Social media brings doom beyond doomscrolling

Platforms like Instagram and YouTube are addictive, negatively impacting mental health for younger users.

By: Daimler Koch, Editor-in-Chief

Scott Beckstead for the Valley Star

Decades after their creation, social media sites are finally being held accountable for their destructive actions in a series of lawsuits across the country. These lawsuits highlight real issues younger people have been experiencing when interacting with social media – issues that everyone should be taking more seriously.

My interest was piqued by the very first of these lawsuits, which is taking place here in LA. The plaintiff, K.G.M., claims that YouTube, SnapChat and Instagram caused her anxiety, depression and body image issues. Other lawsuits across the state and country acknowledge much the same: Social media companies hurt the youth through their addictive algorithms. 

Most notably, Mark Zuckerberg flew to LA to testify in the very first lawsuit. Throughout his testimony, Zuckerberg kept deflecting and dodging questions, saying that Meta’s algorithm isn’t built to addict young users.

K.G.M. and others are not alone in their suffering. An article by the National Library of Medicine found that social media can increase feelings of FOMO, or fear of missing out, as well as unhealthy comparisons to other users’ lives. These feelings, the article reported, “can lead to feelings of anxiety, rejection, and self-doubt.” 

Social media mimics a casino. Endless scrolling. Bright flashes of color and sound. Feelings of elation followed by crashes of regret. With slot machines in our pockets, it’s no wonder why Gen Zers feel exhausted by the emotional rollercoaster that is the social media algorithm. 

Admittedly, the link between social media and poor mental health is fuzzy at best. For example, a separate National Library of Medicine commentary found that 47 percent of users in public mental health services feel less alone about their conditions thanks to social media.

However, moderation is still best. Those who spend over three hours a day are at a higher risk for developing mental health issues — and about 60 percent of Gen Zers spend four hours a day on social media.

And if all else fails, look at how Gen Zers are reacting to spending a lifetime on social media. Many want to go back to older devices like camcorders and flip phones and are taking up “old-person hobbies” like crocheting and knitting just to get off their smartphones. They’re indicative of the fact that Gen Zers want to live a life divorced from the content that is fed to us through Instagram and TikTok. 

I’ve felt the addictive aspect of social media, too. I spent several hours a day on YouTube, leaving me feeling moody and exhausted after closing the app. Now, after turning off YouTube’s watch history and recommendations, I have the power to choose what I want to view, instead of clicking on videos that the algorithm feeds me. My time on the app decreased dramatically, and I feel much happier because of that.  

I hope that the lawsuits succeed, that the plaintiffs receive the compensation they’re looking for. And even if they don’t win, hopefully the lawsuits will motivate others to pause, put down their phones and consider the negative impacts social media has had on their lives.