RAB proposal
My research question is: How does prolonged screen time impact the mental health and social behavior of teenagers? This topic interests me because I notice how much time I and others around me spend on screens, and I’m curious about the effects it could have on younger minds. I also feel that technology has become such a huge part of our daily lives that it’s important to understand its impact. I already know that too much screen time has been linked to issues like anxiety, poor sleep, and social isolation, but I want to learn more about how deep these effects go. Some points that I plan to explore and find out more about are how screen time affects emotional development, whether it makes teenagers more likely to feel lonely or disconnected, and what role social media plays in all of this.
Source Entry 2: More Children Are Depressed and Anxious. Is Social Media Really Behind It?
Part 1: Citation:
Nidhi Subbaraman. “More Children Are Depressed and Anxious. Is Social Media Really Behind It?” WSJ, The Wall Street Journal, 15, Oct. 2024, https://www.wsj.com/health/wellness/mental-health-children-social-media-d04190b3?mod=Searchresults_pos1&page=1#
Part 2: Summary
In the article “More Children are Depressed and Anxious. Is social media Really Behind It?” author Nidhi Subbaraman shares how social media can have an effect on young children. During her piece Subbaraman uses different sources to show how social media has an impact on young children and teenagers. More kids are feeling signs of depression which are sadness, loneliness and hopelessness due to social media. Compared to 2013 to 2023 more high school students have poor mental health and suicidal thoughts. She shares that out of 20,000 high school students more than half of teenage girls feel sad or hopeless in 2023. She tells us that there have been legislative efforts that are underway to restrict social media platforms such as Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok for minors. She also says that those same companies have been sued in the past from multiple companies saying that their content is too harmful for their users. The rebuttal that the social media platforms provided are that they provide different features that can limit content and privacy for their users. She concludes her article by saying that there is no solution for the debate of whether platforms caused the mental health crisis but there are ways that we can make it safer.
Part 3: Rhetorical Analysis
This Wall Street Journal article, a piece of informative journalism, addresses the impact of social media on youth mental health. The author, who writes for a reputable news source known for reliable and investigative reporting, presents a well-researched and balanced view, lending credibility to the piece. The writing style is straightforward and analytical, with a tone that is both cautious and urgent, reflecting the author’s concern for the youth mental health crisis. Using rhetorical appeals, the author employs ethos by referencing credible experts like Megan Moreno, co-director of the Center of Excellence on social media and Youth Mental Health, and logos by incorporating statistics from the CDC and National Survey of Children’s Health, which support claims of rising mental health issues among teens. Through pathos, the article subtly appeals to parents’ emotions, highlighting the risks social media poses to their children’s well-being. Targeting policymakers, parents, and the public, the author’s purpose is to inform and provoke thoughtful debate on whether legislative intervention should limit social media for minors. This article is timely, as many states are considering or enacting laws to restrict minors’ social media access amid rising concerns over its mental health impacts. The Wall Street Journal, as a reputable source, adds to the reliability and relevance of the article, especially considering that it aligns with current debates on youth mental health and technology’s influence, making this recent information critical to shaping ongoing legislative and parental actions.
Part 4: Quotes
- “It’s not as straightforward as: What is the right antibiotic for that ear infection?”
- “We’re actually probably going to be cutting young people off from very needed sources of social support.”
- “The absence of that evidence is not the same thing as saying this is evidence that there is no link.”
