Teens, Tech and the Loneliness Disconnect
By Movieguide® Contributor
Technology and the internet fuel loneliness, but it’s especially harmful for adolescents.
American teens spend approximately six hours each day looking at screens. Reports show that 15 to 24-year-olds spend 35% less time socializing than they did 20 years ago.
“There’s a ton of tech out there. But the one thing that’s different about this tech is that it’s used in private,” said Jeffrey Hall, professor of communication studies at the University of Kansas.
Kids these days have access to a lot more information than they did 20 years ago. Thanks to location sharing on apps like Snapchat and status updates, they constantly know where their peers are and what they’re doing.
“I do get FOMO [fear of missing out] when I see my friends hanging out,” said high school junior Meghan Whitten. “It definitely contributes to anxiety around social situations — especially during high school, which is all around a stressful time.”
In 2023, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy declared there is a loneliness epidemic. “It’s hard to know who’s being real online, and it’s hard for people to be themselves online, and that is a recipe for loneliness,” he said.
According to a study in Journal of Adolescents, teens’ psychological well-being sharply decreased after 2012, which aligned with the spike in smartphone and internet use. They’re are missing out on mood-boosting chemicals that can only be made through in person interaction.
A new threat to teens is AI chat companions. The chatbots are often designed to emulate a character, taking the place of a friend or girlfriend/boyfriend. Rather than helping with the loneliness, they actually increase isolation and heighten depression and anxiety.
READ MORE: AI DANGERS KEEP EMERGING: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CHATBOT ‘COMPANIONS’
There have already been several lawsuits regarding teens and chatbots. One teen even took his life last year. His mom claims the bot is to blame.
Hall has this reminder for parents: “Your goal as a parent is to equip your kids with the tools to handle the media that they will have access to.”
This is a key point in Dr. Ted Baehr’s book, “The Culture-Wise Family.” He encourages parents to ask the following questions about themselves to guide them in correcting their children:
What am I drawn to in my media choices? Are these choices a positive or negative influence in my life? Do they represent my belief system?
Where am I tempted in the media world? Is it a type of movie, television program, genre of music, Internet?
What do I do when faced with this temptation?
What have I done in the past that has helped me to be successful in making wise choices for myself?
READ MORE: WHAT YOUR TEEN’S DIGITAL MATURITY SAYS ABOUT THEIR SOCIAL CONNECTIONS
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