Childhood and adolescence are stages of growth in which one’s own identity and personality are consolidated. When these are conditioned by the excessive use of social networks, problems of insecurity, depression and lack of personal communication can arise, which is why adults need to be able to create limits and teach the proper use of these applications.
Young people are motivated to use social media because they see it as a space to share, converse, and express opinions with people their age. This motivation has increased during the pandemic when physical distancing has been vital to maintaining physical health.
“In addition to communication, it allows them to create new links and participate in different groups and communities. Likewise, having social networks gives them a sense of recognition and belonging, since the current trend is to be on as many networks as possible,” says Mónica Franco, a clinical psychologist specializing in children and adults.
The ideal age for use
The minimum age to have a social media profile varies depending on the platform, although most are between 13 and 14 years old. However, there are cases in which younger people open their accounts using their parents’ date of birth.
According to Nissely Herrera, a psychologist specializing in positive discipline, there is no ideal age to start using social networks. The risk is that childhood and adolescence are fundamental stages for emotional and psychosocial development, in which identity and personality are formed. When this is influenced by the demands and parameters that network users stipulate, which can be very high and unrealistic, it can create depression, and anxiety or generate a sense of not belonging to a group because they do not meet these expectations.
“This can happen on platforms like Instagram, where very high standards of beauty are created, most of which are false. Therefore, the age stipulated in the conditions of use of the networks should not be the only parameter, but rather the maturity and judgment of young people should be taken into account to know what is good and what is bad,” she adds.
Benefits or consequences?
Social media should be evaluated according to the context, you can’t say they are good or bad, says Luchi de León, a clinical psychologist. These platforms help people maintain a connection with friends and family, especially when they are far away; to stay informed and up to date; to practice freedom of expression, tolerance, respect, and equality when they find comments they don’t like; and belong to communities or groups of their same interest.
The negative side occurs when social media is a source of comparison, whether in terms of body image or lifestyle, when it starts to cause sleep problems due to excessive use, and when it creates fear of missing out on something: a social event or other activity where others have had fun.
How to avoid negative actions
“Many times what we do is an absolute restriction. We prohibit cell phones or access to networks, but this only generates resistance in young people and can develop challenging behaviors or situations where things are done in secret, which fragments communication and family trust,” says Nissely Herrera, a psychologist specializing in positive discipline. We are in a digital age, where technological innovation surrounds all of a person’s environment, so its use cannot be prohibited.
The idea is to make objective and real agreements that can be fulfilled. “It is common for one of the two adults to be more permissive and agree to the child using the networks when they were forbidden. In addition to damaging the minor’s trust, the relationship between the couple is damaged,” adds the professional.
Because it is not possible to prohibit its use outright, parents should carry out periodic checks to monitor the content they consume, as well as the users they interact with. A schedule can also be established and recommendations can be made to teenagers on the type of information that is harmful to their mental health (such as intimate photographs or videos), the type of conversations they can have, and whether or not they are allowed to have people they do not know among their friends/followers, says Mónica Franco, a clinical psychologist specializing in children and adults.
Adults are an example
Any behavior by parents can affect the behavior of their children. Therefore, adults must be consistent with what they ask of their children and set an example of good use of social networks. They should not use them during family time or consume inappropriate content.
“Parents using social media will allow them to stay up to date on trends and common uses of these platforms to have better control over supervision,” says Franco.