Why, despite all we know of the negative effects of social media, do so many of us continue to use it and allow our children and grandkids to use it?
I remember hearing the news years ago—around 2009, I think—that social media had eclipsed pornography in the number of online users. This was great news! Especially as social media was going to, as founder Mark Zuckerberg famously said, “make the world more open and connected.”
Instead, social media algorithms created “echo chambers” that feed users content that reinforces their existing biases—leading to political and social polarization and promoting an us-vs.-them mentality. And once all your buddies are in the same room, it’s also easy to spread misinformation at an alarming speed.
With so much good research available on the dangers of social media, what is taking us so long to get our use under control?
Addictive behaviors or just pesky cultural problems like this often require a combination of things to solve: government regulation, education, media, social movements, and public opinion.
I think it’s this last one, public opinion, that seems to be shifting. I’ve heard, “I’m not really on Facebook anymore” and “It’s nearly impossible but I think I was finally able to uninstall my social media apps.” Studies suggest that the number of users is still increasing but engagement is down. That is, people sign up for accounts but they use them less.
Churches can be slow to react—think about accessibility awareness and remedies—but I wonder if we should show by example that we know there’s a problem and take a step or two to walk the talk. Does your church really need to be on Facebook? Is your youth group more effective because it has an Instagram presence? And a little closer to home: does your denominational magazine need to be on social media?
Governments can restrict access to minors and universities can publish undeniable research on the social media problem, but I fear this beast will only be constrained when all of us get tired of feeding it.