Problem

Why Is Social Media So Important Today?

Many children and teenagers of this generation cannot remember or have never experienced a life without the internet. Growing up, social media sites such as Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook were created. By trying to stay updated on the latest trends, kids created accounts on these sites and many others.

Today, social media has taken affect on the behaviors of teenagers and how they interact with people. Over time, social media has taken control of the lives of kids and teens. With social media being so time-consuming and first priority to some, people say social media may actually make people antisocial because they would rather type on a screen than talk to someone in person.

Why Is Social Media Such A Problem?             

With plenty of trends floating through social media, a variety of kids and teens are now basing their actions (on social media and in general) off of what social media desires of them. Some trends may be appealing now to friends and followers, but they may not be as appealing in the future to important individuals like
employers and colleges. On social media, people tend to do things that they wouldn't normally do if they were face to face with a friend, colleague, employer, or even a stranger because they often forget to think before they act.

What Are We Doing About It?

Our research group plans to investigate and find possible solutions to the content on social media sites that can potentially hurt an individual and/or someone else. Our target audience we are focusing on are kids and teenagers to find out how they interact with people on social media. We will also research how they see other people interacting and how they feel about certain things they see people tweeting, posting, commenting, etc.

Who Is Benefiting From This?

Our solutions for the problem could benefit kids and teens around the world, and hopefully provide a better environment on social media for future generations.