Degree Name
Master of Science
Department or Program
Mass Communication and Media Arts
Advisor
Veenstra, A.
Abstract
While there are promising benefits to using social media as a tool of productivity and expression, “media-raised” generation needs to understand the truths of social media in order to avoid the unintended consequences that are inherent in its use. One of the first truths about social media is the ability to conveniently enable conversations and sharing of information among targeted audience. However, when social media gets to know its users so well then there should be some cautionary measures that needs to be taken to avoid the unintended consequences. Some teens describe becoming so hooked on online social networking that they check their sites many times a day and spend much of their free time at their computers or on mobile devices initiating relationships with strangers as part of daily practice, interest and simply hanging-out. While introverted teens are typically at risk for Internet obsessions, extroverted teens may be more at risk for a social networking compulsion.