The social networking world does have some positive aspects. For example, some teens and young adults have become internet famous from social media outlets such as Vine and Youtube The teens that are internet famous try to create a positive self-image and explain to our generation that perfection doesn’t matter. A lot of the famous teens always say to “be yourself.” Some of these teens inspire others to be themselves and have helped them be able to find who they truly are by an inspiration from their peers who love to embrace being themselves. Social media is here to connect with family and friends, catch up on what’s happening throughout the world, inform us on news and important events, inspire us to make a change, explore the network by seeing other people’s interests, lifestyles and more. The problem isn’t social media, it is teens.

ocial media can affect a teen’s self-esteem by changing their entire style such as clothes, music, and personality and even change what kind of friends they have

For young people who have a tendency towards perfectionism, anxiety or disordered eating, the (often digitally enhanced) images of thin girls or women they see online can lead them to equate slimness with happiness. Validation of their own photos from other social media users (‘You look great!’ ‘Have you lost weight?’) may falsely fulfil their need for acceptance – further distorting their body image.

Number of social media users worldwide from 2010 to 2021 (in billions) This statistic shows the number of social media users worldwide from 2010 to 2016 with projections until 2021. In 2019, it is estimated that there will be around 2.77 billion social media users around the globe, up from 2.46 billion in 2017. Social media users Social network penetration worldwide is ever-increasing. In 2017, 71 percent of internet users were social network users and these figures are expected to grow. Social networking is one of the most popular online activities with high user engagement rates and expanding mobile possibilities. North America ranks first among regions where social media is highly popular, with an social media penetration rate of 66 percent. In 2016, more than 81 percent of the United States population had a social media profile. As of the second quarter of 2016, U.S. users spend more than 215 weekly minutes on social media via smartphone, 61 weekly minutes via PC, and 47 minutes per week on social networks via tablet devices. The increased worldwide usage of smartphones and mobile devices has opened up the possibilities of mobile social networks with increased features such as location-based services like Foursquare or Google Now. Most social networks are also available as mobile social apps, whereas some networks have been optimized for mobile internet browsing, enabling users to comfortably access visual blogging sites such as Tumblr or Pinterest via tablet. With over 1.86 billion monthly active users, social network Facebook is currently the market leader in terms of reach and scope. The site has been shaping the social media landscape since its launch and has been an important factor in discussions about users’ privacy and differentiating between the private and the public online self. Social networks not only enable users to communicate beyond local or social boundaries, but also offer possibilities to share user-generated content like photos and videos and features such as social games. Social advertising and social gaming are two major points of revenue for social networks. Show moreCreated with Highcharts 5.0.14Number of users in billions0.970.971.221.221.41.41.591.591.911.912.142.142.282.282.462.462.622.622.772.772.92.93.023.02201020112012201320142015201620172018*2019*2020*2021*00.511.522.533.52020*• 2.9Search: Number of users in billions20100.9720111.2220121.420131.5920141.9120152.1420162.2820172.462018*2.622019*2.772020*2.92021*3.02Records: 132550AllSearch: Number of users in billions20100.9720111.2220121.420131.5920141.9120152.1420162.2820172.462018*2.622019*2.772020*2.92021*3.02Showing entries 1 to 12 (12 entries in total)PreviousNextData visualized by© Statista 2018 About this statistic Show source

Earlier this year, Gang filled out a short questionnaire: Do you maintain normal sleeping hours? (Yes.) How social are you? (Somewhat.) Sleep style? (Heavy.) Rather than pairing Gang with a roommate, the AU housing office sent him a short list of potential matches based on his replies. He went to Facebook and hit it off with James Quigley, 18, of New York. Both students plan to study international relations and love playing sports. They requested to live together and will meet for the first time on move-in day this month.

Thus, for this whole age bracket, smartphone penetration will be 74.2%. That is up sharply from 2013, when just under half of this age cohort had smartphones. Still, it falls short of the figure for adult millennials, among whom upwards of nine in 10 have smartphones.

Earlier in the smartphone era, parents were often reluctant to furnish a teen with an expensive device whose imprudent usage easily could get the kid into trouble. Little surprise, then, that many teens lacked a smartphone even as it became standard equipment for nonelderly adults. As recently as 2013, just under half of 12- to 17-year-olds had smartphones, eMarketer estimates.

73% of Teens Have Access to a Smartphone; 15% Have Only a Basic Phone Next → ← Previous

Common Sense Media notes that although 69 percent of schools have policies specifically forbidding cell phone use during class-time, 65 percent of students report using their phones during school.

FacebookTwitterShareTeens: This is how social media affects your brainBy Susie East, for CNNUpdated 10:22 AM ET, Mon August 1, 2016 FacebookTwitterShare&lt;img alt="Reward circuitry is thought to be particularly sensitive during adolescence, which may partly explain why teenagers are such avid social media users." class="media__image" src="//cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/160711124526-facebook-phone-super-169.jpg"&gt; Photos: How social media affects the teenage brainReward circuitry is thought to be particularly sensitive during adolescence, which may partly explain why teenagers are such avid social media users.Hide Caption 4 of 7&lt;img alt="The teenagers were shown a bespoke version of Instagram during the experiment where the &amp;amp;quot;likes&amp;amp;quot; they saw weren&amp;amp;#39;t given by their peers, but instead assigned by the research team.&amp;amp;lt;br /&amp;amp;gt;" class="media__image" src="//cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/160708192510-social-media-teenager-study-2-super-169.jpg"&gt; Photos: How social media affects the teenage brainThe teenagers were shown a bespoke version of Instagram during the experiment where the "likes" they saw weren't given by their peers, but instead assigned by the research team.Hide Caption 5 of 7&lt;img alt="The teens were shown &amp;amp;quot;neutral&amp;amp;quot; photos showing things like food and friends, and &amp;amp;quot;risky&amp;amp;quot; photos depicting cigarettes and alcohol, pictured. The study found that teens were more likely to &amp;amp;quot;like&amp;amp;quot; popular photos, regardless of the type of image." class="media__image" src="//cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/160708185700-social-media-teenager-study-1-super-169.jpg"&gt; Photos: How social media affects the teenage brainThe teens were shown "neutral" photos showing things like food and friends, and "risky" photos depicting cigarettes and alcohol, pictured. The study found that teens were more likely to "like" popular photos, regardless of the type of image.Hide Caption 6 of 7&lt;img alt="While social media has the potential to influence teenagers in good ways, it&amp;amp;#39;s important for parents to be aware of who their teens are interacting with online, says Lauren Sherman, lead author of the study." class="media__image" src="//cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/140716134456-getty-image-teens-cell-phones-super-169.jpg"&gt; Photos: How social media affects the teenage brainWhile social media has the potential to influence teenagers in good ways, it's important for parents to be aware of who their teens are interacting with online, says Lauren Sherman, lead author of the study.Hide Caption 7 of 7<img alt="Researchers at &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;http://www.bmap.ucla.edu/&amp;quot; target=&amp;quot;_blank&amp;quot;&amp;gt;UCLA&amp;#39;s Brain Mapping Center&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; found that when teenagers&amp;#39; photos get lots of &amp;quot;likes&amp;quot; on social media apps, such as Instagram, their brains respond in a similar way to seeing loved ones or winning money." class="media__image" src="//cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/160711124314-facebook-app-super-169.jpg"> Photos: How social media affects the teenage brainResearchers at UCLA's Brain Mapping Center found that when teenagers' photos get lots of "likes" on social media apps, such as Instagram, their brains respond in a similar way to seeing loved ones or winning money.Hide Caption 1 of 7<img alt="Thirty-two teenagers took part in the experiment, with brain scans showing how their nucleus accumbens -- the part of their brain linked to rewards -- became especially active." class="media__image" src="//cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/160711124124-teenagers-phone-super-169.jpg"> Photos: How social media affects the teenage brainThirty-two teenagers took part in the experiment, with brain scans showing how their nucleus accumbens -- the part of their brain linked to rewards -- became especially active.Hide Caption 2 of 7<img alt="Being appreciated on social media, through &amp;quot;likes,&amp;quot; was seen in brain scans to activate the reward centers of the brain, pictured." class="media__image" src="//cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/160711140349-teenagers-social-media-brain-scan-super-169.jpg"> Photos: How social media affects the teenage brainBeing appreciated on social media, through "likes," was seen in brain scans to activate the reward centers of the brain, pictured.Hide Caption 3 of 7<img alt="Reward circuitry is thought to be particularly sensitive during adolescence, which may partly explain why teenagers are such avid social media users." class="media__image" src="//cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/160711124526-facebook-phone-super-169.jpg"> Photos: How social media affects the teenage brainReward circuitry is thought to be particularly sensitive during adolescence, which may partly explain why teenagers are such avid social media users.Hide Caption 4 of 7<img alt="The teenagers were shown a bespoke version of Instagram during the experiment where the &amp;quot;likes&amp;quot; they saw weren&amp;#39;t given by their peers, but instead assigned by the research team.&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt;" class="media__image" src="//cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/160708192510-social-media-teenager-study-2-super-169.jpg"> Photos: How social media affects the teenage brainThe teenagers were shown a bespoke version of Instagram during the experiment where the "likes" they saw weren't given by their peers, but instead assigned by the research team.Hide Caption 5 of 7<img alt="The teens were shown &amp;quot;neutral&amp;quot; photos showing things like food and friends, and &amp;quot;risky&amp;quot; photos depicting cigarettes and alcohol, pictured. The study found that teens were more likely to &amp;quot;like&amp;quot; popular photos, regardless of the type of image." class="media__image" src="//cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/160708185700-social-media-teenager-study-1-super-169.jpg"> Photos: How social media affects the teenage brainThe teens were shown "neutral" photos showing things like food and friends, and "risky" photos depicting cigarettes and alcohol, pictured. The study found that teens were more likely to "like" popular photos, regardless of the type of image.Hide Caption 6 of 7<img alt="While social media has the potential to influence teenagers in good ways, it&amp;#39;s important for parents to be aware of who their teens are interacting with online, says Lauren Sherman, lead author of the study." class="media__image" src="//cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/140716134456-getty-image-teens-cell-phones-super-169.jpg"> Photos: How social media affects the teenage brainWhile social media has the potential to influence teenagers in good ways, it's important for parents to be aware of who their teens are interacting with online, says Lauren Sherman, lead author of the study.Hide Caption 7 of 7&lt;img alt="Researchers at &amp;amp;lt;a href=&amp;amp;quot;http://www.bmap.ucla.edu/&amp;amp;quot; target=&amp;amp;quot;_blank&amp;amp;quot;&amp;amp;gt;UCLA&amp;amp;#39;s Brain Mapping Center&amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;gt; found that when teenagers&amp;amp;#39; photos get lots of &amp;amp;quot;likes&amp;amp;quot; on social media apps, such as Instagram, their brains respond in a similar way to seeing loved ones or winning money." class="media__image" src="//cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/160711124314-facebook-app-super-169.jpg"&gt; Photos: How social media affects the teenage brainResearchers at UCLA's Brain Mapping Center found that when teenagers' photos get lots of "likes" on social media apps, such as Instagram, their brains respond in a similar way to seeing loved ones or winning money.Hide Caption 1 of 7&lt;img alt="Thirty-two teenagers took part in the experiment, with brain scans showing how their nucleus accumbens -- the part of their brain linked to rewards -- became especially active." class="media__image" src="//cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/160711124124-teenagers-phone-super-169.jpg"&gt; Photos: How social media affects the teenage brainThirty-two teenagers took part in the experiment, with brain scans showing how their nucleus accumbens -- the part of their brain linked to rewards -- became especially active.Hide Caption 2 of 7&lt;img alt="Being appreciated on social media, through &amp;amp;quot;likes,&amp;amp;quot; was seen in brain scans to activate the reward centers of the brain, pictured." class="media__image" src="//cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/160711140349-teenagers-social-media-brain-scan-super-169.jpg"&gt; Photos: How social media affects the teenage brainBeing appreciated on social media, through "likes," was seen in brain scans to activate the reward centers of the brain, pictured.Hide Caption 3 of 7&lt;img alt="Reward circuitry is thought to be particularly sensitive during adolescence, which may partly explain why teenagers are such avid social media users." class="media__image" src="//cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/160711124526-facebook-phone-super-169.jpg"&gt; Photos: How social media affects the teenage brainReward circuitry is thought to be particularly sensitive during adolescence, which may partly explain why teenagers are such avid social media users.Hide Caption 4 of 7/* global CNN */'use strict';jQuery(document).ready(function () {var galleryAdSlide = new CNN.AdSlide('el__gallery', false, CNN.contentModel.singletonFile);});Story highlightsA study found that teenagers are highly influenced by 'likes' on social mediaReceiving 'likes' activates the reward centers in the brain, similar to winning a prizeVital Signs is a monthly program bringing viewers health stories from around the world. (CNN)Whether you're on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, What's App or Twitter, the way you communicate with friends today is changing. Keeping in touch is no longer about face to face, but instead screen to screen, highlighted by the fact that more than 1 billion people are using Facebook every day.Social media has become second nature -- but what impact is this having on our brain?Reward circuitryIn a recent study, researchers at the UCLA brain mapping center used an fMRI scanner to image the brains of 32 teenagers as they used a bespoke social media app resembling Instagram. By watching the activity inside different regions of the brain as the teens used the app, the team found certain regions became activated by "likes", with the brain's reward center becoming especially active.Read More<img alt="Americans devote more than 10 hours a day to screen time, and growing" class="media__image" src="//cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/160425125609-smartphone-hands-large-169.jpg">Americans devote more than 10 hours a day to screen time, and growing"When teens learn that their own pictures have supposedly received a lot of likes, they show significantly greater activation in parts of the brain's reward circuitry," says lead author Lauren Sherman. "This is the same group of regions responding when we see pictures of a person we love or when we win money."The teenagers were shown more than 140 images where 'likes' were believed to from their peers, but were in fact assigned by the research team.Scans revealed that the nucleus accumbens, a part of the brain's reward circuitry, was especially active when teens saw a large number of likes on their own photos, which could inspire them to use social media more often.Peer influenceAs part of the experiment, participants were also shown a range of "neutral" photos showing things like food and friends, and "risky" photos depicting cigarettes and alcohol. But the type of image had no impact on the number of "likes" given by the teens. they were instead more likely to 'like' the more popular photos, regardless of what they showed. This could lead to both a positive and negative influence from peers online.Sherman believes these results could have important implications among this age group."Reward circuitry is thought to be particularly sensitive in adolescence," says Sherman, "It could be explaining, at least in part, why teens are such avid social media users."Read: What parents need to know when kids are on social mediaSocial learningAdolescence is a period that is very important for social learning, which could explain why teens are often more tuned in to what's going on in their respective cultures. With the rise of social media, Sherman thinks we may even be learning to read likes and shares instead of facial expressions."Before, if you were having a face to face interaction everything is qualitative. You use someone's gestures or facial expressions, that sort of thing, to see how effective your message is," she says.

“As a species we are very highly attuned to reading social cues,” says Dr. Catherine Steiner-Adair, a clinical psychologist and author of The Big Disconnect. “There’s no question kids are missing out on very critical social skills. In a way, texting and online communicating—it’s not like it creates a nonverbal learning disability, but it puts everybody in a nonverbal disabled context, where body language, facial expression, and even the smallest kinds of vocal reactions are rendered invisible.”

The index of any illicit drug use tends to be driven by marijuana, which is by far the most prevalent of the many illicitly used drugs.

Although a number of genes play a role in the development of substance abuse, this is a disease in which other factors more strongly influence its occurrence.

Individuals who begin using drugs as juveniles are at greater risk of becoming addicted compared to those who begin drug use as an adult due to the immaturity of the teenage brain, particularly of that part of the brain that controls impulses.