Reading this book made me happy that I grew up before cell phones--and especially before smart phones. I can finally be grateful for being old[er]. I remember middle school being a harrowing journey with an immense amount of social stress. I didn't know who I was and wasn't comfortable in my body. I can only imagine how much worse that would be with the influence of social media.
Haidt looks at the numbers of adolescents, especially girls, suffering from depression and anxiety over the years. The numbers jumped precipitously soon after the debut of the iphone. Boys also faced downward trends in wellbeing, although phones and social media seemed to affect them differently.
I learned that the ages from 12-15 (or thereabouts) are a stage of great malleability and growth in the adolescent brain. It's the time when people really figure out who they are. Haidt uses the example of a child living abroad. If he grew up in Tokyo but lived in Los Angeles from 12-15, he will most likely feel more connected to L.A. than Tokyo. What this means in practice, though, is that endlessly scrolling on social media is significantly worse for adolescents than it is for adults. And it's not even remotely healthy for adults.
Haidt's recommendations seemed very reasonable to me. He also includes a website where he promises to post updates as new research comes out. He recommends that children under sixteen do not have access to a smart phone with apps like Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, etc. He also recommends in a significant amount of free play for children to find independence and confidence.
I do not have any children, but this seems like a book that would be helpful to parents. It also made me think about how addictive Instagram reels have become to me. After my husband read this book, he decided to do one day a week without any Twitter. Recommended.