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How Social Media Is Disrupting the Lives of Teenagers
Krystal Ramirez
The University of Texas at El Paso
RWS 1301
Mr. Jose Gomez
Intro
No matter where we look, almost everyone around us can be seen holding a phone in his
or her hands. Face to face interactions have become less common in todays world and many
people communicate with each other mostly through social media than any other outlet.
Although cell phones were created with busy adults in mind, it has become fairly common for
young children to own cell phones very early in life. Although it can initially be very safe for a
child to carry a phone with them during school hours for their safety, it is also very concerning
that children know how to use a phone before they know how to count. Parents can filter what
their children view on cell phones and tablets, but who is to say their friends parents have also
taken the same precautions. The innocence of childhood is slowly being taken away by social
media with the endless sexual content that is available only a few taps away.
Audience
The main audience in this article would be parents of young children, girls and boys
alike. From the very first paragraphs in this article, Sales mentions children and how whether
posting pictures of ones children onlineor allowing ones children to do sois safe from a
privacy or security standpoint. Her first few sentences tell us that Sales is focusing on getting
the attention from parents of children and teenagers in order to alert them of the potential dangers
of social media. Sales also indicates how this article is intended for parents by stating that while
were consumed by the tangible dangers of messenging services we may be missing a
different influence: [parents] own behavior. Kids in todays society are more than ever
being looked as narcissistic when in reality they are learning these types of behaviors from
their very own parents according to Sales.
Ethos
The person we are discussing today is Nancy Jo Sales she builds her credibility for this
article from her extensive time as a journalist. She began her journalism career in the 1990s as a
reported for People magazine and in 2000 Sales began her career with Vanity Fair where she still
works today. Throughout her journalism career, she has written two books, The Bling Ring: How
a Gang of Fame-Obsessed Teens Ripped Off Hollywood and Shocked the World, and American
Girls: Social Media and the Secret Lives of Teenagers. The article I am discussing today is based
off her book American Girls which Sales conducted 2 years of research for, visited 10 states,
and talked to over 200 girls.
Pathos
In this article, Sales interprets how social media can be dangerous to young teenagers by
mentioning the death of 13-year-old Nicole Lovell who was brutally murdered in 2016 by an 18-
year-old male she met online. Sales uses pathos when she mentions the death of this young girl,
and makes the reader realize how unsafe social media can be for young teenagers. Another way
that she uses pathos is by mentioning the death of 6-year-old JonBenet Ramsey in 1996, and how
it magnified the horrors of beauty pageants. These horrors according to Sales include the
extreme sexualization of little girls, the skimpy costumes, garish makeup and risqu dance
moves that young girls are forced to take a part in. Before the age of social media, young girls
in beauty pageants were still ultimately exposed to predators simply by being a part of the
pageants and having their photos and stories shared through the television, magazines and
newspapers. The mention of JonBenet interprets shock as well as a sense of realization that even
before the age of social media, children and young teenagers have always been exposed to
predators but in todays world it is much easier and more common for teenagers and children
alike to become victims.
Logos
Parents throughout social media constantly share images of their children and it is
mentioned by Sales that ninety-two percent of American children have an online presence
before the age of 2. As parents, we are constantly updating the world about our childrens
accomplishments through pictures, in fact according to Sales parents post nearly 1,000 images
of their children before their (childs) fifth birthday. Using this form of Logos in this article
makes the reader realize how easily children can be exposed to predators of the internet at
such an early age, without their acknowledgement. Other forms that Sales uses to establish
Logos was the way in which she mentioned conversations she had with the young girls that
she interviewed. In one of her conversations with her subjects, Sales simply asked one of the
girls why do some girls post sexualized pictures? to which 14-year old Lily a girl from
N.Y. says it is just to get attention, its to get the likes. Everythings about the likes. This
girl describes that todays social media for young teenagers simply revolves around how
many likes they can get for a certain picture. The more likes their picture receives, the
happier and more confident the teenager will feel. Sales also realizes how the way a mother
dresses predicts how their daughters might present themselves as well. In one of her
observations, Sales mentions while hanging out at the mall with her subjects, that there were
teenage girls in booty shorts and cleavage-baring tops, and mothers wearing almost exactly
the same things, except with heels and bling. This establishes Logos simply by stating facts
through observation and how the way a mother dresses can influence her young daughters
wardrobe.
Conclusion
It is inevitable that sexual content will always be available on social media, as a parent it
is important to maintain good communication with your children throughout their teenage years
in order to help them understand the dangers of social media. Talking to our children early on
about the issue can help prevent them from exposing themselves to unwelcoming people and
situations. Our relationship with our children is also established through our very own actions,
ultimately a parent must observe the way they act around their children and demonstrate a good
example by acting and dressing in a good manner.
Reference
Sales, N. J. (n.d.). Social Media and Secret Lives of American Teenage Girls. Retrieved March
02, 2017, from http://time.com/americangirls/

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How Social Media Is Disrupting the Lives of Teenagers

were consumed by the tangible dangers of messenging services we may be missing a

their very own parents according to Sales.

and talked to over 200 girls.

alike to become victims.

example by acting and dressing in a good manner.

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