Youths turn to social networking to boost self-esteem

MODERN teenagers increasingly turn to social media in an attempt to boost low self-esteem, according to a new study.

A third of young people admit they lack confidence, while 47 per cent say they are more confident on social media such as Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Young people find that their online account can be more extravagant than their real life, allowing them to feel more confident about whom they are.

The research, by Sky TV’s youth initiative, Sky Academy, found girls are more likely to seek assurance online.

Not only are they more likely to have a profile on Facebook, but they are more likely to post selfies - 63 per cent of girls compared with 41 per cent of boys.

Celebrities have had a huge influence on this.

People like Kim Kardashian, who started the trend of taking selfies, play a big role in the media scene.

The study also showed cyber-bulling to be an issue due to 80 percent of young people having a mobile device and 81 per cent on some form of social media network.

One in five children aged 11 to 13 say others have written negative things about them on social media and one in seven admit their self-confidence is affected by their number of Facebook friends, making the internet a very intimidating place for young people.