October 22, 2021
The news a few weeks ago from the Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen about Instagram’s impact on teen girls was, for parents of girls especially, pretty awful. However, this piece in the New York Times asks an important question: “How do we know for sure that social media is worse for teen girls than traditional media was for previous generations?” Because, sadly, feeling self-conscious and critical of one’s own body—and even more severe conditions like eating disorders—are not problems unique to Gen Z. As it turns out, the answer isn’t so clear-cut. Yet, one thing is certain: parents can arm their children with the skills to be savvier, more critical, users of social media and that training should start early.