Junior Gabbi Guerra is in chemistry listening to the Ms. Jodi Meyers wrap up today’s lesson on accurate measurement. It’s two minutes until class ends and she notices she got multiple snapchats since class started and her hand is itching to open them. The bell finally rings and the first thing Gabbi does is check her snapchat while heading out of class.

“I think that social media is good to get the word out about things,” Guerra said. “I know that class congress uses social media to get word out about school events.”

Police liaison officer Deputy John Ashley also sees the benefits social media gives to those who want to create awareness.

“Social media can really help get word out about a situation,” Deputy Ashley said. “Like those sites that help raise funds for causes that need it.”

On the other hand, senior Abby Bessy is avidly against social media and thinks that it actually takes away from social lives.

“If anything, it takes away from social contact,” Bessey said. “I mean, I text my friends too, but I prefer to have face-to-face conversation with them rather than over text.”

Believing social media to have more risks than benefits, Bessey has a lot to say that goes against the favor of social media.

“Anything can be taken the wrong way,” Bessey said. “Also, it’s hard to exchange emotions over a social media page. And what’s worse, someone knows that it’s you. That’s why when I write and blog online I do it under a pseudonym.”

One major problem that has developed as social media has become more popular is the ability to stay anonymous while cyber bullying.
A CNN article explains that apps like Ask.fm and Kik allow kids to go under a false identity and torment kids free of consequence. Though anonymity can protect the bullies, it can also help to protect those who do not want to be bullied outside of social media.

“If no one knows my real name online, then they can’t harp on me in the real world,” Bessey said.

An article on “Livescience” describes a study on 467 teenagers from the ages of 11-17 and found that any sort of social media use has been proven to have dramatic effects on teens’ self-esteem, sleeping habits, anxiety and even lead to depression.

Many teens today when being taught about the negative effects of social media are only told about cyber bullying and are not being told about the lasting damage it can have on one’s mental health. Even when told the effects social media has it only really resonates until forgotten a week later.

“Kids only remember the consequences when they are in trouble,” Deputy Ashley said.

Though there are many negative effects of social media, there are still positive ones such as easy communication and allowing people to easily to connect on and international level. But whether the benefits outweigh the risks or the other way around is completely subjective.

“Sadly, I think there are more negative effects than positive effects to be honest,” Guerra said.