In this modern era, we are often carried away by technology that leaves negative
impacts on individuals and society. The ability to own gadgets like smartphones
has exposed everyone to unlimited information through internet access. Recently,
the development of social media has had an impact on the socio-cultural aspects
of society, not only in Malaysia but worldwide. The existence of social media
applications such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram has caused thousands of
internet users in Malaysia to use them for socializing. However, what causes
social media addiction among adolescents is a current issue of concern.
One factor causing addiction to social media among teenagers is that it is an
interactive social center. Social media allows people to interact with each
other directly without time or location restrictions, resulting in the rapid
sharing of information without control or filters. In addition to being a fast
world information channel, social media also has an interactive and attractive
interface that makes every user spend a lot of time using the application. Most
teenagers have more leisure time than working adults, and as such, social media
application developers feature attractive features that appeal to the active
teenage user. As a result, teenagers need to be aware that social media is the
target of application developers, and they must use it wisely to avoid harming
themselves.
In addition, social media has caused teenagers to become addicted to it because
they can get free entertainment. Under economic pressure and rising living
costs, entertainment such as going to the cinema, exercising, and traveling
requires high costs. Therefore, teenagers prefer to watch videos and spend time
on social media for entertainment. Local and foreign football teams, for
example, use social media to interact and expand their influence on fans
worldwide. Highlight videos of matches have become the main attraction for
football fans because they can see interesting moves that are summarized in a
short period. Additionally, streaming videos are becoming more popular as a form
of entertainment that is expected to replace television shows. This is because
teenagers are more interested in seeing reality-based entertainment than
scripted shows. Ultimately, teenagers need to be given space to enjoy themselves
in other ways, such as exercising, to avoid getting caught up in the virtual
world.
Another reason teenagers become addicted to social media is that they do not get
enough attention from their families. This situation often occurs in urban areas
where parents are working, and they have no time to spend with their children to
support their families. Therefore, children, especially teenagers, will spend
time on social media. Moreover, teenagers who are trapped in family problems
between their parents will undoubtedly seek other worlds like social media to
get away from the pressure of their lives. In this case, parents play a
significant role in creating a conducive environment for their children to avoid
being addicted to social media.
In conclusion, addiction to social media among teenagers has many causes.
Therefore, parents and teenagers need to be aware of these causes and take
proactive measures to use social media wisely, have a balanced lifestyle, and
avoid getting addicted to it.
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