Hypothesis –

Excessive use of social media by teenagers negatively impacts their mental health and should be monitored to prevent unsafe use with potential for physical and emotional harm. It would be a waste of energy trying to keep kids offline, and it is almost impossible to go through out life unplugged. Instead of outright banning use of social media sites real success can be found from teaching kids how to use it safely. This way you can enjoy all the benefits of having an instagram or snapchat while knowing how to avoid the disadvantages. With an increase in cases involveing children getting into trouble online by sharing personal information or risking physical safety parents may think it is better to outright ban phones. However, this idea has proven to be problematic because instead of keeping kids off of social media it promotes unsafe usage mainly by teenagers who are unaware of the true dangers.

Five Sources –

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/tween-and-teen-health/in-depth/teens-and-social-media-use/art-20474437#:~:text=Social%20media%20harms,much%20social%20media%20teens%20use.

Background – This is a webisite from the Mayo Clinic that gives potential ways for parents to advise their children on how to use social media safely.

How I Intend To Use It – I would like to use this source in order to provide specific examples. It can be hard to think of secussful ways that can help deal with the problem at hand and I appreciated that this website gave specific examples of how to do that and how effictive they have found these to be.

https://www.wellandgood.com/social-media-fast-benefits #:~:text=%22Fasts%20can%20increase%20positivity%2C%20decrease,and%20assuage%20feelings%20of%20depression.%22&text=A%20social%20media%20fast%20not,a%20positive%20sense%20of%20self.

Background – This source is set up similarly to a blog run by a professional psychologist who was able to identify ways that she benefits from talking a “social media fast”.

How I Intend To Use It – During our conference and while developing a hypothesis I really considered learning more about the idea of talking a social media fast. It was not something that I had personally considered as a way of combatting harmful effects of social media. I think it is really interesting to think about that from the standpoint of a professional psychologist.

https://pedialliance.com/socialmediaguide#:~:text=It%20is%20also%20important%20for,13%20years%20without%20parental%20permission.

Background – This website is from the pediatic healthcare alliance and it is supporting the point that there should be an age restriction on social media usage.

How I Intend To Use It – It also gives examples as reasons why children should not have access to socal media beucase it is unhealthy for them. They also discuss the potential risks and atvantages ofhaving an age limit on who is allowed to have social media and when they are allowed to use it. This was something else I was considerng when I was writing my hypothesis is having restrictions that would be enforced by parents.

https://hms.harvard.edu/news/deciphering-teenage-brain#:~:text=Studies%20have%2C%20in%20fact%2C%20shown,young%20adults%20with%20fewer%20miles.%E2%80%9D

Background – This a medical journal about the menatl health of teenagers brain and how it is underdeveloped.

How I Intend To Use It – I thought it would be good if I had a medical journal that has scientific research to back what I was writing in my hypothsis.

https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/social-media-smarts.html

Background – This is research on dangers of social media and discusses potential ways children can be taregted.

How I Intend To Use It – I wanted to use sources like these to demonstrate the dangers on social media. As children they are more targeted and should know the dangers and how to keep themselves safe.