Social Media: A Potential Drug?

Following a Wall Street Journal report, Antigone Davis, global head of safety for Facebook, which owns Instagram, was brought before the Senate Commerce Committee to address questions about safeguarding minors online and the psychological damage that teenagers may be exposed to on the network. Following scrutiny from US lawmakers and other organizations about how it may damage adolescent girls and their mental health, Facebook has decided to halt plans to introduce Instagram Kids, a version of the app for youngsters aged 13 and younger.

WSJ report:

The Wall Street Journal released a report as part of a series based on internal Facebook research that found Instagram had a negative impact on young viewers. The report included a slide from the study that indicated Instagram exacerbated body image concerns in every third young female polled. Teens also blamed the app for spreading anxiety and depression across demographics. According to the findings, around 30% of British and 6% of American teen users who participated in the study had suicidal thoughts that they related to the app. According to the report, some young girls reported using the app exacerbated their body image concerns and, in some cases, led to eating disorders.

Following the publication of the WSJ study, the discussion over social media issues has resurfaced. Studies have indeed shown that social media, in general, is fuelling anxiety and depression in users across age groups.

Many teenagers start their morning by reaching for their smartphones before they take showers. Their journey to school might engage them in scrolling late-night chats, sharing TikTok videos, watching youtube shorts, and like Instagram posts. They are more enthusiastic about the virtual world than the real world around them. Most of them find less time to interact with people surrounding them.

However, A Pew Research Center poll of U.S. teenagers reveals that many young people recognize the unique challenges – and benefits – of growing up in the digital era, despite rising worry over social media's impact and influence on today's kids. Teens say social media helps strengthen friendships, provide emotional support, but can also lead to drama, feeling pressure to post certain types of content.

According to Pew research center,

• 81% of them feel more connected to their friend,

• 69% thinks they interact with a diverse group of people,

• 71% found it more inclusive

• 68% feel as if they have people who will support them through tough times.

The research also demonstrates how teenagers manage social norms around what – and how frequently – they post to these platforms. On social media, young people are far more likely to write about their successes or family life than to share their personal issues or political opinions. Pew research finds when asked what topics they post about on social media, roughly half of teens say they post about their accomplishments on social media, while 44% say they post about their family. Around one-third (34%) say they share things related to their emotions and feelings on these sites, while 22% report posting about their dating life. The upper group of teenagers is more prone to posting their dating life. Social media has both advantages and problems in our lives and in our society. It has a strong impact on teenagers. As a result, it is critical to understand how social media affects teenagers. Teens' use of social media can be harmful if not studied well.

Impact of Social media on teens:

While the long-term implications of an adolescent shaped by persistent online presence are unknown, numerous researchers have monitored the browsing patterns of early children and teens to see, if possible, harmful mental health outcomes are linked with online activity behaviors.

• Cyberbullying: Cyberbullying is harassment using electronic means such as Social media. A new Pew Research Center survey finds that 59% of U.S. teens have personally experienced cyberbullying. Name-calling is the most prevalent kind of internet abuse that young people face. 42 % of teenagers claim they have been called derogatory names on the internet or through their telephone. Furthermore, one-third (32%) of adolescents claim someone circulated false information about them on the internet, while a lesser proportion (21%) have had someone other than a parent frequently question where they are, who they're with, or what they're doing, or have been the object of violent threats online (16% ). Teen boys and girls are equally likely to be bullied online, but girls are more prone to false rumors, receive explicit images they didn’t ask for.
• Health implications: Social media platforms are built to engage you on the platform which in turn increases your screen-time. Such aggressive association with social media develops anxiety and depression in teens. Suicidal attempts by teens can also be attributed to the overuse of social media. Long-term disregard for such signs might lead to mental disorders. Social media has emerged as the leading cause of sleep deprivation. The combined impact of the above issues would be loneliness, social isolation, deprivation of self-confidence, and ultimately self-absorption.
• Fear of Missing Out (FOMO): While FOMO has been far longer than social media, sites like Facebook and Instagram appear to intensify thoughts that others are having more fun or enjoying better lives than you. The feeling that you're missing out on some things might lower your self-esteem, cause worry, and drive you to use social media even more. FOMO might drive you to pick up your phone every few minutes to check for updates, or to reply obsessively to each and every alert—even if it means risking your life while driving, losing out on sleep at night, or putting social media activity above real-world connection.

According to the Pew research center,

• 45% feel overwhelmed by all of the drama there.

• 43% feel pressure to only post content that makes them look good to others.

• 37% feel pressure to post content that will get lots of likes and comments.

However, the addictive nature of Social media, its emphasis on finest moments, filters that boost skin tone or brighten the eyes, and the dominance of influencers who advocate a glossy lifestyle can create a unique set of challenges for teenagers who may already be dealing with self-esteem issues. As the kids are getting phones younger and younger, misrepresenting their age, and downloading apps that are meant for those 13 and above. Therefore the time has come to work combined by parents, experts, and policymakers to demonstrate the value and to build opt-in parental supervision tools for teens. Parental permission, age-appropriate content, limitation on screen-time, and parental supervision would be some of the tools to prevent teens from suffering. And if not, Social media can emerge as the potent Drug.