1992 was a breakthrough year for the tech industry. The first device that would become the antecedent of the modern smartphone became commercially available. Known as Simon Personal Communicator (SPC), the device was developed collaboratively by IBM and BellSouth.
It was a revolutionary technology that featured a touchscreen and could exchange emails or faxes. The original purpose of SPC was to offer the best of a mobile phone and a personal digital assistant (PDA).
Initially, only businesses could purchase the device, which became available to the common man a few years later. The present-day US smartphone market carries a net worth of $109.8 billion. At this rate, it would not take longer than 2029 for 15.6 million Americans to own this device. Though launched with noble purposes in mind, this technology has had negative effects on our youth.
The smartphone has a notorious reputation for rewiring the human brain, especially of teenagers.
In this article, I will discuss how smartphone technology is affecting our youth and what to do about it.
Curious Teens Now Trapped in Addiction
Despite the invention of telephones in the 1900s, it was still difficult to picture a life void of privacy. The tables got flipped with the advent of smartphones and social media.
Personal experiences like where we dine, who we spend time with, and every other detail is shared online like paint on a Jackson Pollock canvas. Technology that was created to bring people closer has made personal privacy a relic of the past, much like a hardbound book.
Our teens have become masters at keeping a watchful eye on each other’s lives. They’re also taking much pride in putting their own on display. Nearly half of British teens in a recent study admitted to being addicted to social media.
When considered in light of rising cyberbullying, this path only leads to a meltdown. It all deteriorates further when it comes to various social media channels – Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok.
A typical case is that of Instagram, deemed to be the worst social media channel from a mental health viewpoint. Our adolescents are stuck in a downward spiral of scrolling through their feeds, drowning in social comparison and fear of missing out (FOMO).
TorHoerman Law shares that many are suffering from anxiety, self-esteem issues, and depression. What’s worse is that despite the negative effects, our youth feels powerless to stop the vicious cycle. Instagram algorithms are masterful at keeping users hooked on their feeds.
This is why parents of suffering teens have filed an Instagram lawsuit against Meta. It has been alleged that the platform is willfully designed to drive profitability through addiction. Other social media channels like Facebook, TikTok, and Snapchat are rife with similar issues.
Social Media Algorithms Only Aggravate the Issue
In the previous section, I just briefly mentioned Instagram’s algorithms. Let’s delve a bit deeper into what they are and how they drive the problem. Algorithms are a set of instructions that accomplish a particular task in computing.
When it comes to social media, these algorithms become a set of rules that govern the platform’s performance. To put things into perspective, social media algorithms would determine how content is filtered, ranked, and displayed before users.
By that definition, these algorithms do determine to a certain extent what content users consume. Naturally, their choices can be influenced in the long run. If that means offering a user more content that may interest them, it’s a good thing.
However, the flip side is that social media algorithms are capable of showing content related to a user’s searches. This will only fuel their feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem. Users are advised to remember that such platforms offer a distorted view of reality that seldom matches a person’s actual life.
Does that still keep the brain from being tricked? From the way these platforms are designed, that is highly unlikely.
Ways to Reverse the Damage
I just discussed how social media technology is capable of rewiring our youth’s brains. Does this mean the damage, once done, is permanent? Thankfully, the answer is no.
Just like any other addiction, this too can be broken, albeit the process may take time.
Let’s look at ways teens can take charge of their screen time. Parents can also apply the tips in this section to help their children.
- Time blockers can be used across social media apps daily. This will allow the teen to go social media-free for certain hours during the day.
- Inversely, a social media happy hour can be fixed. During this time, the teen can solely focus on enjoying social media. Some may find this method less exciting.
- In some cases, a complete social media detox or fast may be the best option. Teens can take a break from all or select social platforms for one week or 30 days. Gradually, this can be increased to six months or a year.
To Sum It Up
The conclusion drawn from a social media detox is often the realization that one can live without such platforms. They may seem compelling since humans are social beings. However, life without social media can be much more meaningful and fulfilling for some individuals.
We know that at least the Gen-Z are moving from social-first to social-free. Three in five individuals from this generation have taken a social media detox and are never looking back. Did they just reverse the damage and take control of their lives? Oh yes, they did!
