Recently, 

Instagram and its parent company, facebook faced public

backlash after Reports suggesting their usage has a negative impact on
youth. Facebook whistleblower, Frances Haugen also revealed that for the
big social media companies, profit is a higher priority than youth’s mental
health. This has brought forth the impact such social media apps and
websites have on the youth.

Positive Impact of Social Media

 Connection: Platforms like Facebook and Twitter give teens
and young adults a sense of belonging and
acceptance. This is particularly true for those who feel
isolated or marginalized, such as LGBTQ youth.

o Its allround effect was clear during the pandemic,

when it connected people and loved ones living in
isolation.
 Positive Inspiration: Social networks can create peer
motivation and inspire young people to develop new and
healthy habits. Teens can also find positive role
models online.
 Identify Formation: Adolescent years are a time when youth
are attempting to master their identities and finding their
place in society. Social media provides a forum for teens to
practice skills related to identity development.

o A study has shown that young people who express

their opinions on social media experience
increased well-being.
 Research: Mental health experts and researchers can use it
to collect data that subsequently informs research. In
addition, therapists and other professionals can network
with each other within online communities,
thereby expanding their knowledge and reach.
  Giving Voice: Social media has allowed teens to develop a
voice of advocacy. This can be a very positive influence
when exposed to the right outlets.
 Gateway to Talent: Social media outlets provide students
with a platform to share their creativity and their ideas with
a neutral audience and get an honest response. The
response becomes a guide for them to better shape their
skills if they are looking to pursue that skill professionally.

o For example, a photographer or videographer

starts by posting their shots on Instagram. Many
youngsters are already making a career out of it.
 Boost to creativity: Social media can help youth to enhance
their confidence and creativity. It connects young people
with a world of ideas and a world of possibilities. These
platforms encourage students to exercise their creative
skills in terms of engaging with their friends and their
general audience.
 Digital activism and social change: Social media can be
a vehicle for making an impact in the community. It
exposes them to essential issues not only in their
community but all over the world as well. Greta Thunberg is
one such example of youth activism.
Negative Impact of Social Media
 Mental Health problems: Studies have found close links
between social media usage and teen depression. As per a
study, youth with moderate to severe depressive symptoms
were nearly twice as likely to use social media almost
constantly.Teenagers on social media spend much of their
time observing the lives and images of their peers. This
leads to constant comparisons, which can damage self-
esteem and body image, exacerbating depression and
anxiety among adolescents.
  Physical Health problems: Over usage of social media has
resulted in less time being spent on doing healthy, real-world
activities. sleep deprivation due to staying up late to
continue scrolling through their social media feeds, a habit
known as vamping.
 Social Relations: Adolescence is a key time for developing
social skills. However, as teens spend less time with their
friends face-to-face, they have fewer opportunities to
practise them.
 Tech Addiction: Scientists have found that teen social
media overuse creates a stimulation pattern similar to the
pattern created by other addictive behaviors.
 Reinforcing Prejudices: Social media allows reaffirmation
of prejudices and stereotypes they have about others. This
is exacerbated by meeting like-minded people online, giving
them a sense of community. For eg. Flat Earth Theory.
 Cyberbullying or Trolling: It has posed serious problems
and has even led to cases of teenage suicides. Moreover,
even teens who commit acts of cyberbullying are more likely
to report substance use, aggression, and delinquent
behaviors.

o Online Child Sex Abuse and Exploitation: A study

in USA found that nearly half of all American
children surveyed indicate that they have
been made to feel uncomfortable, been bullied, or
had an interaction of a sexual nature while
online. In another study, it was found that over 50
percent of the victims of online sexual
exploitation are between the ages of 12 and 15.
Way Forward
 A dedicated Social Media Policy: A holistic policy
to regulate social media by creating accountability of social
 media platforms to not target youth as consumers or future
consumers. This will make the algorithms more attuned
towards adults rather than youth.
 Safeguards for inappropriate content: Platforms should
be prohibited from recommending or amplifying certain
content involving sexual, violent, or other adult material,
including gambling or other dangerous, abusive, exploitative,
or wholly commercial content.

o Standards of Ethical Design: These standards will

set forth principles for tech companies to prevent,
avoid, and discourage digital distraction and
prioritize ethical human learning.
 Digital Literacy: It is important to not lose sight of the digital
divide prevailing in India, esp. in the education sector. A
policy decision in the name of protecting youth should not
result in youth of underprivileged background to lose out on
opportunities of the future.
 Governance and Regulation: Government regulation in form
of greater accountability of platforms for their
content, Data Localization, third party digital audits,
strong Data Protection Laws etc.
 Role of Social Media Platforms: Banning certain features
like “auto-play” sessions, push alerts and more importantly
to create products which do not target youth.
 Role of Social Agencies: Parents, Educational Institutions
and the society as a whole have the important role to
control the correct and limit the use of social media. This
can be done by using Parental control, limits to screen time,
constant communication with kids, and promoting outdoor
activities.
Conclusion
The effects of digital technology on youth is important because
these effects will colour their adult behaviour and the way future societies
will behave. It is interesting that tech titans like Bill Gates and Steve
Jobs severely restricted their youth’s access to technology.

All technologies have obvious benefits and potential harmful effects. As in

mostly everything in life, the key could lie in moderate use of social media.