The Reality of Social Media for Youth Today

The Reality of Social Media for Youth Today

By: Zach Vega

Social media can pose a serious threat to our youth. As the next generation to have kids, we can help ensure that they avoid these dangers by monitoring the way that youths use social media. Many people may say that social media makes youths' lives easier than ever, and they're right, but does social media come as more of a benefit to kids these days or a burden? To truly answer the question we first need to explore both the positives and negatives that it has on the youth. Today I will be mainly focusing on the negative health effects, and on the flip side the positive health effects. Let's start with the cons of social media.

Negatives Mental Health Effects

First, In Clark's writing she explains how social media provides misinformation to billions of people a day. This misinformation is used to hurt people by giving false narratives and or to lie against peoples name. According to Clark (2020), “59% of US teens experienced cyberbullying or online harassment. 90% say they think this harassment is a problem that affects other people their age. 63% say that it’s a major problem”.  The spreading of misinformation is not only a lot easier now but it is a lot easier for the youth to get a hold of. While this doesn't seem like much of a big deal it can cause some serious problems. Such as spreading damaging rumors about people or things that aren't true. Imagine a teenager who becomes the target of a harmful rumor or constant online harassment. The emotional toll can be devastating, leading to anxiety, depression, and feelings of isolation. This toxic environment created by misinformation doesn’t just hurt reputations, it hurts young people’s mental health (Clark). These negative effects are at an all time high due to the likes of these matters or ones similar. In more recent times with Ai content being brought into the various different social media platforms. The spread of misinformation can be even more difficult to distinguish AI from real life and takes advantage of kids not being able to fully understand AI content.

Beyond misinformation social media can show unrealistic and idealized ways that people like celebrities and influencers live life. This is harmful to youth because they see these different unachievable things and feel that their life doesn't measure up to these influencers. This can develop different mental health problems and even physical health problems like eating disorders, or can even make people feel ungrateful of their own life. Besides the fact that social media has negative effects on people's mental health it also has many effects on their physical health. 

 According to a research study by Maria Clark of American teens ages 12-15, those who used social media over three hours each day faced twice the risk of having negative mental health outcomes, including depression and anxiety symptoms.” (Clark, 2020). Youths have been spending too much time on social media. As of lately youths have made a term for this addiction labelling it as “Doom Scrolling”, and while this seems like a dramatic term it is a very real problem that I myself have even faced. This doom scrolling is causing social isolation, social anxiety, and many other negative mental health effects among young people. According to Statistics, “Since the release of smartphones, mental health concerns have increased in children and young adults. The rate of adolescents reporting symptoms of major depression in a given year increased by 52% from 2005 to 2017. From 2009 to 2017, it grew by 63% in adults ages 18 to 25. (Clark, 2020). These studies show that since social media has grown bigger and more popular, health effects in youths and young adults keep getting  worse and worse.

Furthermore, this shows how the overuse of social media causes numerous negative health effects and should instead be limited or monitored. The majority of these problems can be avoided if we help spread awareness not only to parents but to youths themselves. Explaining to them the dangers of social media along with the benefits. Teaching them how to properly use social media platforms. More importantly by instilling morals into them, letting them know that it is not okay to target people on online platforms because while there are not many consequences for them it leaves a negative impact to the person on the receiving end. By limiting the amount of content available to them it makes it safer for them however doesn't mean they should spend all their time on it. Hopefully somewhere in the near future some of these issues can be resolved.

Positive Mental Health Effects

Now the contrary is emphasized from the Assistant editor of education week Arianna Prothero. She explains the important benefits that social media presents to youths. She also mentions the several important benefits that youths’ mental health receive. One of the most significant is emotional support. Arianna Prothero reports in Education Week that “seeking social support … has been found to alleviate depressive symptoms … and help teens feel better about themselves.” This creates an environment where youths have a way to express themselves without feeling threatened and can instead receive support, and feel heard especially when offline support is limited. By interacting with those who share similar experiences, teens can reduce feelings of isolation, improve their emotional well-being, and feel more understood .

Moreover people can help feel more confident and supported with decisions. Social media can help people's mental health serve as a valuable tool for learning and self-exploration. Prothero further explains that “teens can seek information about their own relationships, … health information, information about their identity, information for school. It’s a really cool venue to seek information.” This helps young people to explore who they are, find answers during a stressful situation, and find support from others from similar backgrounds. Teens who use social media to learn about their interests or seek guidance can boost their self- esteem and give them better independence.

In addition, it creates an environment for important and supportive relationships where connections can be made. Whether it’s staying in touch with family or making new friends through shared interests, social platforms allow teens to strengthen their social connections in ways that might not be possible offline. This can be especially important for kids who are more introverted or tend to socially isolate themselves in person. Helping them to feel heard by others helps them express their voice.

Together, Prothero’s observations show that social media can really help youths, when used appropriately and with guidance. Social media can provide emotional support, helping people express their creativity and learn things from others. These benefits showcase that social media, which may contain some risks, can ultimately be a positive force in teens who use it with healthy, balanced good intentions, and proper guidance.

Similarities and Differences

While both perspectives differ from one another they both present some similarities and differences. As they both agree that there are potential risks when. The first perspective emphasizes protection and harm prevention, viewing youth as vulnerable to social media due to negative influences and arguing that adults must intervene through monitoring and restrictions to safeguard young people's health. This approach perspective demonstrates the risks and the statistics of possible negative effects, like misinformation and harassments, unhealthy comparisons, and excessive screen time. Whereas the second perspective notes while notes that there are possible risks and downsides, but emphasizes how the guidance of a guardian greatly changes this aspect turning social media into an opportunity for youth to benefit from social media and instead use it as a tool to express themselves, receive support and empathy, and make important connections with others. This approach works to prioritize meaningful connections, support systems, and learning opportunities. An additional difference between the two is in the solution to social media-related problems. As Maria Clark vocalizes the importance of controlling youths' social media usage. With things  such as parental controls, content restrictions, and screen time limits. The problem with this is that Clark makes a big assumption that youths can control their social media use and require parental control in order to protect them from harm. Arianna Prothero acknowledges that there is an importance of guidance, media literacy, and working to find a balance. Prothero explains that, "involving youth and their thoughts and perspectives and ideas is really important because if we involve youth, they're more likely to follow those boundaries or goals" (Prothero). This perspective gives the benefit of the doubt to youth, that when they use social media with the right intentions, they can learn to utilize social media in beneficial ways.

Despite these differences, Clark and Prothero share some common opinions. Both perspectives agree that social media has transformed into a crucial part of youths' lives,  and that it can greatly impact youth health, whether positively or negatively. Neither side makes the argument that social media should be completely removed from the equation. As such a drastic move would both be impractical and actually burden youth in a time where it's such a big part of life. Both sides agree that guardians have their part in aiding kids to properly use social media. The disagreement revolves around the severity of guidance that they think is required to be effective. The truth is all youths are affected by social media in different ways, where certain types/groups of people could face more of a threat than others who may be likely to benefit from it. 

Strengths & Weaknesses

Both arguments contain strengths and weaknesses throughout. Clark's strengths rely on her statistical research relating social media to the declining mental health of youths. With drastic changes mental health effects like in depression, suicide, and anxiety since the release of the smartphone. Clark's (2020) statistics provide both undeniable and measurable evidence to social media’s possible negative effects. Furthermore, her argument stresses very real problems of cyberbullying, and misinformation. The concern for youth wellbeing is both understandable and respected as it is important to keep our youth protected.

However, this argument also presents weak points. Most notably, Clark makes assumptions that the negative effects are solely due to social media. As the world changes there are countless factors that may skew these statistics. Further, this side makes a generalization of all social media use portraying it as all harmful without specifying the purpose of use. While someone spends three hours of their day cyberbullying, others can vary drastically to someone who uses three hours used to connect with people who share interest or with those you share a relationship with. Lastly, this viewpoint does not share any of the benefits that youths can reap from social media and instead focus on restricting it.

The second perspective's greatest strength lies in its nuanced understanding of how social media can serve different purposes for different youth populations. By thinking more realistically as it presents the benefits for various individuals and everyone's circumstances are different. Prothero’s research is supported by the credible argument of how social media can bring people together making important connections, along with sharing factors that help support mental wellbeing. Moreover, her argument emphasizes on guiding youth through social media, teaching them media literacy, and being able to set boundaries as a partnership rather than dictating how much they are available to use.

Nonetheless, this viewpoint also showcases its weaknesses. While Prothero agrees that there are varying risks, she doesn't express the full severity that these effects can have, as well as not providing any solutions. The negative statistics on declining youth mental health require some deeper consideration that this perspective does not address. Additionally, the emphasis on benefits may inadvertently minimize the very real harm that social media has caused to many young people. The suggestion that socially anxious youth can practice social skills online before transferring them offline, while supported by research, may also serve as a convenient rationalization for excessive online engagement that never actually translates into improved offline functioning. Finally, this perspective's solutions, while thoughtful, may prove insufficient if social media platforms themselves are designed in ways that exploit psychological vulnerabilities and promote excessive use regardless of user education or intentions.

Compromise 

After seeing the important pros and cons from each side we can observe that neither side of the extreme arguments would be very helpful, and we can instead use this newfound knowledge to our advantage to try and find a middle ground. This is important because it allows us to reap the benefits from both sides while working to limit the negatives. 

In conclusion, social media has become a powerful part of young people’s lives and is something that is almost necessary for everyone. But with its power comes bad habits that can lead to mental health problems. Being able to limit social media use for youth isn’t about taking away their freedom, it’s about giving them the chance to find a healthy balance between offline and online creativity and grow up healthier and happier. While the evidence is clear, social media can be harmful if it is being used in an unhealthy balance, it is proven to be crucial for everyday life. Too much of anything can be harmful. My biggest suggestion is if you see yourself fall into these habits is to at least try to make a change by taking mental notes, finding an offline activity/hobby to do. I know it's not easy as I myself have fallen victim to social media overuse, but if we don't work to stay in control and find a healthy medium then we can be harming ourselves more than you know. I think that the use of social media should be taught more in school so all kids get a sense of the repercussions that can occur, and understand the ways they can use it to help them.

Works Cited

Clark, Maria. “40+ Frightening Social Media and Mental Health Statistics — Etactics.” Etactics | Revenue Cycle Software, 12 Nov. 2020, etactics.com/blog/social-media-and-mental-health-statistics#:~:text=Spending%20more%20than%203%20hours.

Prothero, Arianna. “How Social Media May Benefit Teens’ Mental Health.” Education Week, 16 Feb. 2024, www.edweek.org/leadership/how-social-media-may-benefit-teens-mental-health/2024/02.