Why I Walked Away From Social Media: My Daughter's Point of View

I was concerned about not having a social media presence for my blog, but I realized if God wanted it to reach others, He would make it happen. 

When  I explained to my daughter the reasons why I do not want her on social media she asked, “Why do you have it then?” Her question was a wake-up call for me, and I realized I needed to lead by example. 

So, I deleted my account, and to my surprise, she chose to follow suit. 

Not only does she avoid social media (except Pinterest), but she also wrote an essay for the FBI Youth Leadership Program, identifying social media as the biggest influence on teens. Her essay earned her the title of ‘successful candidate for South Dakota,’ advancing her to the next stage with a panel interview. 

I’m incredibly proud to share her essay with you.

Her Essay:

Social Media: A Prison

    Imagine social media as the puppeteer extraordinaire, expertly manipulating our digital marionettes' loose and withered strings with a grin. Social media is one of the most significant factors facing teens today. Social media, such as TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest, are spreading dangerous lies that could potentially be life-threatening, putting teenagers at risk. Furthermore, social media can contribute to issues such as human trafficking. After doing some research and conducting interviews with teenagers, it is apparent that social media affects a teenager’s susceptibility to addiction, low self-esteem, and faltered beliefs.

“Social media is more addictive than cigarettes and alcohol.” - Gary Vaynerchuck

    I spoke with ten teenagers- seven girls and three boys aged between eleven and seventeen. Turns out 100% of the teenagers I interviewed mentioned they spend more than two hours a day on social media. In addition, 60% stated that they spent more than four hours, and 40% more than six hours throughout various platforms.

    Did you know that social media triggers the release of dopamine in the brain? (Newport Academy, 2023) This is why we keep coming back for more and more. The likes and shares on these platforms activate the reward center in the brain, resulting in a high- not unlike the one people feel on drugs. Crazy, right?

    Now let's say a teenager decided to quit social media. Just like any type of drug, they will begin to have withdrawal symptoms. Social media withdrawal can be very difficult for a teenager. Remember how I said social media triggers the release of dopamine to the brain? Well, if you withdraw from social media, those dopamine releases stop. This results in loneliness, anxiety, and depression. These dangerous side effects can make people, such as teenagers, cause self-harm and even suicide (Hamilton, J., 2021).

    Social media addiction and withdrawal have become so serious that there are now helplines for American citizens to call and Institutes for them to go to (Newport Institute, 2022). Here is what one teenager I interviewed had to say, “I think it’s sad, but I feel like everyone is kind of in that situation. They might delete one app, and then get addicted to another social media platform. It’s a never-ending circle.”-L.F.

Self- Esteem

    Comparison is driven by desire, which affects our self-esteem. One of the biggest downfalls of social media is how it leads people to compare themselves. 60% of the people I interviewed expressed that their self-esteem had been harmed. Why is that? Each person I interviewed had one thing in common, Snapchat. Now, how can Snapchat affect a person's self-confidence? Well, I've only got one answer for that, the filters. In the second week of January, I asked some friends a question about Snapchat:

Question- “How would you say the filters on Snapchat affect your self-confidence?”

Answers- “I would say I find some of them damaging and force my face into society’s ideal standards. They make me feel like something I don’t need to be when I look as perfect as I am. I try to avoid them because they greatly damage my self-esteem and reflection of myself.’’- M.

“Some of the filters with facial differences kind of make me insecure” -K.C.

” It made me have a lower self-confidence.”-L.F.

    As you can see, filters affect teenagers. They distort how a person looks at themselves. Fuller lips, clearer skin, whiter teeth, and bigger eyes, are just some examples of what the filters do. Through these filters, Snapchat is influencing teenagers to perceive their bodies as less than perfect, or to quote what M. refers to as "society's ideal standards." This is one of the many ways social media is damaging our youth, by influencing them into thinking they're not good enough.

Faltered Beliefs

    The last reason I think Social Media is the most significant factor is the influencing lies and the harm it spreads. One of the lies that can ruin history as we know it is:

“The Holocaust did not really happen. Six million Jews did not die. It is a Jewish conspiracy theory spread by vested interests to obscure the truth. The truth is that there is no evidence any people were gassed in any camp. The Holocaust did not happen.” -Anon (Monsen, L., 2022)

    Sharing this kind of lie can ruin today's society, by painting Jewish individuals in a bad light and making them targets. It's like setting the stage for history to repeat itself. These lies can especially affect teenagers. They believe most everything on social media, not because they are gullible, but because they are trusting. That lie that I shared with you can not only influence a child's or teen's worldview, but also shatter it. Here are some responses I got after sharing this:

    The Holocaust did really happen. It was one of the most gruesome and terrible events that has ever happened in the entire history of the earth. since Bible times God's people, the Jews, have been targeted and attempted to be killed. There is so much evidence, from the shoes that the children wore to the ruins of the camps that are still here today. it’s truly sad that people want to pretend that such a horrible thing didn’t happen and treat it so lightly, the Holocaust was real and it is something to never ignore. -S.G.

    Another response I got that was unexpected: “How can you be so sure…I’m not denying history, I just think people are over exaggerating and making stuff up.” Now this caught me off guard, I honestly didn’t think I knew anyone who didn't believe in the Holocaust, but this is proof of the effect social media has on teens. The Holocaust is completely provable from the documents of old concentration camps to the sudden decrease in the Jewish population.

    Another lie that goes on in social media is not exactly a world-spread lie, but the private kind that will destroy our youth. In 2023, there was a 125% increase in reports of recruitment into human trafficking through Facebook and a 95% increase in reports of recruitment on Instagram, compared to 2022 (Contreras, J., & Chon, K., 2024). Social Media is growing with its users every day- and every day there is a child who is being manipulated and enslaved. There are people out there who might deny it, but it's happening.

    What if I told you there are teenage girls who are currently talking to men over social media, whom they believe to be their lovers? Or, that there are teenage boys who believe they're meeting their online girlfriends for the first time? Now what happens if their “lover” is a sex trafficker? Or his girlfriend is going to enslave him? It sounds unbelievable, but it happens and will continue to happen unless someone does something about it. This is one of the many reasons I aspire to be an F.B.I. agent.

Conclusion

    I’ve been to 45 states total in the last two years and I’ve met a whole lot of kids. Honestly, I can see the difference between teens who own social media and don't, just by the way they carry themselves or how they talk. Isn't it terrifying to know that our health, and confidence can go down the drain just with one thirty-second video? Social media has the potential to reshape our history and is involved in issues, such as human trafficking, addiction, and promoting low self-esteem. Therefore, social media is not only the biggest factor in a teenager’s life, but the biggest prison.

References

Contreras, J., & Chon, K. (n.d.). Technology’s complicated relationship with human trafficking. Administration for Children & Families. https://www.acf.hhs.gov/blog/2022/07/technologys-complicated-relationship-human-trafficking

Monsen, L., (2022) Holocaust denial and distortion must stop. SHAREAMERICA. https://share.america.gov/holocaust-denial-distortion-must-stop/

Teen Social Media Addiction and Mental Health (2023), Newport Academy, https://www.newportacademy.com/resources/mental-health/teens-social-media-addiction/



Hamilton, J., (2021). Social Media use and prospective suicidal thoughts and behaviors among adolescents at high risk for suicide. Pub Med. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34533227/

Proverbs 22:6

Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.

My Reflection

• Homeschooling has shown me that God will provide my children with the same opportunities as others.

• Trusting Him with their safety, health, and future is part of guiding them. Being a good example, standing firm in what I believe, and being honest with them—especially as teenagers—are key. 

• Above all, it’s about loving, nurturing, and meeting their needs.

If you’re considering homeschooling, know that it’s worth it, and God will equip you every step of the way.

Prayer

Prayer

Heavenly Father,

We surrender our children to You, trusting Your perfect will for them. Help us guide them and make right our mistakes. Thank You for entrusting us with them. Keep them safe- mind, body, and soul- and direct them on the right path.

In Jesus' name, 

Amen. 

• I would love to hear your thoughts and experiences, feel free to leave a comment below. 

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