IS IT JUST A COINCIDENCE?

The Negative Effects of Social Media and Smartphones on Adolescents

It’s undeniable that we are living in the “Digital Age”! Many people attribute the swing of the 2024 presidential election primarily to influencers on YouTube and podcasts. Kids no longer compare bikes; they compare the latest technology. Who has the best drone, phone, or tablet? If you ask children what they want to be when they grow up, it’s common to hear someone say, “YouTuber” or “Social Media Influencer.” The digital age is not slowing down; it’s accelerating. But at what cost? Should we pay more attention to the blessings and curses of social media and smartphones? Have we inadvertently handicapped an entire generation with effects that will only become more pronounced as they age? Do social media and smartphones have stronger adverse effects on adolescents than on adults? Let’s explore these questions and more.

Tap… Type… Tap… Tap… In under 60 seconds, these silent actions grant us access to nearly anything on the internet. We can log into social media, browse global news, define unfamiliar words, and much more. On the flip side, we can also buy drugs from fake Etsy posts (I’ve seen it happen), chat with predators posing as harmless peers, and view endless amounts of explicit content. According to an older FHE Health¹ stat, “If a person visited one porn site a day, it would take 84 years for them to view all the current sites available today.”  And new content is uploaded every minute. While some may dismiss these as scare tactics, as a pastor, I’ve witnessed these situations unfold with families personally. With an unmonitored smartphone, a teen can message their mom to pick them up from school and, within 30 seconds, sext someone in their class. 

Social media presents its own unique set of dangers, including communication and endless content—both good and bad. It masquerades as an innocent connection while concealing a dangerous underbelly. Social media encourages us to project our best selves to the world, programming us to seek dopamine hits with every like and share. Like addicts, we keep coming back for more. We also view others through their curated profiles, seeing only their highlights and none of their imperfections or struggles. This can lead to feelings of inadequacy as we grapple with our own flaws, mistakes, and challenges. It’s no wonder that rates of mental health issues are skyrocketing.

These issues affect both adults and adolescents, but we must recognize the disproportionate impact on young people. Studies have shown that the human brain does not fully develop till sometime in the mid 20’s.² According to a study by Common Sense Media³ “42 percent of kids have a phone by age 10. By age 12, it’s 71 percent. By 14, it’s 91 percent.” These statistics are startling for three correlating reasons:

– Lack of Brain Development: 91% of 14 year-olds have access to powerful forces via their own smartphone before their brains are fully developed, particularly in areas related to reasoning and logical thinking. This reduces their ability to recognize danger or immoral things and respond properly.

– Social Immaturity: 71% of 12 year-olds have access to their own smartphone during a critical stage of social development. At age 12, kids are eager to fit in, and their rapidly changing bodies can leave them feeling out of place. This is why parents often provide smartphones to this age group, fearing their child will feel left out. Unfortunately, this desire to fit in, combined with intense curiosity, can lead to dangerous unintended pitfalls.

– Innocence and Ignorance: 42% of 10 year-olds have access to their own smartphone before they even enter puberty. This means literal children in many cases have unfiltered access to any number of dangers that can be accessed digitally. An innocent child is much more likely to encounter serious issues digitally out of sheer curiosity and ignorance.

Smartphones create a false sense of control and anonymity. While it may seem that teens can express themselves freely, everything is monitored and controlled. This raises questions about barriers and boundaries. Do they really work? Any fence in life can be climbed over, and the same is true in the digital world. I have counseled many teens and families that have had unfiltered access and others that had filtered access. Both have their sets of problems. From getting around filters by going through apps, or emailing inappropriate pictures to subvert texting monitors, to fake apps pretending to be harmless that store porn or nude pictures… the list is endless. That is why we must ask ourselves, what is the reason for a young adolescent to have a smartphone. And above all we can state that unfiltered and unmonitored access to a smartphone for an adolescent is an unbelievable danger. 

If you disagree, consider this perspective: Is unfiltered and unmonitored access to smartphones beneficial, even for adults? Is social media a boon for adults? How do affairs often begin? Typically, through veiled communication via text or apps. How does porn addiction manifest? Usually through smartphones. How do dopamine addiction and rising anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts proliferate? Often through social media accessed via smartphones. If these pitfalls affect countless adults, how can we expect them not to negatively impact adolescents with less developed brains? It simply doesn’t add up. We must take action to address this. Continuing with the same approach and expecting change won’t work.

So let us not just call attention to a problem without offering any suggested solution. Let’s get practical and ask some questions to form our own solutions in our unique scenarios.

1. Am I portraying healthy habits on my social media and smartphone to my family? If I am overusing or misusing what I have, how can I expect my child to not follow what they see, because they see “everything”.
2. Does my child already have a phone?
   1. If Yes – What am I doing to teach them about correctly using it? What boundaries have we set up? What fences and monitoring solutions have I implemented? What enforceable rules have we communicated? How am I teaching and discipling them to use technology to glorify God? Am I willing to remove it if it is detrimental to them or introduced to soon?
   2. If No – Am I praying and seeking God’s wisdom of when to implement a smartphone strategy for my child? Am I teaching them even now with pointed conversations? Am I utilizing the time they use my device to teach them good habits? Do I have a list of “needs” or “reasons” for my child to need a phone, instead of an arbitrary age or trying to help them fit in.
3. Is social media needed just because they have a phone? The answer is no. Social media is an entirely different arena to prepare them for and guide them through. It will require its own unique principles and preparation. One thing is for certain… you can track the rise of depression and mental health related issues in adolescents; and there is a undeniable spike that correlates with the rise of social media. Not a statable fact, but the correlation can be traced fairly easily and should be guiding food for thought.
4. Is all social media the same? No! You can for certain find porn or get into trouble on Instagram and Facebook easily, but it is not the intended use. One platform that is without a doubt worse than any other is Snapchat. It literally was created to sext. No receipts, no history, and no consequences… well that’s at least what they want you to believe. Snapchat offers so many red flags it’s ridiculous, and that’s before even diving into the content you can view on their platform in the “discover section”. TikTok doesn’t follow far behind with the sheer amount of morally devoid content, or real-life stories of predators preying on adolescents through its digital pathways.
5. Am I committed to discipling and teaching my children to understand and properly utilize technology in their life? Am I willing to do unpopular things and make unpopular decisions? Am I willing to take time and put in effort to learn more so that I can help them better? Is my goal to help them become healthy Christian adults with good technology habits and the ability to make wise decisions?

Is it merely a coincidence that adolescents are struggling with serious issues? I don’t believe in coincidences. However, I do believe we can make a difference, and it starts with you and me. Let’s rise above the status quo regarding smartphones and social media! Let’s steward our digital lives responsibly and teach the next generation to do the same.

• Stephen Vaughan

Citations:

[1] Robb-Dover, Kristina, and About Kristina Robb-DoverKristina Robb-Dover is a content manager and writer with extensive editing and writing experience… read more. “Statistics on Pornography Addiction Unveiled.” FHE Health, November 6, 2024. https://fherehab.com/learning/pornography-addiction-stats#:~:text=Stats%20on%20Pornography&text=A%20study%20shows%20that%2058,United%20States%20watch%20porn%20daily

2 Arain, M., Haque, M., Johal, L., Mathur, P., Nel, W., Rais, A., Sandhu, R., & Sharma, S. (2013). Maturation of the adolescent brain. Neuropsychiatric disease and treatment. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3621648/ 

3 “When Should You Get Your Kid a Phone?” Child Mind Institute, November 20, 2024. https://childmind.org/article/when-should-you-get-your-kid-a-phone/#:~:text=By%20the%20time%20kids%20are,By%2014%2C%20it’s%2091%20percent