Before starting my research, I knew that a lot had changed since the "Fast Facts" from 2017-2019.  This was before COVID hit, before AI became widespread, before Trump's second presidency, and countless other important events.

/the mental health dilemma _ 

During this time, teenagers who spent longer on their phones were much more likely to be at a higher risk for suicide.  

Upon doing research, I found that according to the National Center for Health Statistics at the CDC, depression has increased among adolescents and adults aged 12 and older, increasing from 8.2% to 13.1% from 2013–2014 to August 2021–August 2023. 

I wasn't surprised by this statistic because these are the years immediately following the pandemic. Many people had lost their jobs, students missed crucial time in an academic setting, many businesses went out of business, quarantine was still happening in some places, etc.

/the democracy dilemma _ 

The facts from this section center around the presence of misinformation online and the impact it has. Fake news is spreading much faster than truth, political disinformation campaigns, and Google searches are shifting voting preferences among undecided voters, which can all have dire impacts on society. 

Unfortunately, the most impactful result of the rise of misinformation is the loss of trust in journalism and reporting. According to Anton Konopliov, co-author of International Opinion on Global Threats, "66% of U.S. consumers believe that 76% or more of the news on social media is biased."
In other words, more than half of US consumers believe that 76% or more of their news on social media is biased. Despite this being a huge percentage, that is not the scary part. What is truly concerning is that there is no easy way of calculating the real percentage; therefore, this percentage is possible. The reality of the situation makes it incredibly difficult to trust what is read online, which is ironic because one of the internet's best qualities is its ability to connect and inform people.

 

Sources:
Depression Prevalence in Adolescents and Adults: United States, August 2021–August 2023, 2025.
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db527.htm#:~:text=2021%E2%80%93August%202023.-,Summary,Healthy%20People%202030%20(6).

International Opinion on Global Threats, 2025.
https://www.pewresearch.org/2025/08/19/false-information-online-as-a-threat/

I really enjoyed The Social Dilemma because it made me reflect deeply on my own relationship with my phone. Even before watching, I already knew I was spending too much time on social media and had been considering deleting some of my most-used apps to reduce my screen time. The film gave me the extra push I needed, serving as motivation to actually begin making changes rather than just thinking about them. 

One of the lines that immediately stood out to me was, “If you’re not paying for the product, you are the product.” That statement made me pause because it captures the reality of how these platforms operate. Social media companies collect massive amounts of data on every user, building detailed models that allow algorithms to predict what we are most likely to click on, watch, or engage with. Their main goal is not to provide a free service out of generosity, but to keep people on their platforms for as long as possible so they can sell our attention to advertisers. This realization made me much more aware of how persuasive technology is carefully designed to take advantage of human psychology. 

The film also discussed the impact of social media on younger generations, which I found particularly interesting. One example was the decline in the number of teenagers getting their driver’s licenses compared to previous generations. I have noticed this myself within my own family. Many of my younger cousins waited much longer to start driving or get a job than people my age did. While there are many factors, it seems that social media has shifted priorities, making online interaction more central than traditional milestones of independence.

Overall, The Social Dilemma was eye-opening and left me with a stronger commitment to rethink how I use technology.