Putting Social Media Back in its Box: A bottom-up movement

In recent weeks, I’ve been personally challenged by social media’s rewiring of children and young people. Initially, on ABC 4Corners program ‘Kidfluencers’, parents were actively promoting their children as influencer brands, seemingly oblivious to the longer term impact. That is, despite them waking an hour earlier than their children to clean up the toxic comments in their feed.

The second challenge came as I read Haidt’s The Anxious Generation. Not only highlighting increased harms to children and young people, which he calls ‘the great rewiring’, but also how we have all been manipulated by social media by the tech companies, for their own benefit.?

Over the last couple of months I have been assessing my own relationship with social media. I acknowledge that dopamine hit of a like or response to a post. But because I have small humans in my life. I would like to see collective action for their future now.?

Governments are addressing the age limit of 13 for sign-ups to social media, which came from the tech companies themselves. Even if governments are able to shift? the minimum age to 16, how many young people, will say ‘OK, I’ll just wait a few years’? The correlation between mental health decline and increased social use cannot be ignored.?

The top-down action is necessary, but real change can come from a critical mass of bottom-up change, that is, us.?

I’ve called this post ‘Putting Social Media Back in its Box’ for a good reason. I’m not suggested to throw it in the trash, but to keep it in its place, bring it out, and then put it back. I really appreciate the contact with my wider network, but I’m not allowing social media to consume my life.?

Back in April, I had a few doctors appointments. This meant a bit of waiting. The people around me represented a cross-section of ages, all on their phones. Now, I’m being judgey, I know, they could have been reading, rather than scrolling. But what do children and young people see all the time as adults wait? Heads in phones. Have you looked around playgrounds, cafes or anywhere people are waiting. It’s the same.

I believe a large part of changing the narrative is shifting adult behaviour.?

How?

This is the point I’ve reached:

• “Social media is boring’. This has become my mantra and when I start to mindlessly scroll, I stop myself, think about this and realise it’s true.
• Turn off notifications. Well, I knew my limits from the start, so I have never had them on.
• Decide in advance, when and how long.? I still like to keep up with things, so I restrict my usage. I’ve also decided that when watching a movie or series, I’m not going down that rabbit hole, ‘Where have I seen that actor before?’. The phone is out of sight.

Then, how am I engaging with the world, in real life?

• Be present. I have small humans in my life, I want them to know they are more interesting than anything on my phone.?
• Engage. I want to be more productive, not consumptive. I’ve been resisting ‘the grab’ in the waiting moments. It means I have a book, I draw or just take in my surroundings. I’m not saying the urge to scroll doesn’t surface. But that’s when I return to my mantra.?
• Remember. we are being watched. The power of our modelled behaviour. What do children and young people see us doing?
• Enjoy. This is the best bit. Appreciate the time and space we have. Get outside and explore our world. And one more thing, we don’t really need to post a photo every experience. ?

I’m on a journey with this. Not perfect, but doing my best.