A rise in child trafficking, suicide rates, body dysmorphia, and the sexualization of adolescents have been linked to apps like Snapchat, TikTok and Instagram. 

According to “indianprevention.org”, 1 out of every 5 children are solicited for sex on the internet. If social media were a drug, it would have undergone years of testing to meet safety standards.

However, these applications were released without the installation of proper restrictive measures that could ensure the safety of its users. Especially young users. The damage occurring amongst America’s youth is easily seen and yet the push to limit these apps is minimal. Meanwhile the lack of regulation in this industry has resulted in foreseeable problems which negatively affect our teens.

I began using social media in middle school. 

The promotion of unrealistic body standards made me question my self-esteem. I would spend hours comparing myself to girls on these sites who presented themselves in a sexualized manner. It wasn’t long before I was posting salacious content myself to be sexually desirable amongst my peers. “Likes” became addictive and validating. I craved them and because the posts were inappropriate, I needed to hide them from my parents by creating fake accounts or blocking them from certain posts. The result of this sneaky behavior resulted in isolation and depression.

Glorification of sex amongst teens and youth has escalated within the last decade due to the rise of social media “influencers”. These Influencers present themselves in a sexualized manner. This cultivates the logic that anyone can gain fame if they present themselves in a similar fashion. 

What many adolescents do not grasp is that this type of behavior makes them vulnerable to child predators who find social media an easy way to groom and target teens.

They use these apps to prey on underdeveloped minds which are seeking likes, comments, and connections with strangers in hopes of being “discovered.”

In addition, social media apps contribute to cyberbullying. People find it easier to express themselves online than in person. There is freedom in anonymity. This makes children with special needs even more vulnerable to cyberbullying than average users. 

At my school we have many special needs teens that post on their socials frequently. These teens believe that when people comment on their feeds it makes them popular. Unfortunately, many times they are being mocked. Sometimes the content is cruel, but these children lack the discernment to tell the difference. In an age of digital connection these special needs kids are falling through the cracks where there is no accountability for how teens treat teens.

A standard of kindness should be the norm and the use of social applications to shame and harass others should have repercussions. As a society we should push for more regulations and safety features on these platforms while teaching our youth that real life is not a bunch of selfies. 

Instead, it is the connections we make outside of cyberspace that fills us. 

Be an advocate of change.

Write to your Congressman.

Together, let’s change the social media narrative and find better ways to protect the future of today’s youth.

Editor’s note: This is a monthly opinion piece featuring takes in and out of the classroom from students at our area high schools. This month’s piece was written by Grossmont High School student Jaeden Roy. Top photo by Pixabay.com.