Hi, readers.
We are closing in on the end of the semester. This will be my second-to-last blog related to this class on this website. This past week we discussed how much mobile phone tracking is too much tracking? I wondered “aloud” to the class my theory about tracking being used for legal issues like cyber bullying. One day, would a Wi-Fi network be able to pick up words associated with cyber bullying and alert the owners of both of the phones (most likely the parents of kids who are taking part in cyber bullying)? I wanted to dive deeper into the negative effects technology, specifically emerging media platforms, have created for teens today.
One interesting article states: “Teen self-esteem is very fragile as they are working on creating their own identity, while trying to separate from their parents. Since much of that identity comes from external validation, which is used by the teen to determine how well they are accepted and approved of, social media has a very great level of power as a tool to support teen self-image. Since social media sites record “likes”, numbers of friends, and comments, teens are able to get concrete data to reinforce their efforts at being a worth and valued person.”
Daily life has become a numbers game for today’s teens. Imagine posting a picture to your favorite social platform and receiving one like, how would that make you feel? For some, they wouldn’t mind at all. They posted something important to them which they may have thought would bring positive feelings and enjoyment to others. For teens, not receiving validation with hundreds of likes from every single one of their friends could eventually cause social anxiety and make them question themselves unnecessarily.
Here are some startling facts:
“Twenty-five percent of 13 to 18 year olds have mild to moderate anxiety. Lifetime prevalence of severe anxiety disorder is 5.9 percent…. Causes of anxiety: Combination of genetic, environmental, psychological, and developmental factors, overscheduled children, and poor sleep.”
A conclusive statement to these findings: “If kids aren’t getting enough practice relating to people and getting their needs met in person and in real time, many of them will grow up to be adults who are anxious about our species’ primary means of communication—talking.”
It’s a little sad to think of the social lives of today’s tech-crazed teens, and kids who are close to becoming teens. My generation is aware of a time where there weren’t any digital platforms where we could gain validation from our peers. Our teen years didn’t involve these stresses. Although, validation is becoming a common stress for people my age now, but that’s a different story! However, with numerous emerging media platforms being introduced almost daily, I don’t know how teens will cope with inevitably increasing social anxiety if it’s constantly being triggered. I also wonder how today’s teens will function as future adults. Will there be a noticeable change in the “normal” actions of people due to such high social anxiety? Will in-person meetings be a thing of the past? What will a future work place look like if employees are anxious and uncomfortable collaborating? Can anyone relate these findings to the feelings of their own teens’, teens they’re close with, or even themselves?
I appreciate your feedback!
Claire
Emerging Media Blog 
This was a very interesting topic. I think there is a lot to be gleaned from teens’ collective attentions being captured so greatly by technology, especially as a predictor of future behavior. This week, I focused on the one medium that captured the time and attention of my childhood more than any other: video games. What led to the choosing of that topic was an article I read that stated that many young men are happily choosing to stay home and play video games rather than work jobs they feel to be meaningless. Given that my generation was really the first to be raised in an age where video games were prevalent, this is not surprising, but it is definitely concerning.
http://uproxx.com/gaming/video-games-make-people-happy/
Therefore, I think it is highly plausible to think about a world in which people no longer socialize in person, but rather through screens, and that IS just as concerning of a development. I have long felt this was a scary possibility for Generation Z. Luckily though, same as I have managed to find a fulfilling life (that still includes video games!) and I am sure that is true of many in my generation, I believe the majority of teens will overcome this anxiety and find a way to survive in a social, in-person workplace.
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It is crazy to think of how technology and social media has taken over since we were in high school. You make some great points on the future and what these teens will do when in the “real world”. The other class I took this term was internal communications. We talked on the importance of CEO down communication, business social media, and crisis situations. One case study was when a rogue employee tweeted something bad about a client and how it should be handled. I think crisis have the ability to blow up bigger than ever before because of social media and how many users are now glued to it.
I think in the future, we will see more and more jobs use computers and less communication face to face. For some, this will be a challenge. However, others will be accustomed and prefer this type of communication. 94% of teens say technology has had a positive impact on their life and 90% think it has had a positive impact on the world. (http://www.informationweek.com/teens-skilled-in-technology-will-shape-its-future/d/d-id/1014366). For those who are uncomfortable living behind a screen and who have had a bad experience with technology, they will have a hard time adjusting to the world where it seems everyone has a screen glued to their face. Hopefully, cyber bullying will be able to be tracked and help with some anxiety of our teens.
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