The impacts of harmful social media content on youngsters in the United States.

Social media, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok, have billions of users

and daily story sharing, especially among youngsters. Dixon (2022) states in a survey released in

August 2021 that Americans believed social media simplified the transmission of hazardous

content, with 95% agreeing that online platforms enabled communication that could not be

expressed directly, and 92% stating that it facilitated harassment or cyberbullying. The

widespread dissemination of harmful content can have devastating effects on young people,

leading them to become either victims or perpetrators of cyberbullying. This can severely impact

their mental health, which is often more vulnerable to malicious comments, harassment, and

cyberbullying. Studies by Muacevic and Alder (2022) indicate that adolescents' social media and

smartphone use are associated with increased mental distress, self-harm, and depression.

Amanda Todd and Tyler Clementi are tragic examples of teenagers victimized by cyberbullying,

causing them to suffer severe emotional trauma and depression that ultimately led to their

untimely deaths by suicide. To mitigate the impacts of harmful content on social media,

governments should enforce strict laws on platforms, schools should educate individuals on

digital safety, and parents can actively support and monitor their children's online activities.

Enforcing strict laws on social media platforms is highly effective in minimizing the

influence of harmful content on young people. These laws involve deadlines for the removal of

harmful online content, ranging from 24 hours to 7 days depending on the content. Additionally,

significant penalties or imprisonment should be imposed on individuals and organizations that

contribute to negative impacts, such as promoting dangerous trends like the Blue Whale

Challenge suicide game. For example, Germany’s Network Enforcement Act (NetzDG, 2017)

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required social media platforms with over two million registered users to remove hate speech or

fake news within 24 hours of notification. Failure to comply can result in fines of up to $59

million. Australia's eSafety Commissioner also possesses the authority to order social media

platforms to remove harmful content, including cyberbullying and revenge porn. In 2022,

eSafety inspectors reviewed over 1,680 allegations of cyberbullying and submitted over 500

informal requests to delete content from internet sites (Time to act: eSafety puts new tools to

work, 2023). The United States should consider adopting similar measures in its legislation to

ensure the safety of social media for youngsters. To effectively manage harmful content, a

collaboration between the United States government and social media companies is paramount.

Schools play a critical role in educating youngsters about digital safety, given that

approximately 46% of US teenagers experience cyberbullying (Teens and Cyberbullying 2022,

2022). However, only 38% of schools have implemented comprehensive digital citizenship

education. This lack of education leaves American students ill-equipped to navigate digital

spaces safely and responsibly, making them vulnerable to harassment, cyberbullying, and

exposure to inappropriate content. Furthermore, they may unwittingly contribute to online harm

without understanding the negative impacts on others. Netsafe in New Zealand and Finland's

national curriculum for ECEC are examples of successful digital safety programs. Netsafe

provides digital resources for parents and teachers and operates a helpline for those who have

experienced online harm (Our Story, 1988). Netsafe’s Annual Report 2021/2022 (2022) received

28,253 reports of online harm, including cyberbullying, online harassment, and inappropriate

content. Likewise, Finland has incorporated digital literacy into its national curriculum (Nation

core curriculum for ECEC in a Nutshell, 2020), which covers topics such as online privacy,

cyberbullying, and online etiquette. Finland's approach to digital literacy has been successful in

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reducing the negative impacts of social media on young people. Consequently, American schools

should integrate a mandatory internet safety program into their curriculum, starting at the

elementary school level. This program will teach students how to distinguish between helpful

and harmful online content, protect their mental health, seek assistance when needed, and

encourage them to report inappropriate or harmful content. The aim is to promote digital

responsibility and create a safer online community. The program is essential for ensuring

students' safety and responsibility in the digital world.

Finally, parental supervision and support stand as the most effective measures to curb

harmful content that impacts children’s mental health. However, a study by the Pew Research

Center in 2016 found that only 39% of parents in the US use parental controls on their children's

devices (1. How parents monitor their teen’s digital behavior, 2016). Parents should study

guidelines on how to communicate with their children about online safety and how to monitor

their online behavior. Therefore, they can effectively educate their children about online dangers

based on their ages. For instance, Norway advises guidance to parents on how to engage in

conversations with their children regarding online safety and how to set limits on their children’s

social media usage. Consequently, cyberbullying rates in Norwegian schools rank among the

lowest in Europe, around 8% of students in the 2020–2021 school year claimed to be victims of

cyberbullying (Statista Research Department, 2022). American parents should actively monitor

and openly communicate about digital safety to help protect youngsters from harmful content on

social media. Families are the primary source where youngsters seek help, understanding and

peace.

In conclusion, the detrimental impacts of harmful content on social media on young

individuals in the United States are increasingly evident. To safeguard the American youth from

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such content, governments should enact laws regulating platforms, schools should educate

students about digital safety, and parents can support and supervise children's online activities.

By taking proactive measures, the United States can ensure that youngsters can navigate the

digital world safely and responsibly, fostering improved mental health and overall well-being.

References:

1. How parents monitor their teen’s digital behavior (2016, Jan. 7). Pew Research Center.
https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2016/01/07/how-parents-monitor-their-teens-
digital-behavior/

Annual Report 2021/2022 (2022). Netsafe.

https://netsafe.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/2022-AR_NETSAFE_131222.pdf

Dixon. S. (2022, May 5) Impact of social media on the spread of harmful content in the U.S.
2021. Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1310582/impact-social-media-
harmful-content-usa/

Muacevic. A. and Alder. J. (2022, Oct. 10) Reviewing the Impact ò Social Media on the Mental
Health of Adolescents and Young Adults. Nation Library of Medicine.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9645642/

Nation core curriculum for ECEC in a nutshell (2020). Finnish National Agency For Education.
https://www.oph.fi/en/education-and-qualifications/national-core-curriculum-ecec-
nutshell

Network Enforcement Act (Netzdurchsetzunggesetz, NetzDG) (2017, Step. 1). German Law
Archive. https://germanlawarchive.iuscomp.org/?p=1245

Our story (1988). Netsafe. https://netsafe.org.nz/aboutnetsafe/our-story/

Statista Research Department (2022, Dec. 12). Survey on cyber bullying among pupils in
Norway 2020. Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/825266/survey-on-cyber-
bullying-among-pupils-in-norway/

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Teens and Cyberbullying 2022 (2022, Dec. 15). Pew Research Center.
https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2022/12/15/teens-and-cyberbullying-2022/

Time to act: eSafety puts new tools to work (2023, Jan. 23). The eSafety Commissioner.
https://www.esafety.gov.au/newsroom/media-releases/time-act-esafety-puts-new-
tools-work