Opinion: Social Media's Toll on Teen Mental Health Demands Action
The evidence is overwhelming: social media is contributing to a mental health crisis among teenagers. Parents, schools, and legislators must act to protect young minds from algorithmic manipulation designed to maximize engagement at any cost.
Social media's impact on teens
Alarming Trends
Teen depression and anxiety have doubled since smartphones became ubiquitous. Suicide rates among teenage girls have reached historic highs. Internal documents from social media companies show they knew their products were harmful.
Design Choices Matter
Infinite scroll, notification bombardment, and algorithmic amplification of extreme content are not accidents—they're intentional design choices to maximize engagement. We must demand better.
What We Can Do
Age verification, chronological feeds, and meaningful parental controls should be mandated. Schools need digital literacy curricula. Parents must set boundaries and model healthy technology use.
Social media’s impact on teen mental health demands action: age verification, healthier designs, and digital literacy.
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