By Becky Tallent | FāVS News Columnist
The views expressed in this opinion column are those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views of FāVS News.
Lately, many adults are dropping off social media because they say they are tired of personal attacks from people who disagree with them. Some say they find platforms are contributing to anxiety.
Research shows social media users, especially teens, who struggle with depression say platforms such as Instagram make it worse, but at the same time the teens feel compelled to remain and scroll.
Maybe Australia has the right idea: Limit the use of social media to people age 16 and older. Australia is the first country to limit social media, restricting access to platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and Snapchat for children.
Other countries also considering social media limitations for children include Spain, France, Malaysia, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Italy, Greece, Slovenia and New Zealand — as well as some U.S. states such as California.
The mental health toll on teens
Here at home, there have been multiple discussions concerning social media’s contributions to the youth mental health crisis.
In late 2021 Francis Haugen, a former Meta (Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp) employee, released an internal communications and research in a Congressional hearing showing the company was aware of the risks the sites pose to the mental health of children and teens as well as how the algorithms amplify misinformation.
Among the claims, teens — especially girls — are pressured into looking perfect all the time and only share those moments showing their very best. But research on teen use shows 32% of teenaged girls who use social media feel worse about their bodies after engaging online.
Meta disagrees with the analysis of the findings, claiming their goal is to share meaningful social interactions. The company also claims that while some people experience negative outcomes, many teens especially claim they feel better about their depression after using the platforms. There is no response from Meta about the girls who say they feel worse.
Teens do comprise a large audience, with an estimated 22 million teens logging onto social media sites each day, which is roughly 40% of Instagram’s users.
However, in talking with several adults who have just left social media platforms, they say the amount of misinformation and distortion of events is overwhelming for them, much less for children and teens who may not be able to see through the distortion. Most people generally do not research information on fact checking sites such as PolitiFact or Snopes to verify the truth, exacerbating the misinformation.
Adults are struggling, too
In addition, many adults say attacks from people who disagree with their opinions are increasing and becoming more vicious. Some people seem to relish attacking others anonymously. Complaints to the platforms appear to do little to resolve the situation.
Where can this ultimately lead? Besides mental health issues such as depression and anxiety, it can create tensions between family members and friends as people argue unverified “facts” spread online.
At its worst it allows incidents like the Ashley Guillard case in which Guillard, a self-proclaimed psychic, claimed University of Idaho History professor Rebecca Scofield masterminded the UI murders. On Feb. 27 a federal jury ordered Guillard to pay the professor $10 million in damages for defamation.
The impact of social media is almost overwhelming on society. Without guardrails by the platforms to ensure information released into the universe is factual, rumor and innuendo will continue to grow. This does not help teens and adults who find themselves growing more anxious or depressed thanks to the harm of disinformation.
Who should regulate social media platforms, and how, is a tough question.
But parents can watch their children for signs of anxiety or depression, perhaps monitoring their children’s social media consumption as a preventative measure.
Also, all social media users should know how to verify information at a variety of fact checking sites, including PolitiFact and Snopes as well as Truth Check, AllSides and CheckTheFact. All the sites are free, and it is easy to check information.
Continuing to spread rumors and misinformation/disinformation does nothing to help society. In these times when there is such stark division between the different groups within this country, holding social media accountable may be a step in the right direction.
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