You can do a lot of things in 9 years. You can develop an instrument,
language or sport to a very decent level. Instead, this time is spent
looking scrolling at a futile screen that poses significant risks. Good
morning classmates and teacher, social media exposes people to dangers,
addiction and compromised mental health, and thus should be banned for
people under 15. I urge you to agree with me and therefore improve the
quality of life for you and others.
Imagine sitting in your room, scrolling through social media, commenting
on posts and sharing your photos on your profile. But now, picture this: as
you share your content on social media, there’s an unidentified, faceless
stranger on the other side of the screen with ill intentions. My first point
why social media should be banned for these ages is because it is
hazardous. Nearly 6 out 10 girls have been contacted in a way that has
made them uncomfortable, displaying the uncertainty and perils of the
internet. Are we really willing to gamble the safety of the youth for the
sake of connectivity? Additionally, the Cyberbullying Research Centre
have discovered that 36.5% of youth have experienced cyberbullying in
their lifetime, leading to the relentless and unforgiving effects of this
event such as a lack of confidence, pressure to fit into social norms, and
deteriorating mental health. Therefore, the dangers posed by social
media – predators and cyberbullying – actively illustrate that social media
must be banned for people under 15.
Secondly, social media is heavily addictive. In social media, whenever
someone interacts with something you’ve posted, your brain releases a
dose of dopamine, and from here on, your brain constantly craves this
idea of approval from others. This addiction is extremely difficult to walk
away from. David Greenfield, a psychologist and founder of the Centre for
Internet and Technology Addiction in West Hartford, Conn, said the
devices lure users with some powerful tactics. One is “intermittent
reinforcement,” which creates the idea that a user could get a reward at
any time. But when the reward comes is unpredictable. “They’re all about
impulse and not about the control,” Dr. Greenfield said. In fact, girls and
boys aged 14-24 spend 828 and 528 minutes weekly on social media
respectively, meaning that each person spends about 9 years of their life
on their screen. These high doses of internet bring a variety of mental
health issues, which I will elaborate on in my next point.
My last point is that social media is truly the culprit for the deteriorating
mental health in the youth. According to data from the U.S. Centres for
Disease Control and Prevention, in 2021, more than 40% of high school
students reported suicidal thoughts, poor mental health and depressive
symptoms such as a loss of pleasure in life and energy, angry outbursts
and fatigue. These statistics only further underscore the effects of social
media and a generation grappling with the weight of these effects. It is
imperative that we act to raise future generations with stability,
secureness and serenity.
language or sport to a very decent level. Instead, this time is spent
looking scrolling at a futile screen that poses significant risks. Good
morning classmates and teacher, social media exposes people to dangers,
addiction and compromised mental health, and thus should be banned for
people under 15. I urge you to agree with me and therefore improve the
quality of life for you and others.
Imagine sitting in your room, scrolling through social media, commenting
on posts and sharing your photos on your profile. But now, picture this: as
you share your content on social media, there’s an unidentified, faceless
stranger on the other side of the screen with ill intentions. My first point
why social media should be banned for these ages is because it is
hazardous. Nearly 6 out 10 girls have been contacted in a way that has
made them uncomfortable, displaying the uncertainty and perils of the
internet. Are we really willing to gamble the safety of the youth for the
sake of connectivity? Additionally, the Cyberbullying Research Centre
have discovered that 36.5% of youth have experienced cyberbullying in
their lifetime, leading to the relentless and unforgiving effects of this
event such as a lack of confidence, pressure to fit into social norms, and
deteriorating mental health. Therefore, the dangers posed by social
media – predators and cyberbullying – actively illustrate that social media
must be banned for people under 15.
Secondly, social media is heavily addictive. In social media, whenever
someone interacts with something you’ve posted, your brain releases a
dose of dopamine, and from here on, your brain constantly craves this
idea of approval from others. This addiction is extremely difficult to walk
away from. David Greenfield, a psychologist and founder of the Centre for
Internet and Technology Addiction in West Hartford, Conn, said the
devices lure users with some powerful tactics. One is “intermittent
reinforcement,” which creates the idea that a user could get a reward at
any time. But when the reward comes is unpredictable. “They’re all about
impulse and not about the control,” Dr. Greenfield said. In fact, girls and
boys aged 14-24 spend 828 and 528 minutes weekly on social media
respectively, meaning that each person spends about 9 years of their life
on their screen. These high doses of internet bring a variety of mental
health issues, which I will elaborate on in my next point.
My last point is that social media is truly the culprit for the deteriorating
mental health in the youth. According to data from the U.S. Centres for
Disease Control and Prevention, in 2021, more than 40% of high school
students reported suicidal thoughts, poor mental health and depressive
symptoms such as a loss of pleasure in life and energy, angry outbursts
and fatigue. These statistics only further underscore the effects of social
media and a generation grappling with the weight of these effects. It is
imperative that we act to raise future generations with stability,
secureness and serenity.
