The Age of Social Media: Shifts and Challenges in Adolescents’ Behavior

Abstract

Social media has grown in popularity at an alarming rate over the past few years, from simple forms of communication such as text messaging and phone calls to the use of messaging and calling apps, to the rise of short videos, video or photo-sharing platforms, and social network sites. The forms of social media communication have become more diversified and complex. As the cost of communication, media becomes less expensive and more acceptable to the general public. It has also become common for youth to access social media. Social media use (SMU) is now ingrained in adolescent culture. With the influence of Internet Celebrities (ICs), a derivative born along with the growth of social media, adolescents’ behavioral changes should not be underestimated due to the high degree of freedom in their communication and the extremely low threshold of the industry. Much of the earlier research has concentrated on the benefits that social media use provides to adolescents, and very little has been explored about the possible effects of SMU and its derivatives (i.e., IC) on adolescents’ behavior. A better understanding of the impact of SMU on adolescents’ behavior can help families and schools with intervention planning. This review may provide inspiration for future research on factors influencing adolescents’ behavior from a social media perspective.