Important Information on Social Media Use in Teens
| 71% of teens used social media in 2022. These tools help build identity, strengthen social ties and develop technical, creative and ethical skills. Following carefully designed guidelines limits risks (cyber bullying, addiction, peer pressure). École Galilée helps our students made social media a tool for learning and growth. |
Social media plays a central role in the daily lives of teens: in 2022, 71% used these platforms. Much more than platforms for entertainment, these digital spaces play an active role in building identity and strengthening social relationships.
Our bilingual international school of Paris is determined to make social media beneficial for teens. We teach our students how to use these digital tools intelligently. Because if we help students make digital tools an educational ally, they can benefit their personal and professional development.
Social Media for Information and Discovery
Fast Access to and Diverse Information
Social media allows teens to keep up with world news in real time, follow emerging trends and stay informed about cultural and social events, among other advantages. With such diverse content, students can broaden their cultural horizons and keep an open mind. This instant access to varied information does require critical thinking in order to assess how pertinent and reliable the content is that they see every day.
International Exchange
These platforms also allow teens to build relationships with people that share the same interests, no matter where they live. They facilitate intercultural exchange, spark intellectual and social curiosity, enrich students’ understanding of the world and help them learn to communicate effectively in an international context.
A Powerful Tool to Develop Identity and Skills
Building Identity and Social Approval
Social media plays an active role in building teens’ identities through the interactions and immediate responses that these platforms solicit. Likes, comments and direct conversations allow teens to explore different facets of their personalities while assessing social reactions. These virtual mechanisms work with traditional socialisation settings like family and school. The positive effects of social media in teens also include the ability to assert their individuality in an alternative space while progressively integrating the social codes specific to these digital environments.
Technical and Creative Skills
Regularly creating digital content (photos, videos, editing) on Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat is also an advantage of social media for teens. This is a great way to work on important creative and technical skills.
These skill sets, including digital photography, video editing and graphic design, are highly prized in many professional fields today. These platforms have become places for artistic expression, where teens can express their sensitive and creative sides while developing applicable professional skills that will be important in the future.
Social and Ethical Skills
Progressive and strategic use of social media gives teens the ability to improve their understanding of issues related to privacy and protection of personal data. As they learn to navigate confidentiality settings and become aware of the potential consequences of their actions online, they develop important social and ethical skills. Our private middle school in Paris 16 is attentive to these issues and helps teens make informed decisions on their online presence.
Social Media for Belonging and Socialisation
A Virtual Space for Building and Maintaining Relationships
Social media is an important communication space for teens today. It offers spontaneity and accessibility and encourages making connections and forging new relationships. As inhibitions are often lower than in a face-to-face situation, it is easier to interact with others, express yourself and join groups that share the same interests. This allows teens to develop a true sense of belonging, which is extremely important in adolescence, a time during which peer recognition plays a central role in the process of building identity.
An Extension of Real Social Life
Online interactions are no substitute for face-to-face exchanges, but they extend and enrich teens’ social lives. Social media allows them to stay in contact with friends, plan activities together and share their daily lives, even at a distance. This relational continuity is another positive effect of social media for teens. This is an important factor, particularly if they move or change schools. By combining physical and virtual relationships, teens can preserve, strengthen and diversify their friendships while remaining active in their personal and collective commitments.
Maximizing the Benefits of Social Media for Teens While Limiting Risks
The True Risks, No Exaggerations
There are real benefits of social media for teens, but we need to clearly identify the associated risks: cyber bullying, addiction, excessive peer pressure and their digital footprint. Without worrying excessively, parents and teachers can help teens use social media responsibly to guarantee safety and well-being.
Involving Parents and Educators
Active involvement of parents and educators is essential, starting by building regular dialogue on digital practices. This allows us to better understand why and how teens us social media. It is also important to manage privacy online and establish a healthy balance between screen time and other activities. This attentive involvement helps us direct teens to more responsible and balanced digital behaviour.
Critical Thinking and Digital Skills
Finally, critical thinking and solid digital skills are essential tools for maximising the benefits of social media for teens. From our bilingual preschool school in Paris to middle school, we know that we play a crucial role, particularly in teaching critical analysis of content and raising awareness of the social and ethical issues raised by the digital world. This pedagogical approach helps students think about the content they access daily and better understand the implications of their actions online.
The advantages of social media for teens are many when it is used properly. With our personalised education, our international school in Paris teaches students how to use digital tools properly. The goal is to facilitate their success in school and fulfilment in a connected world that is constantly changing.