Mass Media and Adolescents

The mass media has a pivotal impact of the general public in today's context. The use of computers has heightened the effects of mass media in both the benefits and harmful effects. The mass media has infiltrated the fabrics of our lives and needless to say its effects have influenced people in all corners of the world.

The Internet has been billed a revolutionary way of reaching out to people. This seem to have worked well for the elderly or house-bound as it helps to reduce movement for them to get access to news, knowledge or perform certain tasks. However it can have adverse effects for the youths. Research has shown that the young have reduced going out to interact with friends. Instead they preferred to stay in the comfort of their homes to socialise using soc ial media. This has replaced face-to-face interactions with families and friends.

Online shopping, e-mailing and Web-surfing are convenient they are but solitary activities. Time spent with friends and families have been drastically reduced especilly in urbanised areas. A new issue has escalated- lonely people in citiies. As more people are using the computers, it has been noticed that more people are feeling the effect of loneliness. Communicating on via the computer means communicating even with strangers. While there is the initial excitement, however the task become rather meaningless eventually. It can be an emotionally frustrating experience later.

Are more people allowing low quality relationships develop in virtual reality replace high quality relationships in the real world? This socially isolating tasks has been keenly embraced by adolescents of today.