"There are a number of risks associated with social media use," such as negative effects, mental health, cyber-bullying,dangers of sexual solicitation, and exposure to problematic illegal content and privacy violations. Teens are at risk in behaviors offline and also have difficult problems in other parts of their lives. Social media also creates an opportunity for emotional distress from threatening, harassing, or humiliating communication from another teenager called cyber-bullying. Cyber-bullying has been shown cause to greater levels of depression and anxiety for victims than bullying and has been connected to cases to youth suicide with teens known in reading hurtful comments before their suicide attempts. "Texting can also be used be used to bully or humiliate people."
Parents and caregivers need to educate themselves about social media and the ways their teens may see it, as well as the common risks, to help them understand and navigate the technologies.