Do social networking sites have any responsibility in promoting mental health in their users?
Social networking sites are not obligated to take their user's mental health into account or promote mental health resources on their platforms, but they most definitely should. Social media has had a major impact on its users, specifically its younger audiences. Teenagers who spend more time on social media are said to have 13-66% higher rates of depression compared to teens that spend less time on social media and their phones in general. There is an obvious correlation between smartphones and socials destroying our youth's mental health, self-confidence, and social lives.
So how could social networking sites go about combating this?
The amount of time teenagers spend on social media is concerning. Anywhere from 5 to 8 hours per day can be wasted scrolling on these social networking sites. One probably implausible (but I think would be the most effective) way to promote mental health on these sites could be companies installing a screen time feature that only allows for a certain amount of usage each day. When I was younger I remember nickelodeon pausing broadcasting for a day encouraging kids to get outside with their "worldwide day of play." This is a similar idea. If social media only allows for 1-2 hours of usage daily, users will be encouraged to find other more productive and fulfilling ways of keeping themselves busy.
Another way social networking sites could promote mental health could be easy access to hotlines or therapy, and incorporating photos or videos throughout a user's feed including professional help and different ways of strengthening your own mental health as well as dealing with depression or anxiety. Because it is so easy to scroll for hours each day and possibly see things that are triggering or upsetting, I think it is important to get a break from that and see more positive and helpful content to get you out of an anxious or depressive state.
What factors might influence whether social media has negative influences, like links with depression, versus positive influences, such as boosts in self-esteem?
There is a string of different factors that could create either positive or negative influence from social media, and I do think it is possible to experience both at the same time. Posting a photo of yourself and getting a lot of likes and comments results in positive feelings, whereas scrolling through your feed and seeing unrealistic bodies could result in an unhealthy comparison. It is easy to compare yourself to what you see online. It's called the looking-glass self, always seeing something you could improve about yourself to fit into the beauty standard better instead of seeing the good qualities you have. I also believe screen time and the way people are using social media can change whether the effects are positive or negative.
Smartphones and social media of course have positives, but I personally think they cause more harm than good. Looking beyond just the mental health aspect, but how social media negatively impacts relationships, love, motivation towards career building, or even physical activity and getting outside. I feel like we don't realize the true consequences of this age of social media. The articles I have linked below continue this conversation of how harmful social media can be.
https://www.marriage.com/advice/relationship/social-media-ruins-relationships/
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/features/how-social-medias-toxic-content-sends-teens-into-a-dangerous-spiral/
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