Facebook. Instagram. Twitter.

These are three of the leading websites and applications in today’s communicative culture, particularly among the younger generation. A recent study showed 81% of children use social media on a daily basis and the question to pose is: does it really do any harm?

Typically, venom is spewed about social media and its effect on the younger generation (ironically, people normally read such attacks on their Facebook news feed). Many young adults (and, indeed, now older adults) have had the privilege of living a life where both social media didn’t exist and then a life where it had permeated into every part of the day. 

Over the years, classic drivel has been regurgitated about social media – “children don’t know how to communicate anymore” being the well-rehearsed mantra in regards to social media. And, no surprises, many disagree.

Secondary school educators who work with teenagers personally and professionally on a day-to-day basis – teenagers who are the ‘victims’ of this new wave of nose-in-a-phone culture – also have an opinion on how far social media affects the young. With the hate surrounding social media and our youth, it's so easy to have negative views, but it is interesting to see how far these apps defined their lives and, indeed, how far they define them as people. This social study aimed to see the psychological appeal behind social media in the younger generation.

When staging a debate on the importance of social media in our lives, many half-expected a class of 15-year-olds to preach about how imperative a Snapchat selfie is in the grand scope of life, but in fact, what they gave was a balanced and fair argument about both the benefits and negatives of social media in modern culture. 

Independently, one class of adolescents put forward the reasons why social media has such negative connotations (bullying and lack of physical communication being the two main cons) and also opened eyes to the advantages of social media and the positive ways it affects their lives.

One pupil talked about how she communicates with her sister on the other side of the world so much through these sites that it is almost as if she sees her every day.

One explained how she is part of a fan club for a theatre show where she has found kindred spirits who share her love and excitement.

One young man stated that he finds out the news each day from his Twitter news feed. (Added bonus of saving thousands of trees each year by not buying newspapers).

These responses indicated that social media essentially is the ultimate tool for communication, not a blocker. It really allows them to converse in a way technology has never allowed them to before. Social media opens the door to a positive way in which children can live, learn, express themselves and communicate with others, no matter where in the world they are.

Is this really such a bad thing for our youth?