The Sorry State of Social Media

By: Caleb Nadeau

Recently, social media became the main source of news in the United States for the first time. According to Reuters Institute, 54% of Americans obtain their news from social media platforms like YouTube, Facebook, and X. This marks a significant shift in preferences, with more Americans increasingly abandoning traditional mediums of information, like television and radio.

For young adults and teenagers, social media has been a staple part of their formative years. The National Institutes of Health reports that 95% of teenagers (13-17) have used social media. The media they consume has also evolved over the years, with many young people turning to video-based applications like Discord or Tik Tok over text and image based applications that were much more popular with millennials like Facebook and Twitter.

The dangers posed by social media today are staggering. Social media addiction is estimated to impact millions of people globally. The most vulnerable group tends to be younger adults and teenagers. Pew research finds that, “About a third of teens (36%) say they spend too much time on social media, while 55% say they spend about the right amount of time there and just 8% say they spend too little time. Girls are more likely than boys to say they spend too much time on social media (41% vs. 31%).”

It should be noted that social media has certain reaction features that have been linked to increased rates in dopamine, a chemical of the body that acts as a reward system. Every time someone likes a post, the dopamine in someone’s brain is triggered. This can cause an addictive tendency to keep checking up on posts to view the responses or reactions.

Infinite scroll features on apps like Instagram, have had an addictive impact on people, as well. When more distractions keep appearing and captivating attention away, it becomes easier to keep people from clicking off.

In recent years, scientific research has revealed the hidden harms behind social media usage and its effects on the human mind.

From The Department of Health and Human Services: “Adolescents that spend more than 3 hours a day on social media face double the risk of mental health problems including experiencing symptoms of depression and anxiety.”

The cause of these mental health problems can be attributed to the constant barrage of life updates, and influencer posts that can trigger deep set insecurities in youth. When other people appear polished and put together in photos and videos, comparison can easily become the thief of joy.

The term FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) is often used to describe the phenomenon of feeling anxious or uneasy about missing out on activities that others are engaging in. With the torrent of life update activities people view on their feed, the fear of missing out can be burdensome. With everyone showing their highlight reels of life, people can also mistakenly believe they live a mundane, uneventful or depressing existence.

These self-esteem issues have caused young adolescent girls to question their appearances, with as many as 46% of users claiming body image insecurities. The heart of the matter is that young adolescent minds are now far more self-conscious about their lives and bodies than ever before and much of this vulnerability can be exploited.

As if that wasn’t enough, the effects of loneliness and isolation are also impacting people who spend frequent time on social media. Loneliness has increased in America so much that former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy called it a nation-wide ‘epidemic.’ The effects of chronic loneliness have been compared to smoking 15 cigarettes a day. (Source: PBS News) Who was reported to be the loneliest age cohort? It would appear to be the same age group that predominantly uses social media and the age cohort most likely to have an addiction to it.

And so what was marketed as a tool for social connection and engagement is now becoming an isolating and self-focused indulgence for some people.

Regardless, the fact remains clear that for many Americans, social media is a part of their lives, whether young or elderly. The threat of loneliness, fear, and poor self-esteem increase each time we allow ourselves to scroll longer than we should.

While America becomes increasingly dependent upon social media for the latest information, it is important that we become better stewards of the time the Lord has given us. Not to scroll endlessly and feel the inadequacy of keeping up with the Joneses, but to make sure that it serves us sparingly, not inviting it to master our lives.

For some, disabling or removing their digital footprint from social media has been effective in clearing their minds and providing relief from sensory overload. For others, managing the time they spend is more than sufficient. For families, the dangers of social media and its harmful effects pose a great risk for their child’s development, during a crucial period in their upbringing.

Perhaps we should take this information as a wakeup call to consider the wider implications of using this technology and to better understand the threats that lie beneath the surface.

 

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