REDMOND, OR -- Oregon and 33 other states are suing Facebook and Instagram parent company Meta for what they say are “harmful features” that get kids and teens addicted to social media. Redmond Schools officials have seen the firsthand.
Over the past month RSD has been working with students to evaluate how social media impacts their mental health. "We’ve been doing small groups with middle schoolers and high schoolers, to find out a little bit more about what their social media use looks like, and what their experience is," says the district's Holly Brown. "What I have learned is that middle schoolers tend to be on social media more often and feel more trapped in social media, than high schoolers." She speculates it could be because high schoolers have more activities and opportunities for real-life social interactions through a job, sports or driving.
Brown tells KBND News they also surveyed students, "They all said, ‘yes, we know it affects our mental health.’ Some students are staying up until midnight on social media and having these social interactions. And then going to school the next day, still trying to navigate social spaces but in a different way." She adds, "They’re saying, ‘we compare ourselves to other students in the hallways, and that’s a normal thing. But now, we have the whole world to compare ourselves to, and there’s really unrealistic standards that we’re seeing and being subjected to.’"
The public is invited to talk more about the issue at a community meeting next week. "We hear the kids saying they want to talk to their parents about it, but they don’t really know how," says Brown, "Parents, when they find out what’s happening on social media, understandably, can get a little bit alarmed. And students have a fear of showing parents, because - while it can appear very alarming - this is what students are used to seeing." The community conversation may include small group discussions with a few key questions like, "What does social media look like in your home? And how much time do you think your child spends using social media?" Brown says, "Just trying to get a grasp on that."
The meeting is November second at 6 p.m., in the Redmond High commons. It's open to everyone.
