Are Social Media Bans for Children Justified?

I have been a proud Luddite against social media ever since Instagram, Snapchat, and other platforms have captured the attention of my generation. Those around me know to avoid the topic if they do not want to listen to a condescending rant that reminds them of their grandmother. I begrudgingly maintain a Linkedin account, but other than that, I try to stay true to my belief that social media should play an extremely limited role, if any, in our society. My initial convictions about this subject began after listening to Jonathan Haidt, a social psychologist at NYU, give a lecture connecting the youth mental health crisis to the prevalent usage of smartphones and social media among Gen Z. Many of my psychology classes and internship experiences during my undergrad years reaffirmed these beliefs, and I have not shut up about it since.

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