Technology and social media have become a ubiquitous and integral part of the lives of many teenagers in today’s onlife world. While the media love to target the negative impact of these platforms on adolescent mental health and well-being, it’s easy to forget that there are also many positive ways in which teens are utilizing technology and social media to their advantage, and to the advantage of others as well. Rather than focusing solely on the potential negative consequences of technology use, it is important to recognize and celebrate the positive aspects of how teenagers are incorporating these tools into their lives. As we have been stating for years now – it’s all about the balanced used of technology.
Social media can be an incredibly powerful tool for building and maintaining connections with others. Many teens use social media platforms to connect with friends and family members who live far away or to network with peers who share similar interests. Technology can also facilitate learning and self-improvement, as there are countless online resources available for education and skill-building. Additionally, some teens have used technology to launch their own businesses or to pursue their passions in creative and innovative ways. Overall, while it is important to acknowledge the potential risks associated with technology and social media use, we should also recognize the many positive ways in which teens are leveraging these tools to their advantage.
Here are some GREAT examples of youth and their positive uses of both technology and social media:
Texas teenager creates app to give non-verbal sister a voice
BC Teen Learns How To Code and Becomes A 3D Animator Created Significant Education and Job Opportunities
https://www.youtube.com/@citrinesanimations/videos
BC Teen Creates App To Help Resurrect Indigenous Languages
https://globalnews.ca/video/3983414/b-c-teen-creates-app-to-help-resurrect-indigenous-languages
Northern Ontario Teen Creates Climate Change Information App
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/climate-change-app-teen-1.6505903
After Questioning His Gender Identity, Teen Developed an App to Help Others Explore Theirs
https://people.com/human-interest/teen-questioned-gender-identity-developed-discover-me-app/
Teen Creates App To Identify Nutrient Deficiencies
https://spectrum.ieee.org/app-identifies-nutrient-deficiencies
How a 17-year-old Built An App For His Entire School
https://www.make.com/en/blog/teen-builds-app-with-make
Tulsa Teen Builds App To Help Busy Families Stay Organized
https://www.fox23.com/news/local/tulsa-teen-builds-app-to-help-busy-families-stay-organized/article_dfc4b63c-c15f-5449-b8f1-e05718c9d317.html
Local Teen Creates Volunteer App To Benefit His Community
https://azpbs.org/horizon/2023/04/local-teen-creates-volunteer-app/
Ontario Teen Land First Prize In Creating An App To Reduce e-Waste
https://www.itworldcanada.com/article/ontario-teen-lands-first-place-in-the-tcs-goit-monthly-competition-for-creating-an-app-to-reduce-e-waste/486760
Teen Creates An App That Identifies A Particular Species Of Tick And The Potential Risk Of Tick-Borne Disease
https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/ticks-new-canaan-app-detickt-it-17801887.php
Teen creates an App To Help Those In Need To Locate Food Pantries
https://w42st.com/post/teen-creates-food-pantry-app-new-york/
A Social Media Site that is youth run, youth-supported that seeks to use speech and debate to empower children
https://www.bethelightyouth.org/about-us.html
A Social Media Site Designed By A Teen For Other Teens To Support Teens Of A Parent Who Lost Their Lives In The Line Of Duty As A Police Officer
https://bluelinebears.org/about-us/
A Social Media Site Designed By A Teen To help Deal With Hate And Intolerance
https://unitychallenge.org/our-mission
A Social Media Site Designed By A Teen To Help Stomp Out Hunger
https://joshuasheart.org
A Social Media Site Designed By A Teen To Talk About The Growing Concern For Environmental Issues
https://callmehannah.ca/about/
Saskatoon Teen’s AI Invention Could One Day Help Those With Hearing Loss
High School Student Researchers Find New Brain Tumor Drug Targets Using AI
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/987551
Contrary to popular belief held by many adults, technology and social media is not all bad. In fact, as demonstrated by the examples above, many teenagers are utilizing technology and social media in positive ways to enhance their lives and the lives of others.
As parents, caregivers, educators, and older adults, it is important to recognize and celebrate the positive impact of technology use by young people, rather than only focusing on the potential negative consequences. We should encourage and support young people in their balanced and age appropriate use of technology and social media in ways that promote connection, creativity, and learning. By doing so, we can help to foster a balanced and healthy relationship with technology in the younger generation, which in turn will help them to build resilience in today’s onlife world.
It is important to recognize that it is not the amount of time they are spending with their technology that should concern us, rather, it’s all about what they are doing with that time that really matters.
Digital Food For Thought
The White Hatter
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