Digital Smarts - Mental Health and Social Media

As the pandemic lingers, some experts are saying the effects of spending so much time online for young people is coming home to roost. Teenagers who have spent a significant amount of time on social media during the pandemic, comparing themselves with others' idealized lives and experiencing cyberbullying and other harmful behaviors, are suffering from mental health issues. Licensed clinical social worker Katherine Glaser says that people on social media will make hurtful comments because "they get to hide behind a screen," yet these experiences can feel inescapable for those on the other end. While none of this is new news, it is noteworthy that efforts to stop cyberbullying and other harmful practices have mostly been stifled during the past year plus. In fact, new issues, such as mask wearing, are proving to be the newest fodder for bullying.