Claim: Social Media decreases mental health

Question

The emerald website claims that social media decreases mental health. Social Media tends to depict life perfectly and unrealistically. Because of this unhealthy image of life causes people to compare themselves. They tend to lower their self-esteem when they realize their life does not look like what they see.

Comments

'Decreasing mental health' is a little confusing. After reviewing the link, I think the claim might need a few extra words. Claim: Social media has negative effects on mental health.

Answer 1

I think social media indeed hinders our mental health. In this day and age, everything is technical, online, and has a brain of its own. A 2018 British study tied social media use to decreased, disrupted, and delayed sleep, which is associated with depression, memory loss, and poor academic performance.

Link to Evidence: https://www.mcleanhospital.org/essential/it-or-not-social-medias-affecting-your-mental-health

Comments

You provided a solid explanation, a quote from the British study, and a link to your evidence. Good work! Don't forget to add a rating, such as "true, not misinformation."

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I think the hook for your claim could be more enticing for the reader. There are no facts in your argument, which makes your statement not very strong. I do like how you used emerald website, and after I did research its a credible source for academic information which aligns with your claim! Is there a specific age group your claim is targeting?

Answer 2

Claim: “ Social Media decreases mental health”.

The claim that social media decreases mental health is true but isn’t completely accurate. Throughout my investigation, I used the SIFT method. I started off by stopping and investigating the source. The original claim came from an article in Emerald Insight, which is a peer-reviewed academic publisher. This discusses how social media usage can negatively impact our mental health by promoting unrealistic portrayals of life that lead to social media comparisons and make others feel bad about their ways of living. (https://www.emerald.com/mhsi/article-abstract/25/1/41/295958/Investigating-the-role-of-social-media-on-mental?redirectedFrom=fulltext). This is a credible source because it publishes research reviewed extensively before publication.  Additionally, I looked for better coverage. I found the World Health Organization (WHO), which reported that problematic social media use among teens went up from 7% in 2018 to 11% in 2022, along with 12% of adolescents at risk of problematic gaming. They collected this data through the Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children study, which surveyed more than 280,000 students from ages 11 -15 from different countries. This article highlights that too much screen time can affect mental health, while also pointing out the need to encourage safe online habits.(https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/25-09-2024-teens--screens-and-mental-health ). Additionally, I’m incorporating an article from UC Davis which has practical tips for using social media safely and explains how it can sometimes contribute to anxiety or depression if overused. (https://health.ucdavis.edu/blog/cultivating-health/social-medias-impact-our-mental-health-and-tips-to-use-it-safely/2024/05). After looking through each source, I found that the studies and articles are trustworthy. For example, the World Health Organization study surveyed thousands of teens in schools around the country, making it reliable. Now you're probably thinking why does that make it reliable? Well, we can trust that the results aren’t just opinions but actual results after studying different ages from different regions and living standards. Additionally, the World Health Organization isn’t trying to sell anything or push on one idea, which reduces bias. The Emerald Insight article and the UC Davis links also relied on research studies and not just beliefs/ opinions. They explain how social media can affect mental health, for example, by encouraging teens to compare themselves to others, which can lower their self-esteem and make them feel sad or stressed. Overall, after reviewing these sources, I found consistent information. I also emailed the Emerald insight study for more information, but have yet to receive a response. However, the article provides detailed information confirmed by other sources. Social media can affect mental health negatively, especially if teens spend a lot of time online comparing their lifestyles to others. This means that the claim “Social media decreases mental health” is partially accurate (true). It can be harmful in some cases, but it doesn’t always make mental health dramatically worse.

Comments

This is a strong and well-researched post! You did a great job applying the SIFT method and using credible sources like WHO and UC Davis to support your points. I like that you recognized the claim as only partially true—it shows good critical thinking. You could make it even stronger by briefly mentioning how social media can have some positive effects, like connection or support. Overall, clear, balanced, and thoughtful work!