The Impact of Social Media on Mental Health: Is Regulation Necessary?

Social media has become an important part of our everyday life, and its complexities, as well

as what many believe to be its demerits have led to talks about imposing regulations on social

media usage. However, these regulations are not without their cons either, as they lead to loss

of innovation, reduced connectivity, and also become an impediment to freedom of

expression. The increase in social media usage during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 is

further proof of its importance. According to research by Stacy Jo Dixon published on

Statista, the average time users in the US spent on social media in 2020 was 65 minutes daily,

an increase from the 56 minutes recorded in the previous year (Dixon, 2023, para 1). This

increased usage is linked to social support provided by these platforms during the pandemic

and helped to reduce the social isolation and loneliness that the pandemic and resulting

lockdown caused people (Cho et al., 2023). Although several studies link increased social

media usage with depression, anxiety, and other mental health problems, the Covid-19

pandemic showed that social media can also be harnessed for providing mental health

support, as several users turned to social media for emotional support during the crisis (Cho

et al., 2023). So, despite concerns about the impact of social media on mental health,

imposing regulatory measures would impede the freedom of expression, innovation, and

social connectivity that these platforms offer, outweighing any potential benefits of such

regulations.

Meanwhile, social media has numerous benefits for its users. For instance, it allows

individuals to connect regardless of their geographical location, make friends, and be part of

online communities based on shared interests and hobbies. Thanks to social media, everyone

can create meaningful connections, engage in conversations, and enjoy being part of a

community that helps them be better people. It also serves as a valuable source of information
and education for users, providing access to a wide range of digital toolboxes, perspectives,

and knowledge (Korhonen, 2024). Studies also show that people with creative

accomplishments in real life are more active social media users (Wai, 2022, para 4). This

implies that active social media engagement may provide social support systems for people

which helps them achieve their creative goals. This might happen for different reasons, like

greater access to helpful resources, or social praise that motivates them to produce more

creative works (Wai, 2022, para 6).

Social media has also been known to have economic benefits for both individuals (via

influencer marketing) and businesses. McLachlan and Newberry (2023) highlight the role of

social media in helping business owners grow their brands, gain insights, and reach more

customers. Businesses are also able to conduct market surveys, generate leads, promote their

content, engage directly with prospects and customers, increase brand awareness, prove ROI,

study the competition, manage business reputation, and work with influencers, and through

social media. Additionally, social media plays a huge role in providing support for people

living with mental disorders. Studies show that people with mental illnesses appear to be

active on social media sharing their personal experiences, seeking information and treatment

options for their condition, and giving and receiving support from other people in a similar

situation (Naslund et al., 2020, pg 2). Hence, while many authors point out a link between

social media usage and mental illnesses in the users, people living with these disorders

benefit from social media, using it for increased social interactions, access to peer networks,

and engagement and retention services (Naslund et al., 2020, pg 4,5,6).

Imposing regulations on social media is a drastic step with many adverse effects. While

social media may not be without its vices, the first step to curbing its negative impacts should

be individuals taking responsibility for their social media usage and its impacts on their
mental health. Personal responsibility plays a key role in effective social media regulation.

For instance, parents should not be on their phones while interacting with their kids. This

helps to set an example for the children. Parents also have the responsibility to educate their

children on the merits and demerits of social media, and how much of a distraction it can be.

You should place a limit on how much social media your children consume. Also, talk to

them about their social media experiences, who they interact with, and what they talk about

(Levy, 2021, para 9). People should have the freedom to choose how they use social media

and what content they engage with. Regulations should be self-inflicted, not imposed.

Social media regulation is not without its drawbacks. A major drawback is that regulatory

measures could lead to censorship of content and limit freedom of expression. Apart from

government-imposed regulations, internet companies and social media platforms also have

the right to moderate the content on their platforms. This private censorship can also be as

detrimental to the freedom of speech and expressions of the platform users as government

regulations are (Cope et al., 2017). Hence, social media companies must be cautious in their

approach to content moderation. Another danger of regulation is that it can potentially stifle

innovation in the social media industry, limiting the development of new platforms and

features (Hendrickson and Galston, 2019). One other drawback of social media regulation is

that it can potentially restrict access to social media for marginalized communities who rely

on it for connectivity and support. Social media offer numerous opportunities for people from

marginalized communities, but regulations can restrict them from getting these opportunities,

and they risk being excluded and disadvantaged (UNICEF 2018).

According to the article, ‘Children and Adolescents and Digital Media,’ by Reid et al., there's

a link between excessive exposure to media and viewing TV in early childhood and delays in

cognitive, social, emotional, and language use (Reid et al., 2016, pg 6). The study also noted
that there is a link between tobacco or alcohol usage, and inappropriate sexual behaviors in

teenagers and their exposure to TV or movie content where these behaviors are showcased

(pg 8). Hence, as a counterargument to the potential drawbacks of regulation, a crucial step in

protecting this young and vulnerable population from harmful content and bullying that

affects their mental health is to regulate the media. It's also worth noting that regulation can

help curb the spread of misinformation and disinformation on social media, which can

contribute to anxiety, stress, and confusion among users. Another crucial point to note is that

regulation can hold social media platforms accountable for the content they host and the

algorithms they use, ensuring that they prioritize user well-being over engagement metrics.

According to Reviglio and Agosti (2020), social media algorithms are created to

autonomously explore strategies that are manipulative and detrimental to social media users

(pg 3). Social media platforms should be held accountable for the algorithms that they use

and the content hosted on their platforms, and this can be achieved through regulation. An

advantage of regulation is that it can help in auditing social media algorithms (Reviglio and

Agosti, 2020, pg 8).

In an article reviewing several studies to determine the effectiveness of social media use

intervention on mental health, Plackett et al., (2023) found that the interventions restricting

social media usage or imposing full abstinence on users may not be as beneficial for the

user’s mental well-being compared to therapy-based interventions. The interventions

reviewed in this study used established approaches, such as CBT-based techniques and

counseling to encourage the subjects to be more mindful and reflect on how their activity on

social media affects their emotions, thoughts, and actions. Overall, the findings from this

study suggest that healthcare professionals, public health bodies, and mental health charity

organizations should adopt and encourage therapy-based approaches to managing mental

health instead of focusing on reducing time spent on social media (Plackett et al., 2023, pg
15). Evidence is growing to suggest that strictly reducing social media usage doesn’t offer

substantial benefit to a person’s mental well-being, hence, social media regulation may not

effectively address the root causes of mental health issues associated with social media.

Rather than impose restrictions and regulations on social media usage, promoting individual

responsibility and digital literacy may be more effective in mitigating the negative effects of

social media than regulation. This ensures that every individual is well-trained on the pros

and cons of social media use, especially how it affects their mental health, and they take

responsibility for preventing the negative impacts of social media. This way, more people are

protected without the negative impact that imposing regulations can have on people.

Social media have become an important part of our lives, and that cannot be taken away.

While there may be concerns about how it negatively impacts the users’ mental health,

imposing regulatory measures also has detrimental effects, such as impeding the freedom of

expression, innovation, and connectivity that these platforms offer, and this outweighs any

potential benefits of the regulations. Ultimately, personal responsibility is key to mitigating

the negative effects of social media usage. Users should be mindful of how they use social

media by ensuring it isn't affecting their mental health, and seek support when needed. This is

a more effective ‘regulation’ than government-imposed regulations.

Reflection

1. Provide one example of a place where you have used rhetorical appeals or source

material to support your argument. How does this enhance your essay? (2-3 sentences)

I used the source material, “The Impact of Social Media Use Interventions on Mental

Well-Being: Systematic Review” by Ruth Plackett, Alexandra Blyth, and Patricia

Schartau, and published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research in 2023 to support my

rebuttal. This article notes that imposing restrictions on social media usage doesn’t directly

benefit the mental health of users. Hence, it enhances the point of my essay that social

media regulations are unnecessary.

2. Touchstone 4 is a revision of this draft. What kind of feedback would be helpful for

you as you revise? Are there parts of your draft that you’re uncertain of? (3-4 sentences)

The kind of feedback that’s helpful is the one that helps me argue my point better. While I

cannot say I’m uncertain about any part of my draft, I feel like I can do better in stating

and arguing the point of my essay. Feedback that helps me achieve will help me get better.
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