Social media has increased rapidly in recent years and has become one of the most significant parts of our daily lives. With websites like Facebook and Twitter, we are now able to communicate with people on the other side of the world. With just one click you can stay in touch with your relatives, marvel at the latest celebrity gossip and even see what your friends had for breakfast. However, with access to unlimited sources of information, many of us have become dependent on our phones and computers. Adolescents, in particular, are one of the age groups most affected by this epidemic. In 2010, 93% of teenagers aged 12 to 17 were on the Internet. With teens spending a lot of time on the Internet, we are starting to see the negative health impacts. This technology has led to social media addiction, cyberbullying, and an increase in negative body images. As social media use continues to increase for adolescents and young adults, concerns about adolescent social development due to the Internet are also increasing. Many teens are drawn to social media because it provides a place where they can remain anonymous and make friends, when they might be too shy to do so at school. In fact, one survey shows that “participants… said they were better able to express their true selves online than offline, and tended to project ideal qualities onto their online partners.” However, when you have been given the tools and technology to maintain your life without even saying a word to someone face to face, it is anything but social. As a teenager, social development is key. During these years, a child will learn how to maintain friendships, thrive in social situations, and other important skills. When you go about your day...... middle of paper......es we see on social media, which destroy our self-esteem and fuel our desire to be thin. Social media has been easily accessible in our decade, but has seen a boom in popularity and usage by users. It has taken over our society and culture by providing a new channel to connect with the world in real time. While social media has many advantages, especially in providing resources and knowledge to the public, it also has many disadvantages, including not providing sufficient protection to our youth. Therefore, we see the increase in addiction to social media, cyberbullying and negative body images. We must push our government, schools and families to educate our young people about the Internet. With the increasing growth rate of technology and the fact that technology will be our future, it makes sense to teach our children how to use social media responsibly.