Blog Post #4 Why are teens more susceptible to social media addiction?

In the last blog post we delved into how social media hooks us in and makes us attached, and eventually causes us to become addicted to it. 

Now we will be looking at what makes teens more susceptible to social media addiction. 

Why do the ways of social media affect youth more?  

In the previous blog post, we talked about the social media algorithm and how it hooks users in. One of the main contributors was the For You page, which we previously delved into and looked at why and how it feeds into our social media addiction. 

However, teens are especially susceptible to falling under the trap of For you pages. Teens often view their page not just as “for you” but also “about you”, meaning the content somewhat mirrors who they are, as in their interests, sense of humor, etc. (1) . The For You page acts as a reflection (1).  

Researchers at Drexel Universities did a qualitative interview studying teens ages 13-17 and found that teens really do prefer a social media being accustomed for them, and having content set up with things they enjoy and agree with, and ultimately being somewhat of a reflection of who they are (1). However, it is important to note that teens were aware which their pages are a result of their own scrolling habits, and they also noted how this “reflection” did not challenge their sense of self or impose a risk on their self-identity (1). 

So, while youth may be more susceptible to the For You page set up, and will endlessly scroll, they are not affected by this “reflection” which For You pages have act as, and it merely feeds into their data consumption. 

But if teens are somewhat aware of this, then why is it more difficult for them to stop consuming content compared to other age groups? 

Most times, teens will scroll on social media to avoid being bored and to pass time (2). In past generations, whenever youth was faced with boredom, they would turn to activities such as reading, playing/ interacting with people their age, etc. But with modern times, and youths’ accessibility to endless data and entertainment, it is only natural that they gravitate towards social media as a cure to their boredom (2). 

However, another reason for teens extensive use of social media is escapism (2). 

By using social media to unwind, we tend to use social media to take a break from events going on in our busy lives (3). Yet, teens especially tend to do so compared to other age groups (3). This could be a result of the intense amount of stress which teens in today’s world go through, as it is found that teenagers today have a reportedly higher stress level than past generations (4). This is due to many reasons such as academic stress, financial stress, and increased isolation (4). Thus, it would be only normal for teenagers to use social media, one of their most accessible possessions, as a form of “escapism”, or simply as a break in between everything (3).  

On the other hand, some teens use social media as not only a way of taking a small break, but also as a coping mechanism for even harsher things which they battle (5). Social media can be a coping mechanism for dealing with depression, anxiety, low-self-esteem, and even more complex mental struggles and negative feelings (5). In these cases, social media is like a temporary “remedy” to the negative experiences and feelings which youth deal with (6). Some may even seek out social media as a way of finding positivity and light amidst what they see in the “real world” around them (6). 

These are all contributors as to why teenagers tend to be more vulnerable to social media algorithms, and more prone to social media addiction. Though there are ways to ensure we don’t fall into the trap of social media, which is what we’ll be diving into in the next blog post. 

Sources:

McDonald              Assistant Professor of Information Technology, N. (2024, April 29). Teens see social media algorithms as accurate reflections of themselves, study finds. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/teens-see-social-media-algorithms-as-accurate-reflections-of-themselves-study-finds-226302 

Malik, S. (2024, February 1). Why teens are addicted to social media. PediMom. https://pedimom.com/why-teens-are-addicted-to-social-media/ 

Aas, V. A. (2023, December 5). How we use media to escape from reality. Sciencenorway. https://www.sciencenorway.no/film-media-social-media/how-we-use-media-to-escape-from-reality/2286564 

Medaris, A. (2023, November 1). Gen Z adults and younger millennials are “completely overwhelmed” by stress. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/topics/stress/generation-z-millennials-young-adults-worries#:~:text=Young%20adults%20in%20America%20like,Stress%20in%20America%20survey%20found. 

Miller, S. (2022, June 2). The addictiveness of social media: How teens get hooked: Jefferson health. Jefferson Health – Greater Philadelphia & South Jersey Region. https://www.jeffersonhealth.org/your-health/living-well/the-addictiveness-of-social-media-how-teens-get-hooked 

Foothills at Red Oak Recovery. (2022, August 29). Why teens find social media so addictive. https://foothillsatredoak.com/teen-recovery-blog/why-teens-find-social-media-so-addictive/