Social Media's Link To Rising Despair In Kids

Social media plays a role in the rising rates of mental health issues in children.  How big a role it plays is up for debate.  January 6, 2023, the Seattle Public Schools filed a lawsuit against Meta, Facebook, Instagram, Siculus, Snap, TikTok, ByteDance, Alphabet, Google, XXVI Holdings, and YouTube. 

The lawsuit alleges how these companies have built their businesses by exploiting children's vulnerabilities.  It states "Defendants have successfully exploited the vulnerable brains of youth, hooking tens of millions of students across the country into positive feedback loops of excessive use and abuse of Defendants’ social media platforms. Worse, the content Defendants curate and direct to youth is too often harmful and exploitive (e.g., promoting a “corpse bride” diet, eating 300 calories a day, or encouraging self-harm)."

Regardless of the outcome of the lawsuit, this information is helpful in appreciating the impact social media may be having on your children.  What limits are you setting on your kids use of social media?  You play a major role in teaching your kids to keep themselves mentally healthy.