With more than 5 billion users daily, it is not an understatement to say social media has changed the world. For many, our social networks have become a part of our everyday lives as we rely on our “news feeds” to keep up with everything from current events to sports and entertainment.

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Social media has its benefits. It can be a resource for building community, accessing credible news and connecting with family and friends. Still, there are some drawbacks to the dominance of populated online networks. In this series, I want to explore the impact of social media on society through the lenses of misinformation, mental health, public safety and the decline of civil discourse.

As a local public safety professional who has studied at Naval Postgraduate Academy Center for Homeland Defense and Security, I believe the combination of misinformation and disinformation is one of the biggest threats to homeland security.

Part 2: Social media and mental health

With an average of 145 minutes spent on social media daily, the filter we scroll through might be the one clouding our minds. In 2023, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murphy issued a warning linking social media to negative mental health issues in teens. In the surgeon general’s warning, he was hesitant to proclaim social media contributes to the mental health problems plaguing the youths.

The next year in 2024, he issued a bold stance in a New York Times editorial: “It is time to require a surgeon general’s warning label on social media platforms, stating that social media is associated with significant mental health harms for adolescents.”

Body image

The mental health concerns are not just limited to children and teens — adults are susceptible, too. Lack of contentment, constant comparison and fear of missing out are all feelings that can be exacerbated when using social media. In the book “Over the Influence: Why social media is Toxic for Women and Girls and How We Can Take it Back,” author Kara Alaimo argues the primary way women and girls use social media is to compare their bodies and their lives to others.

To that end, social media has become a powerful force in advertising plastic surgery. TikTok and Instagram are filled with plastic surgeons showcasing before and after transformations. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons reported elective cosmetic procedures increased 131% between 2000 and 2020. Women are coming to their consultations showing the doctors filtered images on their phone as inspiration. Subsequently, the American Psychological Association reported reducing social media use significantly improves body image in teens and young adults.

Constant comparison

Social media sites invite us to compare our lives to others. I’ve heard people say, “I don’t do that on social media.” But the science has proven comparing ourselves to others is natural. It doesn’t automatically mean you are going to become depressed or feel bad about yourself, but the comparison first happens subconsciously.

We must remember social media is user-curated, and people are often inclined to post the parts of their life they want you to see. If you are unemployed or in the process of job searching and someone posts their new position or work achievement, that could trigger certain emotions. Maybe you’re single or in an unfulfilling relationship, and you are bombarded with “happy couple” posts and photos.

As someone who works in 911, I’ve seen couple’s post happy photos with flowers and the sweetest tributes then request the police at their home the next day for a domestic disturbance. And by now we have watched enough Netlfix documentaries and true crime stories featuring people who appeared “picture perfect” online.

Cyberbulling

The Journal of Cybersecurity has identified cyberbullying as a significant public health concern. Cyberbullying is the use of technology to harass, embarrass or humiliate someone by posting harmful content with the purpose or intent to cause psychological and emotional harm.

U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Ternnessee’s own U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn designated June 23, 2024, as Social Media Harms Victims Remembrance Day to honor the individuals who have lost their lives and suffered harm because of social media.

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The resolution says, “Whereas countless individuals and families have suffered harms, including death, because of experiences on social media platforms, including cyberbullying, harassment, exposure to sex trafficking, and exploitation.”

Carson Bride was one of the inspirations behind the resolution. He died by suicide at the age of 16 after being cyberbullied on Snapchat by his classmates.

Cyberbullying is not limited to teenagers. You can find respected adults engaging in this behavior online, too. Locally, various politicians and commentators have been known to fit the definition of cyberbullying. And although we encourage the youths to be kind and mindful on social media, many of those same people provide positive affirmation and amplify their negative posts.

Promoting healthy digital habits

When social media invites you to compare yourself to others, decline the invitation. It takes mindfulness to challenge those thoughts and practice contentment. Love the life you live. What you see as an exotic vacation could be people buried in credit card debt. People you see as a “happy couple” could be on the brink of divorce. Even if that is not the case, practice being happy for others while still appreciating your own situation.

Reduce your screen time and social media usage. Studies show on average we are spending upward of three hours every day scrolling on social media. I often think, “What time has been wasted? What more productive things could I have done, like clean the bathroom, write an article, cook dinner or play a game with my son?”

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Shelby County Commissioner Charlie Caswell recently completed a 90-day social media detox. He said he wanted to take time to focus on “God’s voice rather than the noise of the world.”

Engage in activities that take you away from the screens all together. Exercise is not only good for physical health but has shown to have mental benefits, too. Play a board game. Go for a walk. Read a physical book or journal.

Think hard before giving a child access to social media. I have the stance that children should not be on social media. It’s not good for their mental health, and their brains are not fully developed to handle the barrage of information and images presented to them. I recommend parents explore the website Wait Until 8th, which encourages parents to wait until at least the eighth grade before giving a child a smartphone. Another good parental resource is Protect Young Eyes. There you can find tons of data and resources regarding how to keep kids safe in a technology-filled world.

I am a proponent of the Shelby County’s school board’s decision to ban phones from school and wish it would have been done sooner. I’m also a radical and believe children need less I-Ready assignments and more “pencil and paper” work. A generation is entering the workforce unable to write complete sentences. We are seeing a generation come of age that is underdeveloped. They struggle to cope, compute and compete.

Rates of suicide, depression, anxiety and self-harm among teens have more than doubled since the 2010’s. In the book “The Anxious Generation,” the author Jonathan Haidt correlates the youth mental health epidemic to the evolution of children moving from a “play-based” childhood to a “smartphone” childhood. In 2022, the Pentagon reported 70% of prospects pursuing military service did not qualify. The primary reasons for disqualifications were mental health diagnoses, physical health problems, being overweight and drug use.

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U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn is the co-sponsor of the “Kids Online Safety Act,” which will require social media companies to design their products with the safety of kids and teens in mind, provide parents tools to protect their kids and give families more options for managing and disconnecting from these platforms.

Later in this series I will discuss the decline of civil discourse, when we will be reminded a disagreement about perspective does not have to translate into disrespect of a person. Don’t participate in cyberbullying. Condemn it in all forms.

“I am convinced the devil lives in our phones and is wreaking havoc on our children.” This statement was made by a former Facebook employee, Athena Chavarria, who during her time at Facebook admitted to not letting her children have cellphones until high school.

We should not be surprised at the way the children behave online. It’s clear they are taking cues from the adults.