With the invention of the Internet came the opportunity to communicate with anyone, anywhere, at our fingertips, which resulted in the possibility of having online relationships.
Back in August 2015, Pew Research Center senior research specialist Amanda Lenhart brought out a report in which it was stated that 57% of teenagers in between the ages of 13 and 17 have made a friend online but only 20% of them have had the opportunity to meet in person.
Social media plays a big part of making and maintaining these friendships. “The most common spots for meeting friends online are social media sites like Facebook or Instagram (64% of teens who have made a friend online met someone via social media),” Lenhart explains.
These platforms give the opportunity to share experiences and feelings, but often end up in the individual oversharing personal information, which can be incredibly dangerous. The constant connection and insight into other’s people’s lives can lead to comparison and can take a toll on someone’s self-esteem.
This can lead to the construction of an online persona that doesn’t match with the actual person in real life. This is the product of the pressure that the digital world puts on this developing teenagers. Although this presence can lead to a negative environment, it can also be incredibly positive.
“40% of teen social media users report feeling pressure to post only content that makes them look good to others. 39% of teens on social media say they feel pressure to post content that will be popular and get lots of comments or likes,” Amanda Lenhart says.
Teenagers can navigate through different cultures and meet people who they have things in common with. This is especially rewarding for those that find it hard to start friendships face-to-face due to, for example, mental health issues.
Although some teenagers deal with dramatic experiences through this site, they also have people that are willing to support and encourage them in hard times. “68% of teen social media users have had people on the platforms supporting them through tough or challenging times,” the report elucidates.
Having online friends gives you the opportunity to meet and connect with people that you could never have the chance to in real life, but you have to be careful with the information you share online since you never know who’s on the other side of the screen.
