Impact of Social Media on Young Children (ft.Netflix Adolescence)

Currently, we live in a time where toddlers are able to handle smartphones more skillfully than many adults, social media are now firmly embedded in children’s childhood. Platforms intended for fun and connection have gradually become a part of the everyday lives of children, shaping their thoughts, feelings, and even influencing their social behaviors. And the important question here is, the digital world, is it promoting creativity and communication? or is it pushing children towards anxiety, comparison, and unattainable expectations?

Netflix’s Adolescence, is an informative documentary that explores the psychological implications of a digital world for young people today, and ultimately poses the question: are children growing up in a globally connected world that is not good for them?

The Rise of Digital Gen

Those days of playing in the sun with scraped knees, and experiencing treehouse adventures, and face-to-face friendships are gone for today’s children, known as “digital natives,” they are growing up in a society where social validation emerges from likes, shares, and follows.

According to a 2023 survey of parents by Common Sense Media, over 50% of children aged 6 to 12 years old have a social media presence from either posting as a child themselves or their parents posting about them. The thing is, using social media to explore ideas and be creative is beneficial for children. But on the flip side, social media presents children with risks of cyberbullying, online predators, and it causes mental health issues. Instagram and TikTok, for the most part being visual platforms, often present children with unrealistic body images, lifestyles, and a “fake” or “curated” perception of the real-world.

A Reality Check By: Netflix Adolescence

Netflix’s Adolescence gives the audience a chilling look into the ways in which social media manipulates the minds of children and teens. The documentary exposes the addiction-based, dopamine-driven nature of apps and explains how constantly seeking validation and engagement impacts insecurities, body image, and emotional stability. One of the most disturbing findings in the documentary is how algorithms are designed to keep a young person engaged for hours while they are unengaged with the world or the people around them.

What the Documentary Says:

The Dopamine Loop: Each notification, like, or comment generates dopamine that forms an addiction-level cycle.
The Comparison Trap: Kids are subjected to heavily filtered and edited content making them feel self-conscious about their bodies or looks.

Increased Anxiety and Depression: Studies show excessive social media is associated with increased rates of anxiety and depression to children even as early as 10 years old.

Lower Attention Span: Constant scrolling and bite size content makes it difficult for kids to focus on offline activities such as reading or studying.
The Loss of Childhood Innocence: Exposure to inappropriate content at a very young age, misinformation, and online toxicity at a young age can have lasting impacts on emotional development.

Tips to Ensure a Healthy Digital Experience for Kids:

Parental Monitoring & Digital Literacy: By educating children on online safety, privacy settings, and distinguishing between real and staged content, you can empower children to engage with social media wisely.
Strict Screen Time Guidelines: Recommended screen time for children ages 0-12 is no more than one hour of social media a day.
Encourage Activities (Offline): Encouraging outdoor play or playing inside, reading and doing activities together in-person, supports positive balance.
Open Lines of Communication: Parents can foster a positive space for children to discuss their experience with social media, including cyberbullying or negative experiences.

Social Media - A Double Edged Sword

Social media is not entirely good or evil, it is like a double-edged sword that is fully dependent on how it’s used. With proper guidance and structure, social media can serve as a platform for learning, creativity, and self-discovery. But with no regulation, it could strip children of their childhood innocence, increase mental health issues, and replace real human connections with filters and false screens. Netflix’s Adolescence will serve as a wake-up call for parents, educators, and policy makers to realize the impending dangers of the digital age. The challenge will be being able to change the narrative, and creating a world online that is safer for kids. Without the intervention, the next generation children will continue to be consumed by a sea of scrolling and be filled with a filtered sense of reality.