage the time and nature of their usage. <\/p> We increasingly understand the dramatic impact digital media has on our views of the world and our fellow citizens. Misinformation, disinformation, and other divisive content are rampant on the internet and social media, and adolescents (and adults) are often ill-equipped to discern which sites constitute reliable sources of information, and which do not. <\/p> Additionally, social media is too often used to target preteens and teens in an attempt to pull them into hate groups or lure them into abusive employment, pornography, and human trafficking. The individual and culture-wide negative impact of these forces is widespread and growing.<\/p> Perhaps one of the most obvious benefits of the internet is the mechanism it provides for connecting people both near and far. Working and studying during the COVID-19 pandemic became possible because of the internet, and further made it possible for adolescents and their families to maintain critical social and familial connections across both time and distance. <\/p> Through digital media, students are exposed to other cultures and other parts of the world, and are able to build rich and fulfilling friendships with people they would previously be able to connect with.* <\/p>Negative Emotional Impact of Digital Media<\/h3>
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<\/figure>Negative Educational Impact of Digital Media<\/h3>
Negative Relational Impacts of Digital Media<\/h3>
Negative Cultural Impacts of Digital Media<\/h3>
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<\/figure>How Does Digital Media Positively Impact Teens and Tweens?<\/h2>
Digital Media Cultivates Connection & Social Interaction<\/h3>
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