Can Gen Z break free from social media addiction? - BBC News

Social media apps, designed to be addictive, are playing an increasingly large role in the lives of young people (or ‘Gen Z’).

Rikki Schlott created an Instagram account when she was 11. She now says she feels the app - and the pressure to post perfection - stole parts of her childhood.

As Facebook comes under fire for the impact its apps can have on teens, experts explain how algorithms have made social media the new “drug of choice”.

#SocialMedia #GenZ #BBCNews

[anythingspossiblemusic]

Life is too short to worry about what others think of you. I guarantee most of these social media influencers are unhappy on the inside and it's all for show. Just focus on you.

[marialena]

It should be called "antisocial media"

[abdus]

It’s sad how so many people live a social media life more than their own life

[eldrago]

I am 16 and I hope I can be socially accepted if I say i hate instagram and snapchat

[stevenhatton]

When a doctor asks do you drink or smoke they should also ask do you use social media.

[eh]

It’s their jobs to make it as addictive as possible, to such degree and detail you wouldn’t believe. So likely no.

[blackearl]

Can their parents? Honestly, the addiction is also getting quite strong with the older generations as well

[edyann]

I'm Generation X- 44 years old and addicted to this-- can you imagine the kiddies? Doomed.

[djmikio]

A huge number of us of any age can fall into unhealthy patterns of social media addiction. My concern for our Gen Z citizens is that unlike every previous generation they have never experienced a time where 24/7 device immersion was not the norm.

[jeanclaudejunior]

"We live in an age when unnecessary things are only necessities." - Oscar Wilde

Unfortunately, Social Media became a necessity to people.

[shailee_c]

From my pov, it really depends on the person, who you are following and things like that. For me, social media helped me overcome some insecurities and helped me accept myself the way I am. If you follow models and things like that, it's obvious you're gonna be constantly exposed to their perfect photos and you'll then end up comparing yourselves.

[smansdh]

As a millennial degreed & certified psychological professional, who has worked extensively with Gen Z- part of it is attention span, part of it is lack of depth, & part of it is emotional inability. Gen zs have always had phones & especially TikTok/social media on constantly. They are so attention limited that they need multisensory stimulation all the time (video games are visual & auditory), and quite literally can’t focus on experiences that only involve one sense (music is only auditory). This is the same reason Gen Z doesn’t really read either. Additionally, on the psychological average Gen Z doesn’t know how to handle emotion. Since they’ve been very little with phones/ipad even as young kids, their response to being upset has been to drown it out with distraction as avoidance, rather than feel and process what they’re going through in the moment. As the most evocative art forms, many can’t handle the emotional density of music. Or for that matter literature either. We also see this in the fact that the music/books they do listen to, in the limited instances that they do, isn’t deep or emotive. This also explains why they gravitate to video games so much, which generally aren’t emotionally evocative, or philosophically deep in the same way music & literature are. While I mainly am discussing this as it relates to Gen Z, it’s also essential to note that Gen X is largely responsible for this, as their lack of active involvement, emotional presence, & philosophical depth with their children has left them like this. Many of Gen z wasn’t taught to enjoy the world, and now unfortunately many don’t. They like more online (the realm of video games & TikTok) then they do in the real world (the realm of deep friendships, real experiences, music, & literature). Which honestly is very sad, because they don’t know how to appreciate or engage with reality, instead escaping/avoiding it into the non reality of TikTok & video games. Leaving many of them stuck in their parents basements, lonely, & lacking ambition for anything more. Not actualizing the myriad opportunities & experiences of what’s now available to them whether in teen years or early adulthood. In conclusion, I also wanna provide the context that this isn’t all Gen Zs, as those with both older (boomers) & younger (millennial) parents, were given better (millennial) parenting, or more emotionally charged (boomer) parenting, & even some good Gen Xers parented well, which did not resolve in the same intensity with these difficulties. Many of these Gen Zs are active, smart, & even politically engaged. And they don’t deserve to be grouped in with those who have this level of avoidance whether of reality, boredom, or emotion. They are engaging with the reality both personal & political that’s before them, in ways not even most millennials Gen Xers or boomers did at their age. But unfortunately this is not the majority of them. And most of them who are caught up in these reality avoidance issues deserve the help of those who are older & those who are not caught up, so they can come into reality & build engaged lives worth living too. We as a society can help them with this by continually showing them to the depth & emotion of reality, teaching them how to live in it, which is what I do. Which is what this channel does. Which I hope we can all take opportunities to help with as we interact with these Gen Zs in our lives. Change is possible, and through the best supports they can be taught to engage/live deeply, and therefore lead meaningful lives too. As a society, we need to stop blaming them for these issues, and start showing them how to live engaged with reality. Through this they can experience better lives!!

[saylorsmith]

I am 19 and I have had a dumb phone for over a year now. No social medias. Best choice I have ever made.

[Bringon-dwdx]

The issue is modern education and jobs don’t allow you to quit. Social media is now like food- you can get addicted but actually can’t cut it completely out!

I would love to delete Facebook but it’s required for university and work, same with almost all the social media I use. It’s how information is disseminated and without it you miss deadlines

[nufh]

Me, a millennia who is growing up with dirt and see the evolution of the Internet. Kinda amazing and also scary how the world has become.

[yelaath]

Stopped using social media around 3 years ago. Haven't missed it one bit

[OliverJazzz]

This already is a huge problem in our society, practically all generations spend too much time in social media. Things are only going to get worse if there's no regulation.

[katharinegrande]

that's why every Gen Z should watch " Social Dilemma" on

[joeyblaq]

The other day Zuckerberg's drugs went off the streets for a few panic😬

[陈嫩草]

I enjoy communicating, I love sharing, but I hate showing.
I think social media such as Instagram have betrayed their own primary vision and became a platform fueling negative feelings.