Social Media has been seen by many people as an ongoing issue in our classrooms. At least 20 Utah school districts are planning to file lawsuits against Meta, Tiktok, Snap inc., and Youtube. Utah states that the companies have intentionally created addictive behaviors in minors that cause: Poor sleep, online harassment, poor body image, low self-esteem, and higher depressive symptoms. Is this simply an allegation? Or is this a fact to something greater?

Last month, Gov. Spencer Cox announced that Utah will be suing Meta to “fund prevention education and treatment for excessive and problematic use of social media.” School districts have argued that a student’s social media usage has put a financial strain on schools, due to providing extra resources to affected students. The Social Media and Youth Mental Health article, by The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory; stated, that “Up to 95% of youth ages 13–17 report using a social media platform, with more than a third saying they use social media ‘almost constantly.’”

Granite School District also plans to file in federal court, according to the district’s officials. The district has also implemented a new “phone pocket” rule where students have to place their phones in a pouch and retrieve it at the end of class. The effectiveness of this is highly debated, as a lot of students simply refuse to do it.

Although social Media might have its negative impacts on today’s youth, let’s discuss the benefits it can give. positive communities and connection with others that share: identities, abilities, and interests. Provide access to important information and create a space for self-expression to everyone, not just the youth. Another positive is that social media allows people to maintain and even form new friendships online.

Social Media has many effects on us and our mindsets, it can be both bad and good. However you see it, we all must try to safeguard our wellbeing and mental health.