Children who use social media 'hate' their appearance
Children who spend a lot of time on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter are more unhappy about their looks than those who never use it, according to a new study.
The Government-backed survey of 3,500 children aged 10 to 15 found that of those on social media for more than three hours a night, only 53% were content with their appearance – compared with 82% of non-users.
The study also found that girls were twice as likely as boys to say that they used social networks for such long periods, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Heavy users of social media are also more likely to argue with their parents, as 44% who are online for more than three hours said that they quarrelled with their mum more than once a week. The figure was nearly half that for light and non-users of social networks.
These astonishing figures are taken from a survey of UK households being carried out over a number of years by the Institute of Social and Economic Research at Essex University and supported by a number of government departments.
They show that 17% of heavy social media users are bullied a lot or quite a lot, compared to 11% of light users. Truancy rates are higher for heavy users (14%) than light users (6%). Heavy users were also twice as likely to say that they misbehaved in class.
We're sad to see that dissatisfaction with relationships was more prevalent in children who defined themselves as heavy social media users. They were less happy with friends, less happy with family and 5% said they did not feel supported by their family, compared to just 1% of youngsters who said that they were seldom on social sites. The survey, entitled Understanding Society, involves 40,000 households across the UK and covers all ethnic groups.
Some of these figures make for stark reading, but it's not too much of a surprise. With children spending more time than ever online, not every social media experience is going to be a good one. Talking to children about the pitfalls of social media is a good way to build relationships and keep them safer.
Online safety book 'Virtually Me' is aimed at youngsters aged 10 - 14 and encourages them to better understand both the good and bad sides of social media. It has a set of activities for young people to work through, which eventually leads them to creating their own personal guide to getting the best out of the internet – and doing so safely. If your child is spending a lot of time on social media, and you think it could be affecting their confidence, Virtually Me is a responsible way of opening up lines of communication with them.
The Government-backed survey of 3,500 children aged 10 to 15 found that of those on social media for more than three hours a night, only 53% were content with their appearance – compared with 82% of non-users.
The study also found that girls were twice as likely as boys to say that they used social networks for such long periods, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Heavy users of social media are also more likely to argue with their parents, as 44% who are online for more than three hours said that they quarrelled with their mum more than once a week. The figure was nearly half that for light and non-users of social networks.
These astonishing figures are taken from a survey of UK households being carried out over a number of years by the Institute of Social and Economic Research at Essex University and supported by a number of government departments.
They show that 17% of heavy social media users are bullied a lot or quite a lot, compared to 11% of light users. Truancy rates are higher for heavy users (14%) than light users (6%). Heavy users were also twice as likely to say that they misbehaved in class.
We're sad to see that dissatisfaction with relationships was more prevalent in children who defined themselves as heavy social media users. They were less happy with friends, less happy with family and 5% said they did not feel supported by their family, compared to just 1% of youngsters who said that they were seldom on social sites. The survey, entitled Understanding Society, involves 40,000 households across the UK and covers all ethnic groups.
Some of these figures make for stark reading, but it's not too much of a surprise. With children spending more time than ever online, not every social media experience is going to be a good one. Talking to children about the pitfalls of social media is a good way to build relationships and keep them safer.
Online safety book 'Virtually Me' is aimed at youngsters aged 10 - 14 and encourages them to better understand both the good and bad sides of social media. It has a set of activities for young people to work through, which eventually leads them to creating their own personal guide to getting the best out of the internet – and doing so safely. If your child is spending a lot of time on social media, and you think it could be affecting their confidence, Virtually Me is a responsible way of opening up lines of communication with them.
Main image: Getty
Article by Katy Ratican
Article by Katy Ratican