Arguments against my position

Argument #1: Other factors are causing these effects such as issues at school with other students

"there is also much exclusion at [certain] groups. When [someone] sees a group who clearly already know each other very well, it seems impossible to break into that circle and feel welcome" (Miller 94).

" The relations linking social media use and life satisfaction are, therefore, more nuanced than previously assumed: They are inconsistent, possibly contingent on gender, and vary substantively depending on how the data are analyzed. Most effects are tiny—arguably trivial; where best statistical practices are followed, they are not statistically significant in more than half of models." (Orben, Amy, et al).

 Argument #2: Social media platforms are simply used for entertainment purposes and a form of communication

"The ability to raise awareness, connect with people across the world, and share moments of beauty can be empowering and uplifting for some. Many teens understand that the images they see are curated snapshots, not real-life indicators, and are less likely to let those posts make them feel insecure about their own lives." (DuBois).

"A woman of 82 mainly has family on Facebook, - and she has found Facebook a good way to renew and maintain that contact." (Miller 95).

"Social media sites allow teens to accomplish online many of the tasks that are important to them offline: staying connected with friends and family, making new friends, sharing pictures, and exchanging ideas." (O'Keeffe et al).

Sources

DuBois, Kara. “How Social Media Affects Teens - Dangers of Social Media Today - JSY.” Just Say YES, 20 May 2019, www.justsayyes.org/topics/how-social-media-affects-teens/

Miller, Daniel. "Social Media and Social Relationships." In Social Media in an English Village, 92-121. London: UCL Press, 2016. doi: 10.2307/j.ctt1g69xs1.8 https://www-jstor-org.libproxy.adelphi.edu/stable/j.ctt1g69xs1.8

O'Keeffe, Gwenn Schurgin, et al. “The Impact of Social Media on Children, Adolescents, and Families.” Pediatrics, Pediatrics, 1 Apr. 2011, https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/127/4/800

Orben, Amy, et al. “Social Media’s Enduring Effect on Adolescent Life Satisfaction.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, vol. 116, no. 21, May 2019, pp. 10226–10228. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1073/pnas.1902058116