Effects of using social networking sites By teenagers on family members, Reflections - and solutions

Due to its vital role in shaping the psychological and personal development of the child, the family is considered one of the social development institutions. The first five years are characterised by the child`s foundation personality formation. The family continue to take care of the child through subsequent stages of growth including adolescence, until maturity. It provides them with all material, emotional, and psychological needs. However, nowadays families are facing several challenges that often hinder their ability to fulfill their functions, such as procreation, physical and moral care, upbringing, and the transmission of cultural and social heritage as required. One of these prominent challenges is the increasing use of social media platforms, such as Facebook, especially by teenagers. This has negatively impacted the level of social relationships within the family resulting in a decline and separation among its members. Therefore, the unity and cohesion of families in many Arab societies, including our Algerian society are threatened. It is, thus, important to think seriously about solutions for the inclusion of this phenomenon, mitigating its effects, and preserve the unity of the family since children and teenagers are in great need of a strong and cohesive family. They draw their values and core concepts from it and find it a refuge from external problems and pressures.
As the school is the second institution after the family in social development, we have decided to propose solutions to this phenomenon addressed to parents as well as the educational institution. This is after discussing, of course, the positive and negative effects of teenagers' use of social media.