How the Digital Landscape Impacts Young People's Development
At 9 years old, I received my first smartphone. I was a competitive gymnast spending 35 hours a week at a gym 30 minutes away from my house. My parents wanted a way to reach me and ensure I was OK during long practices and car rides. Excited about my new phone, I almost immediately downloaded social media apps like Instagram and (what was) musical.ly. Falsifying my age, I was able to connect with a brand-new world. I could post videos and photos that people from around the globe could view, and in turn, see posts containing content far too complex for my age. My journey on social media was just beginning.
Today, 94% of adolescent boys use social media or play online games daily. Three in four boys age 11 to 17 regularly encounter masculinity-related posts about building muscle, making money, fighting, dating and relationships, or weapons. While I can't exactly remember what kinds of content I was interacting with at age 9, most of what comes to mind has to do with beauty standards, negative views of women, and body image. One of my peers even reflected on a video she saw over five years ago that is still ingrained in her mind: "I remember watching videos [on TikTok] of people making videos going from 'ugly' to 'pretty'—the ugly part was just them putting on glasses and wearing fake braces." She continued, "Even though it was clearly a joke, I had glasses at the time and it only made me feel so much more insecure about myself."
I've been asking my friends about the kind of material they see online today, and they've mentioned how even though a lot of the content we see has evolved (from lip-synching and short skits to skin care and "get ready with me" videos, to name a few), many of the underlying messages that contribute to unhealthy body image have remained. Even when discussing brainrot, it was mentioned that while social media may be contributing to the widespread mania of Generation Alpha's brainrot, Gen Z also had trends that would've probably been considered "brainrot" as well, such as the Gummy Bear Song among others.
The growth of AI has made an indelible impact on the current digital landscape and the development of young women. Many advertisements are now being created using AI, and its prominence in all aspects of life has made multiple teens report turning to artificial intelligence for support, rather than their friends or family. For teenagers, it can feel almost impossible to not give in to the pull of social media. The fear of missing out and the urge to stay up to date with friends, pop culture, and trends are too powerful to ignore. At the same time, it's incredibly disappointing to realize how social media could be causing harm for younger generations. In a recent study done by the CDC, frequent social media users were more likely to report persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, as well as having seriously considered suicide and having made a suicide plan.
Before social media, some of my best memories included running around outside with my neighbors, playing Disney games on my family computer after school, and cooking with my family. I hope that in the future, the current digital landscape can be adapted to unify rather than divide, and that it becomes easier and more realistic to effectively distance oneself from the online world.