Writer & Interviewer: Nayleen Vue

The Effects of Social Media

Do you ever notice how people have fears of being “too cringe” or embarrassing themselves now more than ever? This may be the result of something you go to every single day: social media. Many recent studies show the effects of social media and how it takes a toll on people, specifically young teenagers, and their mental health. According to spsp.org, “The more social media people reported using, the lower their levels of empathy”. Although this may seem as something that is a small issue, it’s bigger than you believe. Let’s see what our teachers here at River Falls High school think:

In what ways have you seen social media impact young teenagers, more specifically their mental health and well being?

MRS. STEVENS: In negative ways, social media makes young adults often feel worse about themselves because they are comparing themselves to others. There is also a lot of cyberbullying present that affects their mental health in significant ways. This increases the risk of self harm and suicide. On the positive side, it allows kids to connect with each other. They can learn about what is going on in the world and feel less alone if they are struggling with a mental health challenge. 

MRS. CLEVEN: I think social media impacts teens in many ways, but the most significant issues I notice are increased social anxiety and negative self-image. When face-to-face interaction is limited, students can become uncomfortable or anxious in real-life conversations and social situations because they’re used to communicating through screens. Many also compare themselves to the “perfect” images and lives they see through social media influencers, which can lead to low self-esteem. Over time, this constant exposure can make it harder for teenagers to feel confident in who they are.

MRS. CRAIG: Though social media has many positive impacts, including allowing people to stay connected, introducing them to new ideas, music, artwork, and opportunities, from my perspective as a mother and teacher, its impact on young people is more negative than positive. Because social media is, by its nature, performative, it encourages comparisons about beauty standards, social acceptance, and economics, and social media also perpetuates the spread of misleading and false information, often in the form of ways to meet the expectations implicitly and explicitly communicated by hyper-curated content. Comparisons are often unhealthy because they encourage some people to feel a sense of elitism and others to feel a sense of otherness; both are destructive in different ways, and, ironically, the same person can feel they are both ends of the spectrum. This often results in unhealthy levels of anxiety and even depression. To combat the anxiety of either needing to maintain social power or needing to gain it, many young people feel extra pressure to change who they are before they even know what really fulfills them and brings them joy. From my perspective, social media, for all its advantages, creates an unhealthy cycle.

Do you, yourself, find that being on social media can make you feel negative and what effect does that have on you?

MRS. STEVENS: For myself, I am very conscious about the content I am exposing myself to on social media. I try to follow accounts like "the good news movement" that shares positive stories from around the world. I unfollow accounts that make me angry or upset. However, I do get stuck in the doom scroll habit every so often because it does release dopamine in the brain and often feels good to do. 

MRS. CLEVEN: Absolutely. I realized that I was spending a lot of time mindlessly scrolling on social media, especially on tough days. After coming home feeling drained, I would sit on the couch and lose track of time scrolling through TikTok. It became a habit that left me feeling unproductive and disconnected from the things I actually enjoy. Because of this, I decided to delete social media from my phone. Since deleting social media, I’ve noticed a huge improvement in my mood and find that I reach for my hobbies instead of my phone. (I do still have Facebook but I got rid of Instagram and TikTok)

MRS. CRAIG: I am not on social media often, and, to be honest, it generally doesn't make me feel good. My experience is that it often elevates the negative voices because they seem more "exciting," but they often give me a sense of existential dread. Even posts that are happy or creative receive snarky comments that undermine their potential for joy. I also find the tendency to elevate voices that don't have the ethos or experience to speak with real authority on important issues perpetuates misunderstandings and intensifies divides. That said, if I stay in the right "lanes" by following content creators who work to promote positive action and problem-solving, I learn a lot and make good connections.

Compare from when you were a teenager and teenagers now, do you see a huge difference in things like empathy? Do you believe that social media is the main factor for this?

MRS. STEVENS: For reference, I graduated high school in 2016 as cell phones and social media became more popular. I think the biggest issue related to content on social media is fake news. Students often do not know the difference between facts and opinions and believe anything they see online. Does this directly relate to empathy- I am not sure. I believe the empathy piece has to do with the adult role models youth have in their lives. If they are looking at the behavior of adults on social media, this is not always empathetic and caring. Kids will model the behavior that they see so if they do not know how to be empathetic, it often will not happen by itself. 

MRS. CLEVEN: Yes, I think there is more of an “I don’t care” attitude among some teenagers today. There seems to be less willingness to take risks or go out of one’s way to help others. I don’t think social media is the only cause, but it definitely plays a role. Some of this shift may have started during COVID, when long periods of isolation limited face-to-face interaction and made it harder to build empathy. That said, this isn’t true for all students. Many teenagers today are incredibly empathetic and socially aware, more than when I was a high school student.

MRS. CRAIG: I am not entirely sure I have a firm answer to this. I believe empathy is built through education at home, in the community, and in school. In school, this often comes from being asked to see from another perspective, which is a stronger focus than when I was in school. In my schooling, the focus was on cultural literacy; now there is more focus on understanding different people at different times and why they had different perspectives, which builds empathy. In individual interactions that I have with students, I see empathy, compassion, and service more often than I see cruelty, though apathy continues to hamper individuals' recognition of their power and responsibility to others. Working with smart, passionate, kind students, which I do daily, sustains my hope. That said, I do think social media can remove a huge obstacle to apathy and cruelty--having to look someone in the eyes and be seen by them and others around them as someone engages in an act of apathy or cruelty. When I was young, a cruel comment or mockery might happen in a group of friends, but now it can be posted for a whole community to see. A "nameless" person can bully or intimidate or mock, and other "nameless" people can elevate that voice without the same costs and risks. That force can also increase apathy in the form of choosing to be a bystander because of the increased risk of becoming a target for bullying for standing up. To me, its ability to make cruelty easier is a devastating effect of social media. That said, I don't think social media is the only factor in the loss of community that I see. I see the effects of COVID-19 isolation continuing to be profound. I think healing and community result from sincere, consistent interactions with others, and the more that we can foster those interactions, the healthier our communities will be and become. That said, I understand that each generation builds their own priorities and values. My perspective is not theirs, and my priorities might also be out of date. In the end, I believe that people are generally good and want to have positive impacts. I look forward to seeing what that looks like for young people today as they find their paths in the future.

(All photos are from Newman Web Solutions).