About 40% of children between the ages of 8 to 12 years old have some form of social media. 

“By 7th grade, I had Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat,” said Alyssa Tornai. Most children want social media, but they must know the risks before signing up. 

It’s challenging for children to understand not everything on social media is real, and that people only post what they want you to see. Therefore, making it easy to compare.

“Eighth-grade year, social media definitely had an impact on my mental health. It made me want to grow up faster,” Tornai continues. 

Another danger of social media is the limitless information on the internet and social media predators. “The DM’s I get are kind of rough. Drama and weird guys messaging me has been an issue,” Maddie Thomas states. One study states that children who have social media from a young age have difficulty making friends, meaning that the people they call “friends” are through screens and profiles. This all seems innocent until you factor in the ugly reality that online predators prey on the young users of these apps. 

Other dangers of social media

Another danger social media has is cyberbullying. Children are more sensitive and caring. Therefore, other people’s opinions have more impact on them. This can cause young children to be depressed, and experience anxiety, or body dysmorphia. There is also sufficient evidence that social media and cyberbullying are related to suicide rates in young people.

Another danger social media poses is exposure to dangerous trends online. This also is often a result of children being easily influenced. For example, the “Blackout challenge” that emerged in 2022, is a challenge where someone holds their breath until they pass out. This trend claimed the lives of 15 children under the age of twelve.