Part 1: MLA Citation
Martin, Jim. “Opinion: How to Protect Teens from Social Media.” The Denver Post, 18 Apr. 2023. DenverPost.com, https://www.denverpost.com/2023/04/18/mental-health-teen-crisis-youth-suicide-social-media/
Part 2: Summary
In the opinion piece “How to Protect Teens from Social Media,” Jim Martin expresses that teenagers are facing a mental health crisis exacerbated by social media. He also mentions that Verizon and the state of Utah are taking steps to address this problem. Martin includes evidence from the CDC Youth Risk Behavior Survey, which reported high percentages of students feeling sad and hopeless, even considering suicide in 2021 due to social media. According to Martin, excessive use of social media is negatively affecting teenagers’ mental health by exposing them to cyberbullying, unrealistic body image standards, and addictive behaviors that can lead to low self-esteem. The state of Utah is executing new laws to restrict social media apps for kids and teens, aiming to protect them from the damaging effects of too much social media. Verizon is providing services for parents to control and monitor their children’s social media usage to make being online a safer environment for adolescents. Jim Martin concludes with how the mental well-being of teenagers in the age of social media requires a group effort from parents and communities to ensure a positive online environment for the youth.
Part 3: Reflection
Being an 18-year-old college freshman, I find Martin’s points about the negative impact of social media very relatable. In my own experience, social media has been both a blessing and a curse. Although it allows me to stay connected with family and friends, it has also affected my mental health. I often find myself comparing my own life and appearance to those “picture-perfect” posts, which is not a good habit. When Martin mentioned FOMO, the fear of missing out, it hit close to home. I used to miss out on a lot of things in high school. One time, I asked to go to a party, and my parents said no. I went on social media and saw everyone at that party, which made me feel left out. I also constantly want to use my social media apps so I don’t miss out on any new trends or controversial topics. This led to sleepless nights of scrolling through my apps to stay updated. I agree with taking breaks from social media because it benefits me when I do it. By doing so, I genuinely felt my mental health improve.
Part 4: Rhetorical Analysis
This article is an opinion piece written by Jim Martin. His intended audience is individuals and parents who are concerned about the impact of social media on the mental health of teenagers. The purpose of writing this is to inform readers of the challenges adolescents go through with the use of social media. He also wants to raise awareness of the detrimental impact of excessive social media usage. The tone is persuasive because he is trying to convince the readers of the importance of safely using social media. Martin uses logos by referencing data from the CDC Youth Risk Behavior Survey, which provides factual evidence to back up his claim about the mental health crisis. Jim Martin is a credible writer because he publishes a lot of opinion pieces on The Denver Post. The Denver Post is credible because it is one of the largest and most well-established newspapers in Colorado and the Rocky Mountain region. The website receives roughly six million monthly visitors.
Part 5: Notable Quotables
“Turn off your computer and cellphone, and regain your sanity.” (Martin)
“Spending too much time on social media platforms can lead to addiction.” (Martin)
“This may result in feelings of inadequacy, low self-esteem, and negative body image.” (Martin)
SUMMARY – needs to mention what Martin urges his readers or his audience TO DO or TO CHANGE. Remember an opinion piece has a persuasive message. So — WHO and WHAT does Martin want to persuade? Your summary is written as if the piece is a news or feature piece! Yes he reports on a lot of studies and stats and you are correct to use those as Mis, BUT you have left out something. LOOK again at the article. In an opinion piece, the writer usually expresses his point and urges for a change. What SHOULD people, or legislators, or parents DO? An opinion piece has a SHOULD view point – and you need to note that.
REFLECTION: note as you wrote in your summary that most of Martin’s opinion piece reports on recent changes to state Utah and company Verizon and there is a long bullet point list – LIST OF WHAT? RE-Read! SO you must respond to those points. Does your Reflection really REFLECT upon or RESPOND to the Mis in Martin’s piece?
Rhet Analysis: REVISE – What is the purpose????? Remember this is an opinion piece. Rethink –what is he trying to do in this piece? Appeals – ethos pathos logos!