Op-Ed August-September 2022

Anonymous 9th grade, 8/25/22

Should social media companies be doing more to make social media safer for children?

The question “How young is too young for social media?” has been heavily debated by parents and children alike ever since social media’s rise. It is clear now that social media is here to stay, and kids under 13 all over the world have access to it. There is little way of preventing kids under an appropriate age from accessing social media, so should companies do more to make social media a safer place for kids?

It has been made apparent that an alarming amount of young kids are on social media. Parenting tactics are subjective, and everyone has different opinions, so what can be done about the next generation’s well-being concerning social media? I believe that because some children will find a way to social media no matter the age restrictions, the responsibility lies in social media companies’ hands to make social media safer for children. There are many things that these companies are doing to ensure their users get hooked, and a social media addiction is incredibly harmful to a child that is still developing mentally. To help limit the likelihood of social media dependence, social media companies should stop targeting children with addicting algorithms. Senator Markey of Massachusetts has proposed a bill to solve the said issue, but thus far, nothing has been passed.

This issue applies to every generation, but especially ours. We can all most likely agree that we have, at some point, felt we spent too much on social media. If you want to make a difference on a large scale, email your representatives and advocate publicly for the cause by showing support for movements such as Log Off and Reboot and Recover. To help this issue on a smaller scale, have conversations on this matter with your friends and family. Nothing will change if we do not discuss these issues with the people around us. Everyone has the power to cause change, even if it be informing others about your views on trending topics, so use your voice.

 

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