How young is too young for social media? Article by: Svetina S

 How young is too young for social media?

Article by: Svetina S

How old were you when you got your first phone? Chances are, the younger you are, the earlier you got it. People born in the early 2000s might have gotten their phones in high school. Those born in the late 2000s might have gotten theirs in middle school. Now, there are elementary schoolers walking around with phones, and children even younger- in strollers even- have their faces plastered to an iPad before they have even learned to walk. With this comes the various dangers associated with technology- such as addiction, insecurity, and sexualization- at an extremely young age.

Short-form content has been on the rise recently, mostly because it is extremely addicting. Apps can personalize the for you page or explore page with almost creepy accuracy, keeping people hooked for as long as possible. With this, I believe that people become accustomed to instant gratification. If they don’t like a video, they can replace it within seconds with a swipe of their finger. Learning this behavior as a child may carry effects into adulthood, as I have seen that children are extremely susceptible to stimuli from their environments as they grow. 

What’s more, social media could create unhealthy standards and promote sexualized behavior for children. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok feature women who seem too beautiful to be real, with hourglass figures and perfect features. In my opinion, ingraining this image of beauty in the mind of a child could shape how they perceive themselves. Furthermore, a lot of content is oversexualized to attract viewers, and there are vulgar lyrics in many trending songs. It seems like children are growing up too fast, and social media might be why.

So, how young is too young exactly? While there may not be a definite answer, it’s clear that social media can have negative effects on youth. In my opinion, children should not have unrestricted access to the internet until they are in middle school, and even then, their use should be monitored. Let’s do better for the next generation. After all, they are our future.