In this generation, social media has become more prominent than ever, but there is an ongoing debate on whether that is a positive or a negative thing and why. Recently, lawmakers have been coming out and saying that stricter laws and the ability to sue big companies will stop the harm that is being done to kids by social media. Overall, social media users consist of primarily teens. So the question is: what do they think of this?

While social media apps are most popular with high school students, many don’t deny the fact that they do hold some negative qualities. Jacob McCormick ‘24 pointed out, “Some negatives/harms of social media are the privacy concerns. Accounts can get hacked/stolen, and people pose as others. Social media can influence bad habits and trends that are borderline illegal.”

With that being said, social media can have some sort of positive effect(s) at times. Sophia Lagomarsino ‘26 emphasized, “Social media can be used to raise awareness about certain topics and even raise money. People are able to connect with others and friends that may live far away.”

These statements in mind, there is another question that is posed: Would stricter laws make social media less harmful to kids? McCormick does not think so, “I do not think laws and lawsuits are going to stop social media from being harmful to children. People are going to make decisions, good or bad, and will have to face the consequences. Individuals can make laws, but the people that use the apps are willing to do whatever it takes to share themselves with the world and be a part of what is going on.”

Kyrene Sideco ‘26 shares a similar viewpoint to McCormick on this argument, “I do not think anything would be able to stop social media from harming children because of the addiction of this generation. It is impossible to control every single person’s actions in the world, making it very difficult to stop the harm of social media.”

In conclusion, Tthe debate surrounding the impacts of social media on today’s youth remains complex. Many students acknowledge both positive and negative aspects of social media apps. While there is a suggestion of implementing stricter laws and enabling legal actions abasing big social media companies, the consensus among some teens seems to be skepticism about the effectiveness that these regulations could have. The belief is rooted in the fact that individuals will continue to make choices, and controlling every single user’s actions would prove to be very difficult.