Abstract
This study investigates how social media negatively impacts both childhood development and adolescent mental health, focusing on Taiwanese parents' responses to these issues. A survey was conducted among 116 Taiwanese parents using both closed-ended and open-ended questions to gather insights into their perceptions of social media’s influence. The key findings reveal that most parents express concern about these issues, though some view social media as beneficial for learning and socializing. Additionally, a portion of parents are unaware of its negative impact on child development, an area this paper aims to address through existing research and survey. This study seeks to raise public awareness of the harmful effects of social media on youth and emphasizes the urgent need for parents to take proactive measures to safeguard children and adolescents.
I. Introduction
Social media has become an integral part of children’s lives in Taiwan, significantly shaping their development from an early age. According to the Child Welfare League Foundation R.O.C. (2024), Taiwanese children typically create their own social media accounts by the age of 11, with over 95% of children and adolescents actively using social media platforms. This widespread usage raises concerns about its potential impact on young users’ emotional and cognitive growth. Previous research has highlighted the effect of social media on physical, social emotional, and cognitive development of adolescents (Bryant, 2018) ; however, studies specifically addressing the perspectives and responses of parents in Taiwan remain limited. As Generation Z, individuals born between 1997 and 2012, is especially influenced by their early exposure to digital media (Pew Research Center, 2019), this paper explores how social media usage influences childhood development and contributes to mental health challenges in adolescents. It also investigates how Taiwanese parents perceive and respond to these impacts, focusing on their strategies for managing children’s social media usage and promoting healthy development.
II. Methods
An online questionnaire, featuring close-ended, multiple-choice, and open-ended questions, was distributed on a public Taiwanese parents’ group on Facebook. It collected 116 responses. The questionnaire contained 16 questions designed to gather information about children’s age, social media usage patterns, and parents' perceptions of social media’s impact on learning and development. Quantitative data were analyzed using data integration, while thematic analysis was applied to the in-depth responses from open-ended questions.
The primary age range of the respondents was 41-50 years old (70.7%), and these parents reported that their children’s current ages were under 12 (44.8%) and 13-15 (38.8%). Among all respondents, Facebook was the most frequently used social media platform (94%), followed by Instagram (56.9%). According to the respondents, Instagram was the most popular platform their children used (66.4%).
III. Findings
The results of closed-ended questions will be presented first, followed by those of open-ended questions. Three key themes were revealed, which are the impact of social media on learning development, the impact of social media on adolescent mental health, and solutions of Taiwanese parents and their additional comments.
A.The impact of social media on learning development (Q5, Q7, Q8)
The findings indicate that social media negatively impacts essential motivational elements of children’s learning, such as “free play,” “attunement,” and “social learning.” Specifically, 61.2% of parents believe social media is not helpful for their children’s learning. Data from Questions 7 and 8 further reveal that more than half of parents perceive that their children experience unrealistic or negative social learning on social media while missing opportunities for face-to-face interaction.
In contrast, Question 6, an open-ended response linked to Question 5, explores parents’ positive views on the educational potential of social media. Responses indicate that 33.3% (12 responses) highlight access to information and knowledge, focusing on learning about current events, social issues, and general knowledge. Another 22.2% (8 responses) emphasize the diverse learning methods and content that social media offers, including multimedia formats, peer interactions, and various educational resources.
Additionally, 19.4% (7 responses) identify socialization and peer interaction as benefits, although some express concerns about potential negative effects. Meanwhile, 16.7% (6 responses) recognize social media’s value in providing real-time information and updates on events and personal interactions. Despite concerns, the analysis shows that parents acknowledge social media’s positive potential for learning, with examples such as gaining extracurricular knowledge and raising awareness of social issues. Moreover, 55.5% of parents highlight its role in enhancing social interaction and peer learning through specialized online communities and similar platforms.
B.Social Media Impact on Adolescent Mental Health (Q9, Q10, Q11, Q12)
According to Question 9, 83.6% of respondents believe that social media companies consciously use algorithms to addict children, which was an unexpected outcome as the original assumption was that parents would be unsure about this issue. For Questions 10 and 11, only 37.1% of parents observed mental health issues such as anxiety and depression in their children, but when considering “mental stress,” the percentage rises to 42.2%. These findings support parental observations and perspectives regarding the potential negative impact of social media.
In Question 12, more than half of parents either do not believe or are unsure about the negative effects of social media on their children’s childhood, which aligns with the central issue this study seeks to clarify using expert insights and research from Meta. Additional comments from Question 16 reveal a mix of concerns and suggestions. Many respondents raised issues about harmful content, including misinformation, premature exposure, and negative values, while others highlighted addiction and its impact on learning and time management. Recommendations for parental roles emphasized the need for guidance, supervision, and setting clear rules, along with the importance of parents modeling responsible behavior by limiting their own social media usage. Calls for government and public authority action focused on stricter regulation and monitoring of social media platforms, including algorithm oversight and content control. Some responses also advocate for a balanced approach, recognizing both the risks and potential benefits of social media when used appropriately, with a few promoting the value of positive content and educational resources.
Overall, these responses illustrate a nuanced understanding of social media’s influence on adolescent development, balancing awareness of risks with proactive recommendations for mitigation and improvement.
C. Additional Comments
Responses to Question 16, which asks the additional thoughts or suggestions on the impact of social media on adolescent development, reflect a broad range of parental concerns and suggestions regarding the impact of social media on adolescent development. Many parents highlight the risks of exposure to inappropriate content, including misinformation, negative values, premature exposure, and trends encouraging blind imitation. Addiction and its effects on learning and time management are also frequently mentioned. Recommendations emphasize the crucial role of parental involvement, including guiding children, supervising content, and establishing clear boundaries, as well as serving as role models by moderating their own social media use. Several respondents advocate for stronger government regulation to mitigate negative impacts, such as monitoring algorithms, regulating content, and holding platforms accountable.
Additionally, some responses call for a balanced approach, recognizing both risks and benefits, with suggestions to promote positive content and educational opportunities while encouraging moderation. Overall, these insights illustrate a nuanced perspective where parental awareness of risks is paired with proactive strategies for improving social media’s influence on adolescent development through a combination of personal, societal, and policy-based actions.
Ⅳ. Discussion and Conclusion
Based on the data, 61.2% of parents think that social media is not helpful to their children’s learning. The responses also show that more than half percent of parents believe their children experiences unrealistic or negative social learning on social media and lacks the opportunity to interact with people face to face. While most respondents found that social media is harmful for children development, many parents still comments that it’s easier to approach much knowledge as well as learning interacting with people on the social media.
However, social psychologist Jonathan Haidt (2024) argues that social media is destroying the three most important motivations for children learning development, which are free play, attunement and social learning. For free play and attunement, learning experiences on social media is not physically involved and synchronous, while joining or leaving a group requires no emotional cost. For social learning, children are easily impacted by the influencers on social media platforms. According to Northwestern Now Story (2023), algorithms are usually select information that boosts user engagement. This means algorithms amplify the very information from which humans are biased to learn, oversaturating social media feeds with what the researchers call Prestigious, Ingroup, Moral and Emotional (PRIME) information, regardless of the content’s accuracy or representativeness of a group’s opinions.
Furthermore, Frances Haugen, a specialist in algorithmic product management who previously worked on ranking algorithms at Meta, revealed that the company prioritizes profits over safety by using algorithms that negatively impact adolescents. (Mac and Kang, 2023) This aligns with the opinions expressed by Taiwanese parents in this survey, supporting concerns about the harmful effects of algorithmic influence on young users.
In conclusion, this paper seeks to raise public awareness of the detrimental effects of social media and emphasizes the urgent need for parents to take greater action in safeguarding children and adolescents. The findings reveal that Taiwanese parents observe negative impacts on children's learning development and teenagers' mental health due to social media. However, they also note that with guidance from parents, schools, and the government on how adolescents should approach knowledge and information on social media, it could become an effective way to learn while preventing mental health issues.
V. References
Child Welfare League Foundation R.O.C. (2024) "The more they scroll, the more panic and depression they feel: The new crisis of social media! A survey by the Child Welfare League Foundation reveals that 80% of children and adolescents experience social media anxiety, and 20% are addicted and unable to escape." Retrieved from https://www.children.org.tw/news/news_detail/3170
Bryant, A. (2018). The effect of social media on the physical, social emotional, and cognitive development of adolescents. Retrieved from https://scholarworks.merrimack.edu/honors_capstones/37/
Dimock, M. (2019, January 17) Defining generations: Where Millennials end and Generation Z begins. Retrieved from https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2019/01/17/where-millennials-end-and-generation-z-begins/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Haidt, J. (2024). The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness, ISBN-13: 978-0593655030
Kulke, S. (2023, August 3) Social media algorithms exploit how we learn from our peers: Northwestern scientists propose interventions to limit the spread of misinformation and improve user experience. Retrieved from https://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2023/08/social-media-algorithms-exploit-how-humans-learn-from-their-peers/
Mac, R and Kang, C. (2023, June 23) Whistle-Blower Says Facebook ‘Chooses Profits Over Safety.’ Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/03/technology/whistle-blower-facebook-frances-haugen.html
VI. Appendix (Questionnaire)
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1OOnTMq5schdhZLtnTfpH8qco6oX7DMPUkwsEvHauwLA/edit
Parental Responses to the Impact of Social Media on Children and Adolescent Development in Taiwan
