MISUSE OF SOCIAL NETWORKS: SYMPTOMS AND CONSEQUENCES - ARTE - 2025

The misuse of social networks, whether in young people or adults, can promote severe problems in their lives; therefore observing their behavior in the face of this type of virtual socialization is important.

Minors commit crimes without knowing it and, what is worse, they do not know how to confront them when they are witnesses or victims. This, along with the time they spend in front of a connected mobile or computer, can also lead to problems such as addiction to social networks.

As can be seen, social networks are very frequented by adolescents, since 75.3% connect very frequently and, if we count those who do so occasionally, we would have a percentage of 90% (García-Jiménez, López de Ayala-López, & Catalina-García, 2013).

Do minors or young people really know about privacy on the internet? These are some data according to an EU Kids online project:

• They only know how to change their privacy settings on social media by 55%.
• 9% of minors or young people who use social networks publish content and personal information (address or phone number).
• 71% of parents have published images of their children under two years of age, 24% of their newborn children and 24% prenatal ultrasounds.

According to researchers Estévez and others, it is very important for young adolescents to establish new relationships. In addition, they need to feel that they belong to a group, which is why the Internet is considered a fast channel to achieve the above.

Consequences of misuse of networks

Have you stopped to think if the data previously exposed refers to a good use of social networks? Do you have the privacy of your account configured? Do you upload photos of minors?

Not having knowledge about how privacy should be configured, together with compulsively uploading photos, is something that negatively affects us. This ignorance can lead to serious problems such as cyberbullying, grooming, sexting or cyber addiction.

Cyberbullying or bullying on the networks occurs at an increasingly early age, since children are victims of abusive behavior, physical or verbal, by their schoolmates, which cause them bodily or psychological damage, in many cases irreparable.

Another risk for young people is grooming, in which an adult pretends to be a minor on social networks and deceives them with a clear objective, abuse or sexual assault.

In turn, sexting consists of sending an intimate photo, whether erotic or pornographic, on a voluntary basis and through networks, to a friend or from your closest environment.

Signs of inappropriate use of social networks

Once we have explained almost all the possible threats that minors may suffer, we are going to focus on addiction to social networks or the Internet, which is a type of cyber addiction.

Alonso-Fernandez defines addiction as "a series of impulsive, systematic and uncontrollable behaviors, elaborated on an existential platform dominated by the relationship between the delivery of a chemical or social object."

Therefore, a person addicted to social networks would be one who compulsively uses social media excessively. For example, constantly checking status updates, friends' profiles, or uploading photos himself for hours on end.

Some signs that may indicate that we have a problem with social networks according to researcher Wilson are:

• Spend more than an hour a day on social media. Normally the appropriate thing would be not to spend more than half an hour a day.
• Look at Facebook when possible. Some people leave the program open while they work. Others, on the other hand, use the App while they are eating with their friends.
• Sharing too much content. Sharing too much personal information like photos or videos with Facebook or other social networks. This is usually done to gain approval or recognition from your peers.
• Hearing from the people around you that you spend too much time connected to social networks.
• Finding that this problem starts to interfere with your work, school, or social life.
• Failing to reduce the time you spend on social media, even if you try.
• Obsessive thoughts about your "friends" on Facebook or aspects of social life on the internet. For example, some people spend a lot of time deciding what message to share, how to update their page, or how to reply to their friends on Facebook. Another example is the time and energy spent figuring out what to share or write in the status update. Later, to think anxiously what my "friends" are going to respond or say about that state or state.
• Look at your friends' Facebook in a competitive sense. There is a competition for adding friends that can lead to an increase in tensions related to this social network, leading to worse results than addiction.
• As a means of escape. There are people who use social media to avoid their problems in real life. That is, when you feel down, you usually connect to Facebook or other social networks to feel better.
• Loss of sleep due to being connected to social networks. If social networks interfere in your day to day, that is, in your work or studies, it is worrying. However, it is even more so when it also affects your rest.

Why do teens use social media?

Internet can be something very interesting for young people since with a single click we can have an immediate response. In addition to this quick response there is also interactivity and many windows with activities.

At ages such as childhood and adolescence, it is very important to feel accepted by others and this can increase or decrease a child's self-esteem.

In this case, adolescents use social networks for the popularity effect they produce. In addition, thanks to this use they can see if they are really popular and accepted by the number of friends who follow them.

Recommendations for parents and educators

Although adolescents teach parents to use new technologies and the Internet, it is parents who have to educate their children in the proper use of these types of devices and tools. According to Ramón-Cortés (2010) both parents and educators should:

• Talk with minors to make a schedule for using the computer or mobile. This can be a great idea since most young people do not have a agreed schedule with their parents and use the computer throughout the day without having done their homework.
• Carry out activities with the minor that foster relationships with other people. On many occasions, young people spend many hours in front of computers. Therefore, it is recommended that they do activities with other people.
• Use excellent communication at home based on dialogue. A quality communication with your children will help them to ask you for help immediately if they have a problem like those mentioned above.
• Carry out outdoor activities in which group work is encouraged. Dedicating several days a week to some extracurricular activity outdoors prevents the minor from being connected to the internet or spending many hours on the net.

In addition to all the above, according to Mayorgas (2009), Internet connections should be limited as well as placing computers in busy places at home.

conclusion

Although internet addiction is an issue that should concern us today, we cannot ignore that it may be a secondary manifestation of another addiction or other psychological problems (Echeburúa, Bravo de Medina and Aizpiri, 2005, 2007).

The main element of internet addiction is that young people spend a lot of time in front of the computer as an escape from reality to feel better about themselves. This excessive use of social networks can cause very negative effects such as losses in social skills or even relational illiteracy.

It is important that fathers, mothers and educators know how to handle the new technologies and know the risks that exist in them and in their misuse for the minor. Giving talks in schools to raise awareness among minors would be a good prevention method.

References

1. Arén Vidal E. Unraveling social networks: use and misuse of the Internet. In: AEPap (ed). Pediatrics Update Course 2016. MaDRID: Lúa Ediciones 3.0; 2016. P. 145-50.
2. Escandón, AMC (2015). Harassment and cyberbullying at school: double civil and criminal responsibility.
3. Fernández, FA (2003). The new addictions: TEA Editions.
4. Garmendia, M., Garitaonandia, C., Martínez, G., & Casado, M. (2011). Risks and safety on the internet: Spanish minors in the European context. University of the Basque Country / Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea, Bilbao: EU Kids Online.
5. Odriozola, EE, & de Corral Gargallo, P. (2010). Addiction to new technologies and social networks in young people: a new challenge. Addictions: Revista de socidrogalcohol, 22 (2), 91-96.