The Role of Public Administration in Addressing the Social Impacts of Social Media Use among Adolescents

Abstract

Social media has become an integral part of the lives of teenagers in the digital age. The presence of social media provides various conveniences in communication, information exchange, and the formation of social relationships. However, excessive use of social media also has the potential to have various negative impacts on adolescents' social interactions. This study aims to analyze the impact of social media use on adolescents' social interactions, both from positive and negative sides, especially in the aspects of communication, friendship, education, and social interaction. The method used in this study is library research by collecting, reviewing, and analyzing various scientific sources in the form of books, national and international journals, and scientific articles relevant to the research topic. The results of the study show that (1) social media facilitates communication and information exchange between adolescents, (2) social media expands friendship networks and supports the learning process, and (3) excessive use of social media can reduce the quality of face-to-face interactions, increase the risk of digital addiction, cyberbullying, and reduce social concern for the surrounding environment. The novelty of this research lies in the discussion that integrates the four main aspects of adolescent life, namely communication, friendship, education, and social interaction in one comprehensive study so as to provide a broader picture of the influence of social media on the social development of adolescents in the digital era.