No Mercy / No Malice: METAstasis

Mental Health

The mental health effects of social media on young people are profound and troubling. George Hahn highlights the alarming rise in depression, anxiety, and suicide rates among teenagers since the advent of smartphones and social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram 1. He notes that nearly half of surveyed young people have experienced severe negative impacts, such as withdrawal and self-harm, due to online bullying 1. The lack of a clear causal link between social media use and mental health issues is often used by companies like Meta to deflect responsibility, despite the evident correlation 2.

Platforms do to our children. When the mobile phone put Facebook and Instagram into every teen's hands, 24/7 loneliness and suicide data began a steady march upward.

--- George Hahn

The societal expectation that tech companies will self-regulate to protect children has proven ineffective, as Hahn argues that the real issue lies in the lack of legislative action to address these concerns 1.

   

Public Health

Social media's impact extends beyond individual mental health, posing a significant public health crisis. George Hahn compares the dangers of social media to those of guns and cars, noting that while strides have been made in reducing fatalities from the latter, social media remains largely unregulated 1. He argues that the diffuse nature of social media's harms makes it difficult to legislate against, yet the consequences are severe, with increased rates of bullying, eating disorders, and academic struggles among youth 1.

The two leading reported causes of death among young Americans are guns and cars. You could make the argument that social is more dangerous to our children than guns or cars.

--- George Hahn

Despite numerous congressional hearings, little progress has been made in regulating social media, reflecting a broader failure to prioritize public health over economic interests 2.