New Year Resolution with Social Media
I originally posted this article on a New Year Resolution and Social Media with your children and teens on Bronson’s website, https://www.bronsonhealth.com/news/social-media-and-your-family/
I thought I would share it with you here on my site as well.
From wanting to eat healthier and exercise more, to finding more time to relax or taking up a new hobby, January seems to be the time of year that we all look for ways to improve ourselves. This year, what if you consider looking at how your family uses social media, and more specifically, how your children and teens interact with social media?
In December 2024, the AAP News (American Academy of Pediatrics) published an article on this topic. A big challenge for parents is knowing the world of social media. There is so much to consider – setting up time limits or do-not-disturb settings on phones and tablets; how to block or filter content based on age; understanding public vs. private accounts – just to name a few.
Growing Concerns Around Social Media and Young People
For years now, there has been a growing concern that social media negatively affects people, with tweens and teens being especially susceptible. Though social media can be a great way to connect with peers and learn, it can also expose us to dangerous or inaccurate information and lead to other negative situations like cyberbullying. Some more of the top concerns with social media use among teens include:
- Reduced mental health, peer pressure and the comparison game: Social media tents to highlight a curated, ideal versions of people’s lives. Constantly watching other in this way can lead to low self-esteem, anxiety and/or depression. It can also lead to feelings of inadequacy or FOMO (the fear of missing out). No matter our age, we are all susceptible to comparing ourselves to one another, but youngsters are even more likely to fall to peer pressure and conform their behaviors to “fit in” with others.
- Addictive content: Social media algorithms are designed to keep you scrolling. Excessive screen time can lead to less time for “real world” activities like school and hobbies, and less face-to-face interactions with family and friends.
- Reduced attention span: On social media, new information is always available at our fingertips. This can lead to reduced attention spans and the lack of ability to focus.
- Privacy and safety: It’s not uncommon for teens to accidentally share personal information online. This can put them at risk of predators and scams.
Social Media, Screentime and Sleep
We know that tweens and teens who do not get enough quality sleep are more likely to have problems with academics, anxiety and depression. In addition, this article published in Infectious Diseases in Children and In Healio News talks about the harmful effects that screen time has on children and teens. Did you know? Children who are in front of screens for longer periods of time are more likely to:
- Have lower executive function skills
- Get angry more easily
- Experience cyberbullying
- Experience reduced mental health
Some countries, including Australia, have started to pass laws that ban social media use for those younger than 16 years of age. Some states here in the U.S. are looking into similar laws, as well. For example, the State of Florida, as reported in NPR, is looking at a law to ban children ages 14 and younger from social media. Creating a law here in the U.S. to protect our kids may be daunting, but at a minimum, we as parents can have a positive influence on their mental health.
Understanding and Monitoring Your Child’s Social Media Usage
The Glossary of Digital Media Platforms, developed by the AAP Center of Excellence on Social Media and Youth Mental Health, can help you better understand social media terminology and how to change settings on your child’s phone. For example, if you are in the Apple world and have iPhones, you can go to Family Sharing within your settings section and set up the Share Your Location application, add a Recovery Contact for forgotten passwords, or set schedules for “Focus/Do Not Disturb” so they cannot use apps during certain hours. You can also use the Glossary of Digital Media Platforms to look up instructions on specific apps and how to silence them at night. The tool is great, as it offers both written instructions and how-to videos. If your child is experiencing adverse effects from social media, this tool can also help you select specific feeds to block or filter certain content.
Have you heard of the Discord app? This started out as a free app for internet gaming amongst friends, however, it has evolved to include one-on-one or group texting and video calls. More recently, it has expanded into a broader social platform with special interests, such as anime, TV series and music, just to name a few. Like many social media apps, it now uses ads to target users based on their activities. It is possible to opt out of ads by following the instructions in the Glossary of Digital Media Platforms. So, if your child/teen uses the app, consider looking into it. Other instructions you can find include filtering or adjusting content based on the age (e.g., teens 13-17), changing privacy settings, choosing who and how they communicate with, nighttime and notification settings, time limits and parent supervision options.
Though the world of social media is complex, it is important to bring the family together to understand the principles of a healthy social media life. This podcast from Drs. Edith Brancho-Sanchez and Megan Moreno, both moms and pediatricians, is excellent. They discuss a healthy viewpoint of social media and how we can help our children and teens navigate the different platforms. Consider building a social media plan for your family using this tool from the AAP.
Keeping your kids safe online and on social media is a lot of work. Once you feel more confident and familiar with social media, consider talking with your younger children as they approach their tween years. This may be your chance to instill some positive decision-making in them.
References
Category: Pediatric Corner
Tags: american academy of pediatrics, new year resolution, social media, teenage anxiety, teenage depression
