Studies suggest that many teenagers these days prefer socialising online to meeting one another in person. Why do you think this is the case? What measures could be taken to encourage teenagers to spend more time meeting one another in person? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

There is currently an ongoing debate about

teenagers

preferring to socialize via the internet to the detriment of conventional, face-to-face

meetings

.

This

is a complex topic and several points have to be taken into consideration. I have experienced

this

shift in preference in the flesh, seeing how the convenience of a message or video chat outweighs the pleasure of physically sharing social space with a friend.

This

change in the nature of social interactions will surely lead to the ostracizing of individuals who do not enjoy or do not have the means to communicate online. Some actions that could be taken to avoid the scission of the younger side of the demographic include schools endorsing positive interactions between them in elective hours.

For example

, counselling sessions where

teenagers

get in pairs and discuss their concerns with one another.

This

would put into perspective for them how hollow and frivolous online

meetings

can sometimes be, where very rarely true connections are established. Be that as it may, many

teenagers

may not feel comfortable enough to share their worries with a classmate, and

this

may be the reason why online socializing is growing in popularity.

However

, these sessions can be introduced gradually so as to ease the most reluctant

teenagers

into these healthier, more fulfilling, in-person

meetings

. Another potential downside to favouring physical

meetings

instead

of virtual ones is that online communication as a whole can become stigmatized,

although

it is true that it is sometimes needed to keep in touch with a distant relative, or a friend who lives abroad. Taking it all together,

although

the observed trend is understandable and has some benefits, its downsides outweigh its benefits, and the mentioned measures are needed to teach

teenagers

to develop and maintain healthy friendships.