Warning: Social Media can be harmful to the mental and physical health of your children.

It may be time to make the above warning mandatory on every purchase of a smartphone. Writing for World Magazine, Mary Jackson reveals how smartphone addictions are “metastasizing into a mental health pandemic.” Indeed, researchers at the University of Sydney referred to the increasing harm as a “social media contagion.” Psychologists have linked high levels of engagement on social media to “sharp increases in mood disorders and self-harm.”

That Facebook’s own research confirmed a link between Instagram use and suicidal thoughts, eating disorders, and body image issues among teen girls is well-documented. Jackson noted how early in the pandemic, neurologists began to notice a sudden spike of young girls admitted to movement disorder clinics. They also noted that the common denominator in these cases was large amount of time spent on TikTok.

Time Magazine reported that the hashtag #thinspiration has “earned a reputation in pro-anorexia and pro-bulimia circles as a slogan encouraging eating disorders.” Joe Carter, a senior writer for The Gospel Coalition, stated, “it’s unsurprising there’s been a skyrocketing number of teens exploring and engaging in bisexuality, eating disorders, and transgenderism when social media sites have been promoting those topics to teens.”

Cyberbullying also continues to be a factor. Last year, the Pew Research Center reported that “nearly half of U.S. teens have been bullied or harassed online, with physical appearance being seen as a relatively common reason why. Older teen girls are especially likely to report being targeted by online abuse overall and because of their appearance.” Sadly, social media platforms provide anonymity for these keyboard cowards, thus encouraging their trolling and abuse.

According to my research, most parents are frustrated as to how to handle the threat. And it’s a huge threat as Pew reported that 95 percent of teens ages 13-17 in America have smartphones. Sissy Goff, a licensed Christian therapist, said, “I think this causes parents more anxiety than probably anything else.” So, what can parents do?

The first thing parents must do is own the responsibility of protecting their kids. Nobody cares about them more and is in a better position to act. To encourage that action, here are a few verses of scripture that provide a foundation for principles that govern social media use:

• “My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.” (Proverbs 1:10)

• “He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed.” (Proverbs 13:20)

• “Do not be deceived: bad company ruins good morals.” (1 Corinthians 15:33)

• “A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends. Violent people mislead their companions, leading them down a harmful path.” (Proverbs 16:28-29 NLT)

Second, parents should take the following actions with their protect their children from social media hazards:

1. Communicate! Let them know you’re aware of these issues and encourage them to talk about it. Let them know that having a smartphone isn’t a right but a privilege--and one that can be taken away if abused.

2. Maintain a healthy marriage. Jackson reported, “a recent study found that kids with married parents spent two hours a day less on their phones.” Reports also indicate children often turn to social media to deal with the anger and frustration of their parents' marital breakdown.

3. Monitor your children’s social media use. There are a number of monitoring apps that allow you to set limits on this: Verizon Smart Family, Bark, Circle, Net Nanny to name a few.

4. Establish guidelines. For example, no smartphones at the dinner table. No smartphones in bedrooms at night. Make it a firm rule that inappropriate use will result in loss of privilege.

5. Involve them in church! Counselor and author David Murray believes the social media crisis is an opportunity for the church, citing that “young people who seek community and significance on social media are not experiencing those things in real life.”

6. Encourage reading good books.

7. If it comes to it, replace the smartphone with a flip phone with no access to social media.

Remember, it’s a parent’s job to know a child’s social media involvement. In 2022, two versions of the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), designed to protect children’s online safety, failed to pass the U.S. Senate. The reason: content filtering might prevent a minor's access to LGBTQ+ content. So, don’t wait for the powers that be to intervene. Take this seriously and act now.