There were 4.9 billion social media users in 2023. This is more than half of the world’s population. Every day an average adult spends about two and a half hours on social media. According to recent data, teens spend around 5 hours on social media every day. Girls spend about 1 hour more than boys.
COVID is largely responsible for this huge increase and dependence on social media for obvious reasons. When we were physically cut off from each other, we found solace in connecting through social media. That trend continued and grew over the last 4 years.
Balancing the social media benefits and risks for teens is crucial.
The Positive Impact Of Social Media
The Internet revolutionized access to information. Social media platforms went further to increase social connections and feelings of belonging. Benefits of social media include -
An increased access to information and learning resources
Maintain relationships with families and friends around the globe.
Boost creativity and self expression
Facilitate social and political changes. It’s a tool for community organization when used effectively.
Provide resources and information during natural or man-made calamities.
Provide knowledge base on various topics like history, science, and mental health.
Reduce stigma around mental health due to the normalization of mental health struggles by celebrities and sports stars like Simone Biles.
The Dark Side of Social Media
Since 2010 there has been an increase in loneliness, self-harm, suicide attempts, and depression, anxiety in teens and young adults. Since the pandemic, this increase has been seen at an alarming rate. Research shows that social media is one of the significant reasons. Some of the prominent issues are discussed here.
Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying is impacting more teens than ever. It used to be that peer problems were left at school at the end of the day. Now they continue on social media 24/7. Cyberbullying impacts mental health and academic performance. It affects self-esteem and social competence. Victims feel helpless because they are not able to control the bullies due to the invisibility of the bullies in the real world. Video gaming platforms, messaging apps, and other social media platforms like Instagram and Snapchat can create an unfavorable environment for teens who struggle between finding their tribe on these platforms and dealing with cyberbullying.
Body Dysmorphia
Another important issue is body dysmorphia, especially in teenage girls. Body dysmorphia is a persistent preoccupation with perceived flaws in physical appearance that are not noticeable by others. Since social media relies heavily upon images, the impact is significant.
Teens tend to compare and feel jealous, hopeless, and develop distorted ideas of physical appearance. The line between reality and digital images blurs. While self-expression and body positivity are promoted on social media, there are also 100 different filters to make you beautiful for the online world. This creates confusion for the teens. The “perfect” images of a popular peer could create body shame about a normal, healthy body.
Young people and others alike start hating their real selves. It becomes a vicious cycle of looking for validation by posting selfies/other images often and being obsessed with the likes and comments. Dangerous trends on TikTok can provoke people, especially teens and young adults, to engage in risky behaviors. There is a fear of not fitting in or getting ostracized by peers if they don’t follow the trend. This increases pressure and anxiety significantly.
Misinformation
It is very common for teens and young adults to go on social media to get information on mental health issues and find support. It’s not uncommon to see teens and young adults self-diagnosing and self-treating themselves based on their social media knowledge, which could be dangerous. A breed of influencers on social media holds the power to impact teens. Teenagers are at a higher risk of misdiagnosing and mistreating themselves because they don’t have the critical thinking capacity to research and make the right choice. They are quick to believe misinformation.
What can we do?
Parental responsibility
Open Communication
Parents need to have conversations with their teens about the pros and cons of social media before enforcing rules about the use of phones. Teach the teens to be good digital citizens by instilling good habits. Teach them to use data on their phones to track their social media use and discuss the pros and cons. Promote critical thinking by asking open-ended questions like, “What was the interesting post on TikTok and why?”. Parents need to have open communication about trends on social media, and the role of influencers, and take an interest in the reasons behind their children’s desire to follow any trend.
Talking to kids about priorities and time management is important. Parents can limit screen time and create consciousness about the consequences of excessive social media use.
Algorithm Awareness
We all know the algorithms feed you similar information to keep you in the loop. They are designed for you to be on their platform and increase profits for the company. Increase your child’s knowledge about how algorithms work if they seem ready for it. This will encourage them to be more specific about their search phrases on social media.
Being a Role Model
Parents also need to model self-control and self-regulation. A simple rule of not having phones on the dinner table could bring a significant change. You can talk to your friends about their kids’ social media use and the rules around it.
It is important to do some introspection. How much are we responsible for our children’s screen addiction? Did we use the phone as a babysitter or to keep our children quiet at a party or a social function? How did we build expectations around social media such as YouTube?
School regulations
Several states, including California, have implemented a ban or limited the use of cell phones in schools. A 2022 study found that limited use of cell phones in school increases focus and academic achievement and it decreases anxiety, and depressive symptoms. Teachers are pushing for restricted use of cell phones for students to help them learn and excel in school. Some parents oppose the ban due to the fear of not being able to reach their children during a crisis. We need to engage in these conversations and work together to help our children.
There is no straight or simple answer to resolve this issue. We need to know and acknowledge the important role of social media in our children’s lives. We need to inform ourselves about both sides of social media, good and bad. We need to be mindful of its use and teach our children to become continuous users of social media.
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