Band 7+: Social media has many positive uses, but there have been some negative consequences to it as well. Identify a problem caused by social media and describe the solutions you would propose to address this problem.

One troubling aspect of social media is that it provides a venue for kids to engage in online bullying. Parents and educators should counteract this trend by teaching kids about the seriousness of bullying and communicating openly about what children experience online.

Social media did not give rise to bullying, but it has changed and possibly amplified its effects. In the past, bullying would most often involve a person or a small group of people picking on someone. With social media, the group of aggressors can be much larger, and the opportunity for causing humiliation much greater. Additionally, people feel freer to say things online that they wouldn’t say to another person face-to-face. These factors have given rise to a form of bullying that is new and uniquely dangerous.

To counteract online bullying, educators and parents must teach young people how damaging bullying can be. Kids can suffer deep psychological wounds from it, and some kids are more susceptible to long-lasting harm than others. What starts out as a joke can easily transform into damaging behavior. Kids need training from adults to learn how to recognize inappropriate behavior from their peers, and how to stand up for someone experiencing mistreatment.

Of course, bullying will still occur even when kids are aware of the damage it can cause. Some parents try prevent unwanted online activity by strictly monitoring their child’s internet use. This makes sense for young children. However, many older kids would interpret such an intrusion as a lack of trust. By a certain age, most kids know how to get around their parents’ watchful eyes anyway. That’s why parents and educators must attempt to communicate openly about what children experience online. Open communication builds trust, giving parents a window into when their child might be involved in a range of negative online situations like bullying.

While social media is likely to become an even greater presence in all of our live in the years to come, it will remain important to do our best to use it in ways that are healthy.