Module 8.5 EDU 776: Social Media

 As a high school teacher of psychology since 2007, teen mental health has been an important topic in my course. The relationship between social media and an increase in anxiety and depression has been something I have been following in the news. The Wall Street Journal's article Facebook Knows Instagram is Toxic for Teen Girls, Company Document Shows  does a thorough analysis of recent published documents and research from both within and outside the organization. 

Some important findings include that teens spend 50% more time on Instagram compared to Facebook, but social comparison is worse on Instagram compared to other social media platforms. In a study conducted on U.S. and U.K. teens, 40% reported feeling 'unattractive' and that the feeling started while using the app, and about 25% reported feeling 'not good enough' and said that started on the app. Many reported wanting to stop using the app, but lacked the self discipline to do so. It was not just young girls who were affected either, 14% of boys in the U.S. said that Instagram made them feel worse about themselves and 40% experienced negative social comparison. 

Most importantly, calls for Facebook to regulate themselves and to share the bulk of their research have been in vain. Congress has failed to act to pass legislation to reign in the influence of Facebook and Instagram, although hearings and investigations have been called. An interesting comparison in the article was between tobacco companies and Facebook, in that tobacco companies hid the negative effects of their product for years in favor of profits, and perhaps Facebook is doing the same. 

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So, should people, especially teens, stop using Facebook and Instagram? According to CNN's article Leaving Facebook Makes People Happier but Less Informed, Study Says. Researchers from New York University (NYU) and Stanford paid people to stay off Facebook for four weeks, and while off the application, they reported being happier, less active online, less politically polarized, but also less informed about factual news. This is one of the largest randomized studies on Facebook and it was not a correlational study which cannot prove causation. I'm not surprised with the results of the study and would challenge others to take a break, but perhaps download a reliable news app, if they were getting their news from the platform. 

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It's important to remember that there are positive aspects to social media as well. Used properly and monitored by adults in their lives, teens don't have to fall victim to the negative aspects of social media. I recommend taking some pointers from the Mayo Clinic's staff about social media use and teens. The Help Guide also presents the advantages and disadvantages of teens using social media. These include the advantages of:

• finding new friends from the around the world
• joining communities and causes 
• getting emotional support
• find outlets for creativity
• discover information and learning opportunities

On the other hand, some disadvantages of teens on social media include:

• Feelings of inadequacy and an increase in insecurities
• fear of missing out
• Isolation 
• Depression and anxiety
• Cyberbullying
• Self-absorption
• Spending more time online than with your real world friends
• Sleep issues

Some strategies to combat the negative aspects of social media include:

• Reduce your time online
• Assess the reasons your online to begin with
• Don't take your tech with you to bed before sleep
• Spend more time with offline friends
• Express gratitude
• Practice mindfulness
• Join a club or volunteer to use your time
• Enforce social media breaks