Social media is now an indispensable, inescapable part of growing up. But for all the benefits of instant connection and discussion with friends, potentially from across the globe, there are also well-publicised concerns about teen peer pressure on social-media sites. From tragic cases of teenage suicide linked to online forums to the excesses of viral crazes such as Neknominate, the ease of connection and immediacy of expression on social-media sites seem to have changed the way that young people form and develop relationships in the digital age.

But the negative stories are also balanced by positive stories of far-reaching friendship networks, from young people across the globe sharing particular interests (from manga to plane spotting) to sympathy and support when really needed. The story of an11-year-old boy who attempted suicide after being bullied because he was a fan of My Little Pony shows both the worst and best of peer pressure and friendship in a digital age. After news stories about the child’s attempted suicide, other My Little Pony fans (‘Bronies’) rallied round on social media, including raising $48,000 to help with medical bills.

Where does this leave parents and adult authority as young people form hundreds of ‘friendships’ on social-media sites? Where does free expression for teenagers end and adult authority begin in the world of social media? Should parents expect – or want – social-media moderators to sit in loco parentis, watching over their children’s discussions online and stepping in when things get out of hand? As teenagers grow into adulthood in a default digital world, what is the role of parents, social-media sites and wider society in helping them to form relationships that they can take into the adult world?
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