Hess 1

Karl Hess

3rd hour

May 1st

Independent research

Social Media and Cell Phone use

Some doctors and professors and major universities believe that teens use their cell

phones too much each day. Another problem that they believe that teens have is they are always

on some type of social media which leads to cyberbullying. There is evidence that this was a

problem but in recent years there has been an uprise in teens using their devices for good, not

bad. “Nearly half (47 percent) of teens who have a smartphone say they are “addicted” to it. But

that doesn’t translate to a social media addiction. Less than a quarter (24 percent) said they’re

addicted to social media” (McClellan). Teens will show that their cell phone usage is not a bad

thing nor a good thing.

Cell Phone use

Teens are on their devices way more as the years pass and it is becoming a problem. “A

whopping 95% of teens in the United States have smartphones now. That's a 20% jump since the

issue in 2015” (Even Teens Think They). Parents and teachers were worried when the percentage

was at 75% but as it continues to grow parents and even teens are starting to worry about teens

being addicted to their devices. “A study is the latest in its series of inquiries focusing on kids

aged 13 to 17. It surveyed 743 teens and 1,058 parents in the United States. The study found that

parents also worry about their teenagers. Two-thirds of parents expressed concern over how

much their kids use their devices. More than half said they've resorted to restricting when their

adolescents can use smartphones” (Even Teens Think They). That means that parents are starting
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to consider that this is a serious problem in teens lives. Teens spend many hours a day on their

devices and most of those hours are on social media

Social Media use

Social media is a big reason why teens are on their phones all the time. “The percentage

of teens who check social media multiple times a day has more than doubled, from 34 percent in

2012 to 70 percent in 2018” (McClellan). That number is expected to keep rising throughout the

years. By 2020 they expect that 90 percent of teens will check social media multiple times a day

(Anderson). “Teens are more likely to say that social media has a positive rather than a negative

effect on how they feel” (Anderson). They would say that the growing numbers on social media

give more chances to talk to friends, meet new people and keep tabs on old friends and their lives

now. But not all social media is good for all teens.

Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying is a huge problem in teens lives when they are on social media.

Cyberbullying is the use of an electronic device to bully a person. “About 1 in 10 teens (13

percent) say they have been cyberbullied” (McClellan). That is a huge problem if you are in a

room with one hundred people then at least ten or even possibly more possibly have been

cyberbullied in their lives. Teens recognize that this is a problem and are trying to help out there

fellow social media user by sticking up for the victim. “More than 1 in 5 teens (23 percent) say

they have tried to help someone who has been cyberbullied” (McClellan). There are a good

amount of teens that recognize that this is a problem and want to help the people getting

cyberbullied. This is a good sign for the use of social media by teens.

There are some signs that social media is bad for teens, there is also some evidence that

teens are on their phones too much. But there are some signs that teens are being responsible
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with the use of social media and cell phone usage. By the main source of teens depression

(cyberbullying/bullying) is on the decline going from 31.7% to 6.9% of teens being bullied in a

span of six years (School Bullying, Cyberbullying Continue to Drop.). As the years continue to

pass the more teens will own a cell phone and the use of social media will also increase. Teens

will have to continue to show growth by helping others on social media to have a healthy online

relationship with other people. I believe that teens can overcome the odds and show people that

social media is not a bad thing for teenagers.

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Work Cited
Aacap. Social Media and Teens,
www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/FFF-Guide/Social-Me
d
ia-and-Teens-100.aspx.

Anderson, Jill, and Jill Anderson. “Smartphones and Social Media Linked to Increase in Teen
Depression.” Harvard Gazette, Harvard Gazette, 21 June 2018,
news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2018/06/gse-phones-study/.

Anderson, Monica, et al. “Teens, Social Media & Technology 2018.” Pew Research Center:
Internet, Science & Tech, Pew Research Center: Internet, Science & Tech, 30 Nov. 2018,
www.pewinternet.org/2018/05/31/teens-social-media-technology-2018/.

Ehmke, Rachel, and Child Mind Institute. “How Using Social Media Affects Teenagers.” Child
Mind Institute, childmind.org/article/how-using-social-media-affects-teenagers/.

Homayoun, Ana. “Is Your Child a Phone 'Addict'?” The New York Times, The New York Times,
17 Jan. 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/01/17/well/family/ is-your-child- a-phone-addict.
Html.

McClellan, Jennifer. “Teen Study: 89 Percent Have Smartphones; Hate Content Exposure Has
Gone Up.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network,
www.usatoday.com/story/life/allthemoms/2018/09/10/teens-say-social-media-has-positiv
e-e
ffect-how-they-feel-common-sense-media/1204457002/.

“Even Teens Think They

Use Their Phones Too Much.” CNNMoney, Cable News Network,
money.cnn.com/2018/08/22/technology/teens-smartphone-use-pew/index.html.

“School Bullying, Cyberbullying Continue to Drop.” U.S. News & World Report, U.S. News &
World Report,
www.usnews.com/news/blogs/data-mine/2015/05/15/school-bullying-cyber-bullying-
continue-to-drop.

“Social Media and Teens: How Does Social Media Affect Mental Health?” PsyCom.net - Mental
Health Treatment Resource Since 1986,
www.psycom.net/social-media-teen-mental-health.