Question

Media impact on teenager para in120to135 words

Answer 1

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Concerns about media influence on teenagers

It’s normal to be worried about the influence of media on your child.

Media influence on teenagers can be deliberate – for example, advertising is often directed at children and teenagers. This means that children and teenagers are increasingly conscious of brands and images. You’re not alone if your child has pestered you to buy the next ‘in’ thing!

Media influence can also be more indirect. An example of this might be the increasing sexualisation of content in advertising, magazines, television shows and music videos. These media products often show ‘sexy’ women with unrealistic body types. Other kinds of media feature violent imagery and coarse language – for example, video games and song lyrics.

These indirect media influences can suggest to teenagers that these are ‘normal’ ways to look and behave.

But being exposed to media influence, images and messages doesn’t automatically mean your child is at risk. Teenagers don’t just take on board everything the media – or anybody else – tells them. They can be savvy consumers of media messages.

The media isn’t the only source of information for teenagers – or the only way they get media messages and images. Teenagers are also influenced by their families, peers, community mentors and other role models. You have a big role to play in helping your child develop media literacy and make good choices about media use. 

Media influence and risky teenage behaviour

There are some links between media content and negative teenage behaviour.

Media influence on body image 
Your child’s body image is influenced by many factors. These include family environment, ability or disability, peer attitudes, the fashion industry, cultural background – and mainstream media, social media and advertising.

If teenagers see unrealistic ‘thin’ or ‘muscly’ body types often enough, it can have an impact on their body image and dieting behaviour. This is especially true when there’s no-one to disagree with messages like ‘thin is beautiful’.

Body image ideals in the media have increased teenagers’ desire for plastic surgery. For example, some teenage girls now want breast implants and laser hair removal, and some boys want soft tissue fillers (muscle enhancers). 

Media influence and violence 
Seeing violent media content often enough can make it more likely that someone will behave in an aggressive or violent way, be less understanding of other people’s needs and feelings, or feel more afraid of their environment.

This kind of content doesn’t always – or even often – show what would happen if people behaved violently in real life. It can mean that teenagers don’t get a realistic understanding of what happens when you’re violent in real life.