Mindscapes - Adolescent Expression | [Essay] Social Media: Caught Between FOMO and Freedom. A Peek Into the Debate in Young Minds

Social media use among teenagers and adolescents has become a major topic of debate worldwide. Policymakers, parents, and educators continue to question whether social media helps or harms teenagers, especially because many teens spend several hours each day on platforms such as Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok. In addition, we are starting to see a concerted effort by several governments around the world to limit children under 16 from accessing social media platforms. Personally, I am not on social media because of the restrictions my parents have set. Because of this, I think I can see both the benefits and drawbacks of not having access to it. In my opinion, social media has become such a large part of teen culture that removing it completely would make it difficult for teens to communicate and connect in the ways they do today. However, I also believe that the concerns surrounding social media are real and cannot be ignored. 

Policymakers are right to be concerned about the negative effects of social media on teenagers. Endless doomscrolling and short-form videos distract teens from doing their schoolwork, take time away from real life interactions with other people, and cause mental fatigue from staring at a screen for long periods. Social media can also increase FOMO, or the fear of missing out, when teens see their friends at events or activities they were unable to attend. Over time, this can make teens feel excluded or unhappy. Another serious concern is comparison. When teenagers constantly see filtered or edited images online, they may begin to compare their own bodies, appearances, and lives to what they see on social media. This can become harmful, especially when people feel pressured to change themselves to match unrealistic images. These risks may be even greater for younger children ages 8 to 13 years, who may not yet have the maturity to understand that not everything online is realistic or appropriate for their age. 

At the same time, social media does have benefits. One of the biggest advantages is that it gives teens an easy way to connect with each other. For example, during COVID, when people were isolated at home, social media provided an easy way for many teens to communicate and stay engaged with their friends. Social media also exposes teens to current events and different perspectives. Even though this can sometimes be concerning, it can also help teenagers understand what is happening in the world and help them form their own opinions. For this reason, I do not think social media is entirely harmful. It can support social development, especially in a world where so much communication now happens online. To better understand how social media affects people around me, I asked a group of my friends about their average screen time over the past three weeks and which apps they spend the most time on. Although this was only an informal survey among friends, I found the responses thought-provoking. It was glaringly obvious that social media accounted for the largest proportion of their time. One of my friends spent 30 hours on her phone in one week, and 24 of those hours were spent on Instagram. On average, most of my friends spent around 16 to 18 hours per week on TikTok, Snapchat, or Instagram. There were some exceptions. One girl spent only about one hour on social media, and when I asked her how she kept her usage so low, she said that her parents had set restrictions on her phone and other devices. In contrast, when I asked the friend who spent 24 hours on Instagram whether she would benefit from restrictions, she said she wished her parents had put some in place, but also admitted that she would not have the self-control to do it herself. 

Another thing I noticed was how embarrassed many of my friends seemed when I asked about their screen time. Some responded by saying things like, “Sure, but this will be so bad,” or “Yes, but don’t judge me.” This suggested to me that many teens are aware of how much time they spend on social media, but still feel unable to change it. When I asked how they felt about their usage, most said they were embarrassed and wished they had more control over their addiction to YouTube Shorts, TikTok, and Instagram reels, and staying updated with friends. However, when I asked if they would want their parents to restrict their screen time, many said no. They did not want to give up the small amount of independence they had gained from their parents, even though they also struggled to set limits for themselves. I think this applies to many teenagers in general. They may be self-aware, but that does not mean they have the motivation or discipline to break the habit on their own. 

Interestingly, I have also noticed that social media affects parts of life that do not seem directly connected to phones or the internet. For example, when I eat lunch with my friends at school, we are not allowed to have our phones with us. Because of that, we usually talk, tell jokes, and share stories. However, even without phones, I notice that much of our humor or discussion topics comes from internet references. Many of the jokes we make are based on things people have seen online. This shows that social media does not only affect how much time teenagers spend on screens. It also affects how we talk, what we find funny, and how we relate to each other. Its influence reaches into our everyday lives, even when the phones are not physically present. 

Since I do not have social media, I often think about both the advantages and disadvantages of being outside these platforms. On the one hand, I know I spend my time more wisely and can get more done in less time. I am less distracted, and I do not have the same constant urge to check apps because I don't have any. On the other hand, I do experience FOMO. I sometimes wish I were more connected to what my friends are doing and to the conversations happening online. This makes me believe that social media should not simply be banned for teenagers. It has both positive and negative effects. 

To sum it all up, I believe the best solution is not a complete ban, but maybe stronger age based controls or limitations on the usage hours on social media platforms that are mandated or adopted as best practices. These limits should not depend only on parental control, because not all parents set the same rules, and many teens struggle to set limits for 
themselves. Age based restrictions could help younger users avoid harmful content while still allowing older teens to experience the benefits of connection, communication, and awareness of the world. Social media is now a major part of teen life, so the goal should not be to remove it completely, but to make sure its benefits are experienced while its harms are reduced. 

~ By Aarthi ~