Smartphones are becoming part of our daily lives. They offer you a platform where you can access various applications for a specific use. According to research carried out by Pew Research Center, around 78%  of teenagers between the age of 12 – 17 own smartphones.

Most teenagers have access to the internet and they use it for different purposes. Some use smartphones for something beneficial to their lives while others use smart devices for malicious and destructive purposes. Here are some of the positive and negative impacts of smartphones on teenagers.

Positive effects

Develop social contact 

Various applications provide platforms for socialization. Social media applications such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, have provided a good space for teens to interact with people from different parts of the world.

Provide immediate access to information

It has become easier for everyone to access any information. Google provides almost every information you need within seconds hence you do not need to look for a library. YouTube provides practical skills for teenagers that can help them grow their careers, skills, or talent.

Entertainment

Most teenagers want to explore the world and enjoy life. Smartphones have access to modern games, music, movies, and movies. All you need is the internet to download applications for each entertaining element.

Negative effects.

Increases chances of sleeping disorder

Many teens use smartphones to text each other at night and to explore different social media platforms. This interferes with the sleeping pattern and can result in a teenager having insomnia.

Bullying

One of the negative things that are associated with people in this age group is bullying. Through social media, teens body shame others and discuss negatively their fellow teens insecurities. 

Exposure to explicit content

This is the stage where most teenagers start discovering themselves. In the process, they visit some sites that they think will help them understand themselves better. Smartphones have exposed many teenagers to pornography content.

Conclusion

Although you can not deny teenagers smartphones, you can guide them on how they can use them for more educational and self-growth purposes. Help them understand the advantages and disadvantages of different sites.