Arguments against my position:
Legal
restrictions should
be imposed due to social media and the onset of bullying, sexting,
and harassment
within the teenage community especially against and amongst
teenage
Argument #1: Social
media has allowed for the opening of conversation and forums
leading to
diversity of thoughts, opinions, and empowerment. Putting legal
actions and
restrictions against online postings due to bullying and the
spreading of
provocative content would stifle this ability and can be a
gateway to into more
internet restrictions.
In a broad
question about all online activity that was asked of all teen
internet users, 52% of online teens said they
had an experience online that made them feel good about
themselves (Madden et al., 2013, p. 73).
Many online teens also say they have had online experiences that
made them feel closer to someone
else; in our current survey, 33% of all online teens reported a
deepened connection to someone because
of something that happened online (Madden et al., 2013, p. 73).
Four in ten online teens say they have met someone online who
later became a good friend. AfricanAmerican
teens are more likely than white teens to report meeting good
friends online; 54% of AfricanAmerican
teen internet users say they have met a good friend online
compared with 35% of white teens.
Boys and girls are equally likely to report meeting good friends
online, but older online teens ages 14-17
are more likely than younger teens to say they have met a close
friend online (42% vs. 32%) (Madden et al., 2013, p. 74).
Increasingly, utilities are harnessing the power of social media
for a variety
of business purposes, including educating consumers,
implementing regulatory
initiatives like demand response and smart grid, coordinating
stakeholder
proceedings, and communicating power outages and safety issues
to the public (Elefant, 2011, p. 4).
Rather than ignoring this negative publicity, utilities are
using social media
to send a positive message. In response to frequent criticism,
one utility, Avista,
―decided to get serious about using social media‖ and use it to
publicize its
policies to encourage renewables and energy efficiency, and to
promote safety (Elefant, 2011, p. 6).
Several other studies
revealed positive outcomes for adolescents and
those aged 16 to 24 years, such as improved social
skills, social support, self-efficacy, and self-worth
using online methods (Austin-McCain, 2017, p. 2).
Argument #2 : Individuals
who post on social media should be aware that such postings can
be spread
rapidly and be saved online and should be held accountable for
posting
provocative content when seeking legal action for whatever
reason.
One teen, when asked about the topic of sharing location stated,
“No [I don’t share my location]
because it seems unnecessary. If someone wants to know where you
are, they can ask. I’d share my
location if I was at my friend’s house because sometimes they
want me to. I don’t share it definitely if
I’m not somewhere that I want people to know I’m at.” (Madden et
al., 2013, p. 34).
Focus group data suggests that many teens find sharing their
location
unnecessary and unsafe, while others appreciate the opportunity
to signal their location to friends and
parents (Madden et al., 2013, p. 5).
Teen social media users are more likely
than other online teens who do not use social media to say they
have refrained from sharing content
due to reputation concerns (61% vs. 39%) (Madden et al. 2013, p.
13).
Academic leaders should engage in developing
student-centered programs, policies, and resources
for improving daily habits and routines, which
foster healthy lifestyle behaviors and provide
healthy, safe, and effective environments for
learning about and using and engaging with social
media resources (Austin-McCain, 2017, p. 11).
As society becomes
increasingly immersed in online communication, it is essential
that
people should be better apprised of their legal rights and
responsibilities,
and of the emerging legal risks to their privacy and safety
(Shariff et al., 2015, p. 283)
Sources
Austin-McCain,
M. (2017). An examination of the Association of Social Media Use
with the
satisfaction with daily routines and healthy lifestyle habits
for undergraduate
and graduate students. Open Journal Of Occupational Therapy
(OJOT), 5(4), 1-13.
doi:10.15453/2168-6408.1327
Elefant,
C. (2011). The "power" of social media: legal issues & best
practices for utilities engaging social media. Energy Law
Journal, 32(1), 1-56.
Shariff,
S., & DeMartini, A. (2015). Defining the legal lines: eGirls
and intimate images.
In Bailey J. & Steeves V. (Eds.), EGirls, eCitizens: Putting
Technology,
Theory and Policy into Dialogue with Girls’ and Young Women’s
Voices (pp.
281-306). University of Ottawa Press. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt15nmj7f.15