Teens and Social Media

The U.S. Surgeon General has called on Congress to require warning labels on social media platforms similar to those that are mandatory on cigarette boxes. "It is time to require a surgeon general warning label on social media platforms, stating that social media is associated with significant mental health harms for adolescents. A surgeon general's warning label, which requires congressional action, would regularly remind parents and adolescents that social media has not been proved safe," Dr. Vivek Murthy stated. He added that the use of just a warning label would not make social media safe for young people but, would be a part of the steps needed: "Evidence from tobacco studies show that warning labels can increase awareness and change behavior."

Social media use is prevalent among young people, with up to 95% of young people ages 13 to 17 saying that they use a social media platform, and more than one-third saying that they use social media "almost constantly," according to 2022 data from the Pew Research Center. Teens constantly hear about the downsides of social media from the adults in their lives, often in the form of dire warnings and commands. Common cautions are "Think before you post" and "Be mindful of your privacy settings." While this is not bad advice, adults did not grow up with social media themselves. Kids coming of age with social media are forging ahead in a whole new world. Now that they are getting older, they have some advice for their younger peers. Here's what they wish they knew when they first got online.

A lot of it is not real.

"A lot of people make their life artificial so that they're perceived in a certain way." -Nour Mahmoud, 21 years old

"But the things that people post on social media, it's just the highlight reel, like the 1% of their life that they want to showcase to other people." -Bao Lee, 18 years old

Don't take it too seriously.

"My main point of advice would be not to take it too seriously. Be yourself... You should be enjoying childhood. And we shouldn't be rushing to grow up. It's OK to be 12. It's OK to be young. It's OK to enjoy childhood." -Doreen Malata, 22 years old

It is so addictive.

"It seems like it would be really easy to just put your phone down and stop scrolling. But it is not." -Sienna Keene, 17 years old

It's a waste of time.

"I would say just don't use it. It's kind of a waste of time. You're just having conversations about pointless things, random pop culture stuff. It just sucks your time. You're not really getting anything out of it, just short-term satisfaction." -Mikael Makennon, 18 years old

You are not the one in control.

"Often I hear the term 'social media user,' but I felt like I was being used by social media. I had this routine of scrolling mindlessly through TikTok, just scrolling and scrolling and comparing myself to other people. It ultimately really affected my body image, my perception of what was considered beautiful or accepted into society. But the only thing I was getting out of social media was feeling fatigued, or I would feel sad." -Lea Nepomuceno, 18 years old

Social media is a double-edged sword; with the right strategies, its benefits can be maximized while its risks are minimized. Creating a positive social media experience can protect your well-being as well as enhance your life by connecting you with others and allowing you to express yourself in creative ways.