A balanced exam essay examining whether social media causes or helps mental health problems among young people, drawing on research by Jonathan Haidt, platform design evidence, and the case for digital literacy.
Faglig kvalitetssikret av lærere og toppstudenter · Følger læreplanen (LK20) · Sist oppdatert 2026-09-06
Understanding the complex relationship between social media and mental health is crucial for writing a nuanced and high-scoring essay. This guide breaks down the core arguments, provides key terminology, and shows you exactly what an examiner looks for, moving your analysis from superficial claims to a sophisticated discussion of psychological mechanisms and societal impact.
Social media has become an inescapable feature of modern life. Platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube attract billions of users daily, many of them teenagers and young adults. In parallel, rates of anxiety, depression, loneliness, and poor self-esteem among young people have risen sharply over the past decade. This has prompted an urgent question: is social media making young people mentally unwell? This essay argues that while social media carries genuine psychological risks — particularly for adolescent girls — it can also provide meaningful support and community, and that the solution lies in digital literacy and responsible design rather than blanket restriction.
The most compelling evidence linking social media to poor mental health comes from research by social psychologist Jonathan Haidt and Jean Twenge, author of iGen. Their data show a striking correlation between the widespread adoption of smartphones and social media (around 2012) and a sharp rise in teenage depression, anxiety, self-harm, and suicide rates — particularly among girls. Instagram, for example, is built around visual comparison. Seeing carefully curated images of peers who appear more attractive, more successful, or more popular can trigger feelings of inadequacy, envy, and low self-worth.
Former employees of major tech companies have confirmed that these platforms are designed to maximise engagement, not wellbeing. Features such as infinite scroll, like counts, and algorithmically driven content exploit psychological vulnerabilities — the desire for social approval, the fear of missing out (FOMO), and our natural tendency to compare ourselves to others. A 2021 investigation by the Wall Street Journal revealed that Facebook's own internal research showed Instagram was harmful to a significant proportion of teenage girls — yet the company continued to operate the platform unchanged.
Cyberbullying is another serious concern. Unlike playground bullying, online harassment follows its victims home and can be relentless, anonymous, and public. Studies consistently link cyberbullying to increased rates of anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation among young people.
Yet to describe social media as purely harmful would be too simplistic. For many young people — particularly those who are isolated, marginalised, or living in rural areas — social media provides a vital sense of community and belonging. LGBTQ+ teenagers, for example, often find acceptance and support in online communities that they cannot access in their immediate environment. People living with rare medical conditions, disabilities, or mental health struggles can connect with others who understand their experiences, reducing isolation and stigma.
Social media also enables political engagement, activism, and social change. The Black Lives Matter movement, climate activism led by Greta Thunberg, and #MeToo all gained global momentum through social media. Young people are using these platforms not just for entertainment but to organise, educate, and advocate for a better world. Restricting access to social media could silence these important voices.
Furthermore, not all young people are equally affected. Research suggests that passive scrolling and social comparison are most harmful, while active use — messaging friends, sharing creative work, participating in interest-based communities — can be beneficial. The impact of social media depends heavily on how it is used.
The solution is not to ban social media but to create the conditions for healthier use. This requires action on three levels:
First, technology companies must be held accountable. Features that drive addictive use — like counts, autoplay, and algorithmic feeds designed to maximise outrage — should be regulated or redesigned. Age verification, default privacy settings for minors, and transparent content moderation would all help protect young users.
Second, schools and parents must prioritise digital literacy — teaching young people to recognise manipulation, evaluate content critically, manage screen time, and protect their mental wellbeing online. Just as we teach children to cross the road safely, we must teach them to navigate digital spaces with care.
Third, young people themselves must be part of the conversation. Listening to their experiences and involving them in designing healthier platforms will produce better outcomes than top-down restrictions that they can easily circumvent.
Social media is neither purely harmful nor purely beneficial — its impact depends on how it is designed, how it is used, and who is using it. The rise in youth mental health problems is a serious crisis that demands a serious response. However, simply blaming social media oversimplifies a complex problem and risks removing a tool that many young people find genuinely valuable. What is needed is greater corporate responsibility, better digital education, and policies that protect the most vulnerable users without cutting off the communities and connections that social media, at its best, makes possible.
This topic is a recurring theme in English exams because it directly relates to the LK20 curriculum's core elements of "Communication" and "Culture, society and literature". Examiners frequently use prompts that require you to discuss the societal impact of technology. For instance, a past exam question might be phrased as: "Some people argue that social media has created a mental health crisis among youth, while others claim it offers vital support networks. Discuss both views and provide your own conclusion." Your ability to move beyond personal opinion and structure a well-supported, nuanced argument is what separates a mediocre essay from an excellent one. This topic tests your critical thinking, your ability to synthesize information, and your command of formal, argumentative English.
Using precise terminology demonstrates a deeper understanding of the subject. Familiarise yourself with these key concepts to elevate your analysis.
| Concept | Definition | Concrete Example |
|---|---|---|
| Social Comparison Theory | The idea that individuals determine their own social and personal worth based on how they stack up against others. Social media often facilitates "upward comparison," where we compare ourselves to people who appear better off. | A teenager scrolling through Instagram sees a friend's holiday photos from Bali and an influencer's post about a luxury brand sponsorship. They then feel their own life is boring and inadequate by comparison. |
| FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) | A pervasive apprehension that one might miss out on rewarding experiences that others are having. This is often exacerbated by seeing curated social events and activities on platforms like Snapchat and Instagram. | Seeing a series of "stories" from a party you were not invited to can trigger intense feelings of loneliness and social anxiety, creating a compulsive need to check feeds to ensure you are not being excluded. |
| Algorithmic Amplification | The process by which a platform's algorithm selectively promotes content that generates high engagement (likes, shares, comments), often favouring sensational, emotionally charged, or extremist material. | On TikTok, a video promoting an unrealistic "get thin quick" diet goes viral because it generates controversy and strong reactions. The algorithm pushes it to more users, potentially promoting harmful body image ideals. |
| Echo Chamber | An environment where a person only encounters information or opinions that reflect and reinforce their own. Social media algorithms create these by filtering out dissenting views. | A user who expresses anxiety about vaccines will be shown more anti-vaccine content, reinforcing their initial belief and isolating them from scientific consensus, which can increase health-related anxiety. |
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