In the current digital age, as social media becomes more widely available to teenagers, media culture is proving to be a danger to what students believe about politics and the world around them. Through platforms such as Facebook and Tiktok, both of which have been subject to significant government interference, issues such as censorship and limitations of free speech are impacting any students who derive information from social media.
Following the new policies introduced to various platforms, controversy and unrest has disrupted the natural state of both our in-person and online student community. Politics have become increasingly divisive, pitting students, teachers and friends against each other because of things that they consume from sources that may or may not be misinformative.
As the influence of social media grows, students additionally become more susceptible to harmful and biased content that has the potential to form antisocial opinions within underdeveloped minds.
The dangers that are exposed by the removal of fact checkers on social media platforms can directly influence the opinions of younger generations. Under the age of 20, the opinions of teenagers and young adults are still malleable and subject to the opinions of people around them, especially those that are expressed on social media. Removing fact checkers makes it much easier for unreliable sources to spread misinformation to underdeveloped minds, therefore building teenager’s unformulated opinions on deceit, bias and misinformation.
With the current political situation and events that have occurred since the inauguration, social media platforms have become breeding grounds for hatred, lies and blame. Social media users target each other, engaging in heated debates about political candidates, policies and opinions.
Young people who are exposed to scenarios such as these are more likely to engage or act upon antisocial behaviors, which can directly impact their interactions with people around them who believe differently. Psychologically, this is defined as deindividuation – the loss of self-restraint and self-awareness when in a group that fosters anonymity. When perceived to be anonymous, especially hidden behind a screen, people will do things they normally would not do.
An increase in media censorship is also a direct encroachment upon the individual rights that are guaranteed to us by the Constitution. Censorship limits freedom of expression and free speech, and because of this, students are now prohibited or find it more difficult to express their opinions on social media. Censorship is necessary to limit explicit, grotesque, or harmful content, but when it is used as an excuse to impede upon the opinion of an individual, it becomes a violation of the First Amendment, in which we are guaranteed the right to freely advocate for what we believe.
Government involvement in personal social media and other apps are also contributing to unrest in the school community. The short-lived titkok ban would be a perfect example of this, as it caused confusion amongst the generation of frequent tiktok users. Those who utilised the platform lost access for 24 hours before the app was regenerated due to “President Trump’s efforts”.
As the government begins advancing into the personal lives of teenagers everywhere, involving themselves in personal affairs such as social media accounts, young minds are experiencing confusion over what they should and shouldn’t believe about presidential candidates and policy intentions.
Being an upcoming generation of voters, it is important for us as productive students of a rapidly diversifying society to ensure that our opinions do not depend entirely on social media. Although social media is one of the best ways to stay connected and learn about what is going on in the world, it is not always reliable, nor is it kind.
To formulate our own opinion on political ideals, we should rely on our own beliefs and values, rather than deriving our stance from people on the internet who seek unrest and disruption. Relying too heavily on social media to either develop or confirm one’s own political stance can be extremely detrimental, as without the proper guidance, opinions can morph into violence and hatred when combatted.
When used properly, social media is an influential and productive way to spread positivity and advocate for what you believe is right. Students must ensure that they are using social media for these purposes, rather than participating in the slews of hatred and lies that the internet has fallen prey to.
