Children are more anxious than ever, and birthrates are lower than ever. Psychologist Jonathan Haidt has a new book out that overlaps with my new book about parenting, culture, low birthrates, and the epidemic of childhood anxiety.
Haidt has a ton of critics, which is to say that a ton of commentators are arguing that smartphones and social media such as TikTok are harmless for children.
At the Daily Beast, editor Mike Masnick makes just that argument, with some telling details.
The first thing you’ll notice about this TikTok-for-Teens defender is that he attacks parents. “The Coddling of the American Parent” is the headline. Blaming smartphones and social media is a way of “absolving themselves of their own failings in raising children,” Masnick says.
After Masnick positions himself against parents in defending social media for children, he makes this interesting objection to Haidt:
“The research has shown repeatedly that social media is valuable for many young people, especially those struggling in their local communities and families (multiple studies highlight how LGBT youth rely heavily on social media in very helpful ways). Taking that lifeline away can be damaging….”
Masnick then critiques Haidt for supporting the “Kids Online Safety Act.” The Bill is endorsed by Democrats including President Joe Biden. Masnick’s argument against the law: It “has been condemned by LGBT groups, given that the co-sponsor of the bill has admitted she supports it to remove LGBT content from the internet. That’s real harm.”
Likewise, watch tech columnist Taylor Lorenz attack this bill: “The bill could cut kids off from crucial information online about basically any controversial topic, like abortion, gender-affirming care, substance abuse….”
Who thinks it’s a good idea that 13-year-olds get information about abortion, sex changes, and drugs from TikTok? No sane person. Certainly no parent.
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I have no idea if KOSA is a good bill. I do know that the folks defending middle schoolers on TikTok seem to want to tear children away from their parents while pushing dangerous ideas such as gender ideology.
This is what social media is best at: isolating its users and tearing them away from their real-life communities. For children, this means teaching children to reject parental authority and community norms. That’s why some folks defend children being on social media.
