It was a valuable experience to hear Jesse Miller speak about “Privacy, Safety, Bullying, and Consent” in Tuesday’s class. Principally, his speech offered me the opportunity to hear opinions on social media and adolescent screen and social media use that differ profoundly from my own views on the matter. Jesse’s speech made it especially clear to me that individuals hold very different understandings and values regarding the integration of technology into schooling, as well as everyday life, especially in regards to adolescents.
Observing a different approach to my own on the matters of social media addiction has given me the opportunity to question the integrity of my opinions on the matter. The aspect of the talk that surprised me the most was I perceived an attitude that the addictive aspects of social media were not at the forefront of consideration regarding adolescent phone use in learning environments, and general lifestyle screen-use.
The reason why smartphone use quickly became such a source of interference with learning has largely to do with their addictive nature. Students were too often tempted to use their phones in school, even when it was not objectively in their best interest to do so. Whether this is because it poses a clear interference with their learning, or because they would have to do more homework since they missed class lessons or work-time, casual social media scrolling in the classroom did not serve students. It is often argued that when adolescents are behaving in ways that are not in their own best interest, it is ethically imperative that mentors or caretakers should intervene in order to support the wellbeing of that youth.
Of course, this qualitative and subjective reasoning does not constitute the sole support for the fact that social media is addictive and detrimental to mental health, especially in adolescents. Many studies have demonstrated that social media is addictive, and harmful for mental health. The American Psychological Association states, “Studies have linked Instagram to depression, body image concerns, self-esteem issues, social anxiety, and other problems. By design, the app capitalizes on users’ biological drive for social belonging—and nudges them to keep on scrolling” (How can we minimize Instagram’s harmful effects?). Further, a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association revealed that teens who use social media more than three hours per day may be at heightened risk for mental health problems (Associations Between Time Spent Using Social Media and Internalizing and Externalizing Problems Among US Youth). Another recent study published in The National Library of Medicine found that “habitual social media use may lead to addiction and negatively affect adolescents’ school performance, social behavior, and interpersonal relationships” (Research trends in social media addiction and problematic social media use: A bibliometric analysis). These are just a few brief examples amidst a body of extensive research attributing social media to addiction and mental health concerns.
Clearly, the addictive nature of social media is a pervasive issue that should not be taken lightly, especially by education professionals who have a responsibility to the wellbeing of adolescent students. Topics of addiction are indisputably essential to discussions of social media. In my mind, this constitutes a profound moral imperative for educators to consider the topics of addiction at the forefront of discussions and policy-making regarding social media and adolescents. Young people whose brains are still developing deserve to have helpful guidance around the dangers of addition; this applies to social media as much as any other addictive substance or habit. Because of this, it is appropriate for educators to diminish the development of social media addiction while the students are at school. The cell phone ban is one obvious way to do that. Of course, we can’t control student’s social media use at home.
I think the cell phone ban is most effective where it is paired with clearly stated reasoning, and lessons on social media literacy. The rules which limit students’ behaviors should be explained; in this case, it should be made known that educators are trying to prioritize learning, and decrease daily exposure to addictive apps. Additionally, I strongly believe students should be taught about the industry behind social media, and made aware of the marketing techniques that are constantly targeting their psyches. Learning to interpret the messaging and content on social media in a critical way is a skill of immeasurable importance in today’s world.
One great resource I would recommend on this topic is the documentary The Social Dilemma by Jeff Orlowski. This documentary helped start me on my social media literacy journey when I was in grade twelve. This film is from before the era of AI, so it is missing that aspect of things, but it offers valuable insights on the addictive qualities of social media.