Is social media device usage becoming a problem for youth?

Hello world,

I am starting this blog page to discuss different issues that are being raised throughout society directly dealing with children, teens, and young adults. This information can also be used as polls, survey's, and interviews to help nonprofit organizations like ours to prove what the people in communities believe to be important needs, resources, solutions, and also bring a sense of citizen's being involved and having a voice in their community again. I ask that everyone please read, like, share, and comment to keep this utilized as a professional communication tool to discuss the livelihood of our youth within the community.

The topic for the discussion is Social Media Dependency. Social media is a wonderful addition to our technological advancements as humans, but like in all things, there is good and bad that comes with it. When it comes to children, teens, and young adults, who elder generations love to say are not capable of thinking rationally for themselves and have privilege of having everything given to them with little effort or appreciation of earning themselves, do they have the capability of controlling their urges for social media themselves?

How often are your kids, or youth you encounter daily, engaged deeply into their social media devices to the point to where they are clearly distracted. How often does their mood change from one second to the next when using social media devices? How much time is spent on them that has wasted precious time to develop and progress? If you regulate their time from these devices, and take them away, what severity of reaction do you get from them?

According to West Virginia Education Association researchers, "American teenagers spend an "astounding" nine hours a day with digital technology, entertaining themselves with streaming video, listening to music and playing games, researchers reported Tuesday. And "tweens" aged 8 to 12 are spending six hours with media, the non-profit group Common Sense Media reports. That's is in addition to using digital gadgets for homework, the group reports in its five-year update on kids' use of media. The group surveyed 2,658 8- to 18-year-olds in February and March for the report, which it says represents children across the nation.

"On any given day, American teenagers (13- to 18-year-olds) average about nine hours of entertainment media use, excluding time spent at school or for homework." (Maggie Fox, Erika Edwards, 2020)

Is it safe to say that our youth population may have a problem with social media dependency? That amount of time does not refer to them studying, looking for skills or trades, continuing any relevant knowledge to grow and develop into the adults we would prefer them to become unlocking their full capabilities. When these kind of facts are pointed out is almost relates to a drug or an addictive substance. Should we treat it in that manner? Should we start having diagnosis and treatments of social media dependency or addiction? You may think that is a little too much but if a young adult who was spending that much time carelessly on the phone everyday happened to be driving a motor vehicle and using the phone distracted and just so happen to hit your child walking or even in their vehicle..... Would you have wished someone had intervened? Would you take social media dependency seriously then? Let's all respectfully discuss this and see how bad the problem is and what are ways we can help?