No hope? How social media changes our outlook on life

DW (English)

Young people feel gloomy about the future, a recent study suggests. One part of the problem: Social media. Here's how Instagram and Co. darken our perception of the future.

Transcript

00:00German Angst or a global issue?

00:03Young people in Germany feel gloomy about the future, a recent study suggests.

00:08Many participants state they are suffering from mental stress and are politically dissatisfied.

00:14One part of the problem seems to be social media.

00:17How do Instagram and co. darken our perception of the future?

00:22And what can we do about it?

00:24Fearing the future a global phenomenon

00:28Pessimism and hopelessness among young people is a global trend, according to this year's World Happiness Report.

00:35The report says the main reasons for this mental health crisis are

00:50According to the report, the consequences could be catastrophic if left unaddressed.

00:55One possible countermeasure?

00:57Global social media reforms.

00:59Tech giants of course disagree.

01:02There is no proof of a link between social media and mental health problems, according to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

01:09Still, many studies worldwide indicate a connection between excessive social media use and mental health problems,

01:17such as anxiety, depression, eating disorders and stress.

01:22And many users worldwide seem to agree with these studies.

01:26Social media has a negative effect on their mental health.

01:29That's what 27% of Gen Zs participating in the 2023 study said.

01:35More than 40,000 youths from countries like Argentina, Brazil, China, India, the United States and Mexico took part.

01:43But let's look at the latest results from Germany.

01:46What's to learn from them?

01:49Similar to the rest of the world, the results are just as alarming.

01:53More than 10% of the German participants are getting help for mental health issues and 8% have thought about suicide.

02:01Over half say social media is where they get most of their news.

02:05And this is one part of the problem, according to the authors of the study.

02:09Because we experience crises and doom worldwide much more directly because of social media.

02:15Whether it's first-hand accounts of war or footage of natural disasters,

02:20this kind of disturbing content was simply not available to large parts of the public before social media was in everyone's pockets.

02:28Today, this kind of content is even prioritized by algorithms and pushed into our newsfeed.

02:34Because it triggers a reaction and therefore interaction.

02:38And once you have interacted with content like this, you'll see even more of it in your feed.

02:43That's the algorithm trying to display content that's relevant to you.

02:47That can lead to so-called doomscrolling.

02:50In the worst case, you'll keep seeing disturbing content without end while swiping,

02:55making it appear as if the world is indeed doomed.

02:59Nevertheless, the authors of the German study say it would be wrong to demonize social media.

03:05During the COVID pandemic, for example, the digital space was a safe haven for many young people,

03:11helping them to stay in touch with others.

03:14Being able to share experiences directly and feel connected is an important advantage of digital media.

03:20Unfortunately, though, social media platforms don't do enough to protect us users from its downsides.

03:27So what can you do about it?

03:29A first step would be to monitor your actual screen time.

03:33You can use Apple's Health app or Google's Wellbeing for that.

03:37Both track your time spent across different apps.

03:40Beware, you might be unpleasantly surprised.

03:43I, for example, spent nearly two hours on Instagram yesterday.

03:47To curb your screen time, you can schedule breaks.

03:50For example, avoid checking your phone right after waking up or before bedtime or during meals.

03:57This can help you create a clear separation between online and offline activities.

04:02You might also want to curate your feed.

04:05So filter the content you're exposed to.

04:08Follow accounts and people who inspire and motivate you.

04:12And unfollow those that make you feel anxious or inferior.

04:16Apart from that, use the mute or block functions to control what you see in your feed.

04:22And finally, focus on real-life connections and activities.

04:26It might sound like a no-brainer, but prioritize face-to-face interactions over virtual ones.

04:32Engage in activities that you enjoy and that don't involve screens.

04:36That can help reduce stress and grant you some offline satisfaction.

04:40What are your experiences?

04:42Do TikTok, Insta and Co. have a negative impact on you and the people around you?

04:47Or do positive aspects outweigh the negatives?

04:50Let us know.

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