The negative effects of social media on children and teenagers are not secret. From exposure to inappropriate content to privacy concerns, the pitfalls associated with social media have brought platforms such as TikTok and Instagram under immense scrutiny. Most recently, a former employee of Facebook Frances Haugen leaked thousands of company documents to The Wall Street Journal that reiterate the platform’s damaging impact on many young people and how little Facebook is doing to prevent it.
The algorithm used by Facebook is prone to spreading misinformation and harmful content, the leaked documents indicate. For instance, teenage girls have fallen victim to social media accounts promoting disordered eating and self-harm. Facebook, despite being aware of the harm its platform is causing, is reluctant to alter its algorithm to promote user safety due to fears of a slowdown in growth. An extensive research commissioned by Instagram, which is also owned by Facebook, showed that the photo-sharing platform not only affected the mental health of many female users, based on such issues as self-esteem and body image, but could also promote suicidal thoughts among them.
Haugen has described Facebook’s choices as “disastrous” for online privacy and public safety. The Harvard graduate, who had worked at Google and Pinterest prior to her three-year stint at Facebook, stated that Facebook’s products “harm children, stoke division, and weaken our democracy”. Haugen felt that Facebook publicly plays down such issues – particularly the platform’s impact on teenagers’ health – which led her to resign from her position as a product manager at Facebook and become a whistleblower. There is also the issue of extremist and racist ideologies being freely promoted on social media. Haugen herself witnessed a friend falling prey to white supremacist ideas through online forums, according to The Guardian.
While the leaked documents have dealt a blow to Facebook, the negative impact of social media is already well documented. Research conducted by 5Rights Foundation, a charity promoting children’s digital rights, found that social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, are recommending harmful content to children, despite knowing their ages. This content includes “material related to eating disorders, extreme diets, self-harm and suicide as well as sexualised imagery and distorted body images”.
These claims by 5Rights Foundation are not based on speculation. As part of its research, the foundation created several social media accounts, each in the name of a real child, and then searched for content based on the likes and preferences of that child. The researchers found that the new accounts received direct messages from adult users within hours, asking them to connect and, in some instances, even offering pornographic material.
The accounts that clicked on dieting tips were recommended “unachievable” bodies by the end of the week. This provides startling evidence of how social media platforms overlook ethics and safety in favour of their own material interests.
The excessive use of social media can also lead to anxiety and depression. In fact, “Facebook depression” is becoming a globally acknowledged phenomenon. A clinical report by the American Academy of Pediatrics states that the teenagers suffering from Facebook depression risk social isolation. Moreover, such individuals may turn to risky internet sites for help that promote substance abuse and other destructive behaviour, the report argues. Cyberbullying is another problem linked to social media, with teenagers frequently targeted online. It can have a significant psychological impact on the victim and, in extreme cases, is known to have contributed to suicide attempts.
Today, Facebook has around 2.8 billion monthly active users, while Instagram and TikTok each have over 1 billion users. Given the sheer size of these platforms, the extent of harm that they can cause is also colossal. In addition, young people face “immense peer pressure and social expectations to broadcast their lives online”, according to the US Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Despite the perils of social media, it does have benefits, and considering how deeply the social media culture has penetrated the modern world, it may not be possible to avoid its usage altogether.
How do we then counter the harmful effects of social media? While Haugen is actively calling on governments to externally regulate Facebook for reducing the harm being caused to society, there is much more that needs to be done at individual and group levels. Parents should inform their children about using social media responsibly and turning to the right channels for online support. This requires parents to have at least basic understanding of the various social media platforms out there, the types of content they are known for, and the particular age groups they are targeting. Even more critical, perhaps, is the role of schools that have a moral obligation to properly educate their pupils about the risks of using social media and the etiquette for maintaining a responsible online presence.
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