social media and teens

"The Anxious Generation" examines the decline in adolescent mental health since the early 2010s, attributing it to overprotection in the real world and underprotection in the virtual world. This "Great Rewiring of Childhood" involves a shift to phone-based experiences, impacting Gen Z. This shift results in sleep deprivation, social deprivation, attention fragmentation, and addiction,. The book contrasts "discover mode" with "defend mode", suggesting modern children are stuck in the latter. To address these issues, the book offers solutions for parents, schools, tech companies, and governments to foster healthier childhoods. The book also has resources available at anxiousgeneration.com and After Babel Substack.

The article "Teens and social media use: What's the impact?" addresses the significant role social media plays in the lives of teenagers, highlighting both its positive and negative impacts on their mental health. It points out that while social media can help teens form identities, connect with others, and find support, it can also lead to distractions, sleep disruption, exposure to misinformation, cyberbullying, and unrealistic views of others. The impact varies depending on factors like the content teens engage with, time spent online, and pre-existing mental health conditions. The article emphasizes the importance of parental involvement through setting rules, monitoring accounts, and having open conversations to promote responsible social media use and protect teens from its potential harms.