Is Social Media the New Smoking?

Our everyday habits have a far-reaching impact on our society, especially when those habits become addictive.

Smoking used to be the bad guy, blamed for the leading cause of health issues, and prompted authorities to step in and mandate explicit warnings from surgeons in a bid to change behavior in society.

The rising obesity epidemic soon followed, and sugar found was labeled the new smoking.

Fast-forward to the present day, and society is beginning to understand the impacts of its twenty-year obsession with social media and the fruit machine-like algorithms designed to keep users endlessly doomscrolling down their smartphone screen.

Research suggests that teenagers spend up to 35 hours a week on social media. In parallel, the UK recently reported that children’s mental health referrals have soared by 53% over the last few years.

Is it time to warn society about the dangers of their digital diet? Should social media come with a health warning?

Table of Contents Table of Contents

1. Key Takeaways
2. Digital Tobacco? Why Experts Want Warning Labels on Social Media
3. The Conflicting Data on Social Media and Teen Mental Health
4. Parenting in the Age of Infinite Scroll: A Call for Personal Responsibility
5. The Bottom Line
6. References

Show Full Guide

Table of Contents

1. Key Takeaways
2. Digital Tobacco? Why Experts Want Warning Labels on Social Media
3. The Conflicting Data on Social Media and Teen Mental Health
Show Full Guide
4. Parenting in the Age of Infinite Scroll: A Call for Personal Responsibility
5. The Bottom Line
6. References

Digital Tobacco? Why Experts Want Warning Labels on Social Media

In an opinion piece for The New York Times, Dr. Vivek Murthy recently warned that social media is a contributing factor in the mental health crisis we are seeing among young people. Murthy suggested that Congress consider introducing warning labels similar to smoking on social media platforms.

Murthy believes that tobacco studies have proven that warning labels can increase awareness and change behavior. But should we consider them?

Exclusive: Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy speaks on TODAY about his push for social media to require a warning label and the mental health concerns of social media.

“A warning label would help parents to understand these risks,” @Surgeon_General tells @SavannahGuthrie. pic.twitter.com/YAz7fb8mJ8

— TODAY (@TODAYshow) June 17, 2024

“It is time to require a surgeon general’s warning label on social media platforms, stating that social media is associated with significant mental health harms for adolescents.” Murthy said.

“A surgeon general’s warning label, which requires congressional action, would regularly remind parents and adolescents that social media has not been proven safe.”

The Conflicting Data on Social Media and Teen Mental Health

Upon first reading the suggestions of cigarette-style warnings for social media, we need to understand that Silicon Valley’s obsession with moving fast and breaking things brought us here.

In 2017, leaked documents revealed that Facebook proudly told advertisers it could identify the exact moment that teenagers felt stressed, overwhelmed, anxious, nervous, useless, insecure, worthless, and needing a confidence boost. If a social media platform shared psychological insights on young people with advertisers, many argue that it was no accident that we ended up where we are today.

However, the debate about social media’s impact on teenagers is complex. Research is often conflicting, and ironically, just like social media, it’s easy to find evidence that backs up your confirmation bias for whichever side of the fence you choose to sit on.

For example, it’s easy to find a link to heavy social media use and mental health issues in teenagers. But you don’t have to look too far to find contradicting research that suggests there is no link between tech and mental health problems in teenagers.

Elsewhere, studies that looked deeper into the nuances of social media found that teenagers who spend their time online speaking to friends they already know offline can experience improved well-being. Rather than sensationalist suggestions for government health warnings, the data points to the age-old advice of “everything in moderation.”

Parenting in the Age of Infinite Scroll: A Call for Personal Responsibility

In the US, 95% of teenagers aged 13 to 17 use a social media platform. But rather than demonizing kids for being screen-obsessed, parents must also practice what they preach. Nothing is more tragic than witnessing a small child desperately tugging on their parent’s sleeve, vying for attention while the adult is distracted by the infinite scroll.

If we are honest with ourselves, digital devices compromising our sleep or valuable in-person time with family and friends are not isolated to any demographic.

We’ve all wasted an hour mindlessly scrolling through our phones, yet if asked to recall what we had just watched, we’d struggle to remember a single thing. Rather than scapegoating social media for our addictions to push notifications and the infinite scroll, personal responsibility is also paramount.

Although Congress could do more to raise awareness and address the issues caused by digital distractions, parents must also step up. Rather than implementing unrealistic screentime bans that tech-savvy kids can work around anyway, why not gamify the Apple Screentime feature to see who in the family is most addicted to their phones?

The Bottom Line

The parallels between social media and smoking are striking. Both began as widely accepted societal habits before their negative impacts became apparent. In the same way that smoking was once ubiquitous and glamorized, social media influencers and highlight reels of a perfect Insta Life offer a shiny allure for young users.

Social media platforms designed to keep users engaged through dopamine-triggering algorithms arguably pave the way to addiction similar to nicotine. However, this comparison is flawed. Unlike smoking, social media also offers significant benefits, from connecting people across distances to providing platforms for education and social movements.

The key lies in finding balance and promoting responsible use. While warning labels may raise awareness, the solution likely involves a combination of education, improved platform design, and personal responsibility. We should focus on fostering a healthier relationship with technology rather than demonizing it.