heavy use of social media is linked to mental illness

Question

Youngsters report problems with anxiety, depression, sleep and “FoMO”

Comments

The statement that social media has negative effects on metal health is factual and backed up by scientific evidence, but the source used of the Economist is not entirely reliable because it is a .com website, and it's source is from the Royal Society for Public Health, which have since taken down their article. I found a source from the National Library of Medicine with a study titled The Relationship between Social Media and the Increase in Mental Health Problems. They did a study in Saudi Arabia on teenagers who use social media, and stated that "High social media exposure has also been found to be associated with a higher risk of depression and anxiety in the kingdom [12]". The NIH is a trusted and reputable source that is peer-reviewed, so I trust their evidence.

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This article claims that the heavy use of social media is causing depression and anxiety among young people. One of the main uses of evidence is that Sean Parker, Facebook’s former president, admitted that Facebook was designed to exploit human psychology. This is true as Sean Parker came out to the public in 2017, sharing that Facebook was designed to consume as much attention as possible, knowing its impacts on young people's brains. This article took findings from a survey by the Center for Humane Technology, indicating that nearly 63% of Instagram users reported that they were unhappy, having spent an average of an hour per day on the app. 37% who were happy spent around half an hour. This is consistent with what I found in the official survey, making this fact check true.

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This article from The Economist makes a claim that young people from the ages 14-21 that use social media deal with a lot more mental health problems. I agree with this claim because they use a lot of backed up evidence and statistics to provide a valid argument. Some of the evidence they used like "platforms exacerbated anxiety and depression, deprived them of sleep, exposed them to bullying and created worries about their body image and “FOMO” (“fear of missing out”)." that is backed up by a well respected organization from the United Kingdom. I agree with The Economist's claim and I believe it is a valid article.

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I completely agree with this article, I personaly have been effected negativly by what i saw on social media, it is harmful to people that have insecurities and self doubt to be scrolling on social media and seeing all these people showing how great their life is made out to be and how successful they are, I also think that excessive social media intake will lead to procrastination and laziness.

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I agree that over use of social media can lead to mental distress. The act of constantly observing others life and comparing them to your own can lead to you not feeling good enough.

Answer 1

This article from The Economist claims that the heavy use of social media by young people (ages 14-21) can negatively impact their mental health. They support this claim by presenting a 2017 survey by the Royal Society for Public Health, a reliable charity that is dedicated to doing research in support of public health. The link that they embedded was no longer working, but I was able to locate the study on their website, (https://www.rsph.org.uk/our-work/campaigns/status-of-mind.html) and it aligns with the claims presented in the article, that the use of social media is linked to worsened sleep, anxiety, depression, FOMO, bullying, and worsened self-image. They used two other studies as well, both of which were linked and were legitimate studies. I was also able to find several other reliable sources making the same claims, such as UC Davis Health (https://health.ucdavis.edu/blog/cultivating-health/social-medias-impact-our-mental-health-and-tips-to-use-it-safely/2024/05#:~:text=Mental%20health%20impacts,reward%20center%20by%20releasing%20dopamine.), Yale medicine (https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/social-media-teen-mental-health-a-parents-guide), and the National Library of Medicine (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9915628/). This proves that The Economists claim is legitimate, because it is based on reliable research and evidence, and aligns with many other research studies.

Comments

The Economist article talks about how using social media too much can mess with the mental health of young people (ages 14-24). It has been proven to cause things like anxiety, depression, and sleep problems. They back this up with a 2017 survey from the Royal Society for Public Health, showing that social media is linked to FOMO (fear of missing out), body image issues, and bullying. Other sources like UC Davis Health and Yale Medicine say the same thing social media isn't great for mental health. A study from the NCBI dives into why this happens, explaining that the constant comparison on social media and online bullying lead to more anxiety and depression. The McLean Hospital article adds that seeing other people online having fun without you can make anxiety and depression worse, which is exactly what The Economist article says. So, all these studies really back up what The Economist is saying about social media's impact on mental health.
https://www.mcleanhospital.org/essential/it-or-not-social-medias-affecting-your-mental-health

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Great points and supporting sources. Even though social media are not the exact reason of mental illnesses, overusing them can lead to distress and mental health issues. I found other article that supports that claim and is based on the research run after Facebook platform was launched. The author states that "the researchers found a sizable increase in the number of students who reported mental distress" within a year of using the platform.
Here is the article: https://mitsloan.mit.edu/ideas-made-to-matter/study-social-media-use-linked-to-decline-mental-health

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This is a really well-structured and thought out fact check. Nice job using credited sources too.

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I think this response is very well done and thorough. A lot of evidence was given that proves the claim, and it was nice that you cited the websites of where you found the information. My only recommendation would be to explain some of the evidence you found from the supporting sources that proved the claim.

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The sources you used in your answer are really good. You got your point across by including them and mentioning the important details. Although it would be helpful to dive into the facts from your sources a little deeper instead of just linking them and explaining a little bit.

Answer 2

The Economist article discusses how young people aged 14-24, believe that platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter exacerbate anxiety, depression, and sleep deprivation. Social media use has been linked to body image issues, cyberbullying, and the "fear of missing out". Additionally, research tracked Facebook users over time, finding a correlation between increased activity and a decline in mental health. The NCBI conducted a study that explores similar concerns but provides a more structured scientific approach. They examined the specific psychological mechanisms behind social media use and found a link between heavy exposure to social media and an increased risks of anxiety and depression due to constant social comparison, cyberbullying, and the addictive nature of these platforms. This study aligns with the findings from The Economist. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9915628/

Comments

This is an awesome fact check to the claim of "Heavy Use of Social Media is linked to Mental Illness." The inclusion of statistics could even make it better and prove how much of an effect social media has on people aged 14-24. Additionally, you could agree with the fact check at the beginning to let the reader know what your viewpoint is rather than figuring it out mid way through the paragraph. The article included in your response is very good and closely relates and proves the claim said.

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I think that your use of sources is excellent, however, I wish that you used more quotes to specifically cite the evidence. You also mention two articles but only cite one of them. Most of this information seems paraphrased, but it also seems like you are very knowledgeable on the content which makes it understandable and clear.

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After reading your fact check, I think that your use of sources is pretty good, but I do wish that you used more quotes to cite the evidence that you used in your response. Most of your answer is easy to understand with clear information though there are things to improve upon.

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This response is effective because it combines evidence from credible sources to provide a well-rounded analysis of social media's impact on mental health. It highlights specific issues such as body image concerns, cyberbullying, and the fear of missing out, making the argument relatable and clear. I like this response because it is structured, informative, and balanced, making it both compelling and easy to follow.

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This is a nice fact-check! You succinctly reiterate in information while providing a reputable source/study that backs up the impact of social media on the youth. I think that while this fact check is good, using specific figures or quotations from your research could help make it even better. Good job!

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This is a good fact check because it provides a sound scientific approach. I liked how you talked about how increased exposure to social media is linked to anxiety and depression. To expand upon this, an article by the Mayo Clic called "Teens and social media use: What's the impact?" says, "A 2022 survey of 13- to 17-year-olds offers a clue. Based on about 1,300 responses, the survey found that 35% of teens use at least one of five social media platforms more than several times a day". This shows how this link to mental health issues and social media is so important because so many young people have an intense amount of exposure to social media every day.

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I think your fact check is a great start but feel like you could of shown more evidence. When you talk about research on Facebook users, it would help your argument to provide the link to the research and say who has conducted the research. Linking the NCBI research and article is helpful to prove the claim true, and adding a resource for the other research would make your factcheck more reliable.

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This is an excellent fact check, as you were able to find a much better source that is more reliable.  You additionally gave us more information on the claim instead of just reiterating one sentence, you informed us more on why it was a true claim.

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This is a great fact check with insightful information, clear analysis, and a credible source. However, I think using more evidence, such as sources, (or even just diving deeper into evidence already presented) could strengthen your fact-check, making it more credible!

Answer 3

The Economist article, “How heavy use of social media is linked to mental illness,” briefly explains the increase in mental health issues, like anxiety and depression, that social media has had on individuals aged 14-24. To further prove this claim, the article, “The Social Dilemma: Social Media and Your Mental Health” (https://www.mcleanhospital.org/essential/it-or-not-social-medias-affecting-your-mental-health), expands on this idea by saying, “[Fear of missing out] can create anxiety and depression. When people look online and see they’re excluded from an activity, it can affect thoughts and feelings, and can affect them physically.” This proves that the article from The Economist is not misinformation and is telling the truth about how extended use of social media sites can decrease an individual’s mental health.

Comments

I like how you used another article to back up the claim made by The Economist. However, it would have been helpful to include more sources to further prove its validity, especially with quantitative statistics. It's also important to explain how these two sources are connected specifically (was The Social Dilemma article referenced in The Economist article or did you look up the claim separately?)

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I like your summary of the initial post, it helps to give the reader context and show what evidence you will be using to back up your claim. I also like how you used the other article, but I think you could have used an additional source especially because the effects of social media have been researched so extensively

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I like your use of furthering the discussion by adding the source “The social dilemma” this is a very thoroughly conducted study and goes into depth on how exactly social media is designed to get you addicted, and how that can impact your mental health. Tristan Harris, one of the main contributors for this documentary was actually a former Google design ethicist, and had a first hand look at how tech companies and major cooperations design their products to be more addictive.

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A great straightforward summary that overall validates the claim. In providing another article, you were able to further link it to the current article as well. Did your other article provide any other studies or data in return?

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You did a good job of fact-checking the source by using another reliable source to see if they had the same claims.  I believe this could be further proven by including facts or statistics in your claim. This would pull in the literary device of logos, and be more informative for the audience.

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You’ve made a strong connection between The Economist article and the additional source you cited. By highlighting the specific example of FOMO, you successfully show how social media’s influence can lead to real emotional and physical effects to human. This strengthens the argument that The Economist is sharing reliable information that are supported by credible sources.

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You provided a clear and solid summary that supports the claim. Connecting it to another article strengthened the argument. Did that article include any other studies or data to further back it up? Overall, great job!

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This is a great fact check. there is a good connection and used good sources that are credited.

Answer 4

This article from The Economist makes the claim that “Heavy use of social media by young people can have negative effects on their mental health.” They link social media usage to anxiety, depression, FOMO, lack of sleep, and negative self-image. The article supports their claim by providing a 2017 survey by the Royal Society for Public Health. The claims from this study match with the claims in the article. I looked into the other sources they used as well, all of which proved to be reliable. I looked into this claim further and found a variety of other reliable sources which share the same claim, such as The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory: Social Media and Youth Mental Health, which expands on this claim explaining, “Excessive and problematic social media use, such as compulsive or uncontrollable use, has been linked to sleep problems, attention problems, and feelings of exclusion among adolescents. Sleep is essential for the healthy development of adolescents. A systematic review of 42 studies on the effects of excessive social media use found a consistent relationship between social media use and poor sleep quality, reduced sleep duration, sleep difficulties, and depression among youth. Poor sleep has been linked to altered neurological development in adolescent brains, depressive symptoms, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors. On a typical weekday, nearly 1-in-3 adolescents report using screen media until midnight or later. While screen media use encompasses various digital activities, social media applications are the most commonly used applications by adolescents.” (https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/sg-youth-mental-health-social-media-advisory.pdf) 

Comments

I believe you've analyzed this article well! I appreciate how you were able to pull from the article for information backing up the claim, as well as being able to go into multiple different sources such as official government health websites. Additionally, you could have condensed the second source of information and instead referenced certain quotes and expanded upon them.

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I think this was a really good analyzation, you used many different stats to prove why you believe this article so true.

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I like how you backed up your points with reliable sources like the U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory and provided various data points verifying the claim of the original post. However, I've found that it’s always worth noting that not all social media use has the same effects on the same people. That being said, great fact-check and I also believe this claim to be true based on research, these posts, and personal experience.

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I like how you used sources like The Economist. The Economist is a trustworthy source. The article you cited supports the idea that social media can impact mental health. Especially the late night scrolling on Instagram. Social media use can alter human hormones and make it difficult to produce dopamine naturally.

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Your fact check is well-rounded and does a good job of supporting the original claim with another credible source! I especially like how you referenced the U.S. Surgeon General's Advisory on Social Media and Young Mental Health. In many of the other replies, I found there to be a repetition in the same sources used, and this was the first one that mentioned something different! This source is unique as well because it comes from a government-level publisher, making the discussion go beyond what we know from researchers. This was an interesting fact check!

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Thank you for your answer to this post! You thoroughly analyzed the sources the original poster used to backup their claim and expanded the amount of credible sources that also prove this claim. I was surprised to learn that 1 in 3 teenagers stay up past midnight on their screens. Overall, you fully researched the claim from relable sources to create a sound post.

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I thought this was a very well done response, however I would recommend not doing so long of a direct quote because it's harder to follow along and it basically just quotes the website.

Answer 5

Looking further into the survey that tracked a group of 5,208 Americans between 2013 and 2015, there is definitely a decrease in mental health associated with Facebook activity according to the charts and tables on the Semantic Scholar website. With 294 Citations and 71 References, the Association of Facebook Use with Compromised Well-Being: A Longitudinal Study is a very reliable survey proving this claim to be true. The source and abundant additional supporting information is legitimate. 

https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Association-of-Facebook-Use-With-Compromised-A-Shakya-Christakis/5270606dec382cfd50e925467ba35dac44654fc1

Comments

I like how you included a study and data to confirm that the claim is true. Maybe you could site some specific data from the study that shows the link between Facebook activity and a decrease in mental health.

Answer 6

The article from The Economist that claims heavy use of social media is linked to mental illness is completely true. The article states "But they also said that the platforms exacerbated anxiety and depression, deprived them of sleep, exposed them to bullying and created worries about their body image and “FOMO” (“fear of missing out”). Academic studies have found that these problems tend to be particularly severe among frequent users". This claim of frequent issues of anxiety, depression and sleep deprivation line up with The National Library of Medicine's article on Link between excessive social media use and psychiatric disorders. 

The story states "Social media use is the second leading cause of disability among psychiatric disorders". It also says "However, unrestrained use of social media can lead to the development of many psychosocial problems, such as disturbed sleep4–6, decreased subjective happiness7, and poor academic performance8,9, in addition to anxiety and depression6,10". This article explains how social media and mental illness directly coincide wth one another. When an individual has a problem with their mental health they often lean onto social media, and when one examines their mental illness it can often come from chronic social media use. Therefore proving the claim that heavy use of social media is linked to mental illness as true. 

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10129173/

Comments

This review is very helpful on why this article is true. You looked into the sources and the evidence that the article used and found a second article to back up the claim from The National Library of Medicine.

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i like that you went in depth with your analysis, and provided a government issued website to factcheck. i also like that you used quotes and data points.

Answer 7

The article shared shows some research studies for people in age groups 14-24.  The research shows how almost all social media platforms have negative effects with bullying, FOMO, and depression.  To go along with this article another one says, "Using that data, the organization drew some conclusions on the relationship between high school students' social media use and bullying, feelings of hopelessness, and suicide risk. The findings show that most students use social media frequently and it significantly affects their mental health." 

Frequent social media use tied to bullying and suicide risk, CDC finds | Mashable

Comments

I looked into the source you used, and while reliable, quoting the original CDC document would have been more useful and strengthened your claim and reasoning here. Besides this, your claim helps the original poster out.

Answer 8

This article from the Economist explains the effect on young people that spend a great amount of time on social media, supporting that heavy users can exacerbate anxiety, depression, deprived sleep, bullying and create worries about body image FOMO. Doing some research on other studies like the one conducted at Columbia Psychiatry it is seen the “same effects” (“Smartphones, Social Media, and Their Impact on Mental Health”) that heavy users have in social media aligning with the claim the Economist makes. According to an article from the university of Staford they also claims that “social media addiction has a strong link with mental health problems” (“Social Media Addiction and Mental Health: The Growing Concern for Youth Well-Being | Stanford Law School”). In this article they also mention several studies conducted through diverse sources pointing and proving that the heavy use of social media has a strong link to mental illness.

Comments

Please include source links for anything you cite in your fact-check (re: The Economist).

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https://www.columbiapsychiatry.org/research/research-areas/child-and-adolescent-psychiatry/sultan-lab-mental-health-informatics/research-areas/smartphones-social-media-and-their-impact-mental-health

https://law.stanford.edu/2024/05/20/social-media-addiction-and-mental-health-the-growing-concern-for-youth-well-being/

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You did a great job summarizing and backing up The Economist's claims with evidence from other sources and the studies from Columbia Psychiatry and Stanford really reinforced the point that heavy social media use is tied to mental health issues!

Answer 9

This claim can be deemed as true, as according to the linked article, “The most convincing effort was a survey that tracked a group of 5,208 Americans between 2013 and 2015. It found that an increase in Facebook activity was associated with a future decrease in reported mental health.” After diving further, this study was done by the Semantic Scholar Organization which can be proven to be a reliable source. This statements in both articles support the idea that the constant use of social media can deplete one's mental health.

Sources

https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Association-of-Facebook-Use-With-Compromised-A-Shakya-Christakis/5270606dec382cfd50e925467ba35dac44654fc1?p2df

https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2018/05/18/how-heavy-use-of-social-media-is-linked-to-mental-illness?utm_medium=cpc.adword.pd&utm_source=google&ppccampaignID=17210591673&ppcadID=&utm_campaign=a.22brand_pmax&utm_content=conversion.direct-response.anonymous&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw68K4BhAuEiwAylp3kojZc-_RSnDsZNcqsrkgak4j9Q8JBp2LzzSAIP-uPjHy9VeuAY_qzBoCFfEQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Comments

Hi there! I liked how you got right to the point that the claim was true based on the article, Which was exactly what we needed to know. We wanted to see if the claim was true or if it was misleading. So it's great that you were able to figure that out. Although you did state a reason as to why the claim was true, I would try to expand more on what you read in the articles the person provided, as well as more reasons as to why you agreed this claim was true to really win over the people that are reading your fact check. That why they have more then a reason to believe that these articles are true for the claim. Good Job!

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A nice job determining the claim as true. By diving further and searching the studies, it's a great way knowing it's a valuable source! However, it would've been further better if you provided more evidence from other articles in return that could further backup your claim. Do you think there's other studies that can further justify this claim?

Answer 10

This is true. The article from the economist claims that constant use of social media platforms by younger generations causes a negative impact on their mental health. In the article the reference and link both a survey and an experiment that's contents back up the claims in the article. Not only did the content of the article back up the claim but when I searched "heavy use of social media linked to mental illness", there were many different articles that backed up the claim. Sources like NIH and Stanford law both had articles with the same claim, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10129173/, https://law.stanford.edu/2024/05/20/social-media-addiction-and-mental-health-the-growing-concern-for-youth-well-being/.

Comments

Your answer is clear, concise, and aptly addresses the prompt. However, I find it a bit lacking in details. Perhaps, you could include some brief overviews of some of the top sources that support the claim made in the original source. Putting some outside sources in conversation with one another to support the original source would enhance the credibility of your answer immensely.