Talking about the negative effects of prolonged and prolonged use of social media is not new, but the bullying it can have on children and adolescents, according to a recent British study, may be new and a warning to parents and educators.
A group of British researchers have found that the constant use of social media for many hours a day can lead to bullying on children and adolescents in the virtual world.
The study also said that children and adolescents who publish regularly or even just comment and admire what others post on the sites, devote less time to other activities, especially sleep and exercise, which affects them negatively psychologically and physically.
Researchers warn that the problem is not in social media itself, but in children and adolescents falling prey to negative effects due to other factors related to the extent of involvement in the virtual community.
According to the study published in the journal "Child and Adolescent Health" specialized scientific, this negative impact of social media depends on the individual's exposure to bullying, and the amount of sleep and daily activity and physical activity.
The researchers found their findings by analyzing data from surveys of more than 12,000 schoolchildren in Britain between 2013 and 2015.
The researchers stressed that any attempt to improve mental health should include working to combat electronic bullying and encourage children and adolescents to exercise physical activity and get enough sleep.