If You Let Your Kids Use IG, They're Gonna Be Dumb AF

I wish there was a nicer way to say it.

The evidence is solid.

This is not some observation study. These are not strung together anecdotes. It’s long-term longitudinal research published in prestigious, peer-reviewed Nature Human Behavior.

What does it say? Researchers did a look-back on the school performance of 5000+ Italian 10th and 11th graders. Their findings: students who started social media before 9th grade were six months behind their peers in reading and math.

But, you say, Brittany is a great student! She likes posting her little dance videos! What’s the harm?

Know this: the reading and math scores dropped even for kids who started off at the top of their class.

Let me say this a different way: uh, reread the headline of this piece.

Or stated another way — turn em loose on Tik Tok and say buh-bye to AP anything.

For those of you who have been paying attention, the trial of our favorite villains, Meta, starts today (Wednesday August 18th). AGs from California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey are seeking $1 TRILLION+ in damages, accusing the social media giant of harming children with technology designed to be addictive, fueled a national youth mental health crisis and deceived users by promoting their apps as “safe.”

Coming for your kids.

The research about social media and cognition, though, is clear — and actionable, if enough parents read about it and think through the implications.

My TL/DR: yes, people learn in different ways and at different rates. But the development and strengthening of cognition — the essential work of childhood — turns out to be very fragile. Way more fragile than parents could have anticipated.

It requires that students build frameworks for thinking— in the classroom, that has traditionally taken the form of syntax and arithmetic. (Reading and math.) There are also thousands of behaviors and experiences, big and small, that reinforce and extend those frameworks — two of the biggest drivers are focus and stamina.

What the big Meta trial will no doubt rehash is that social media companies have hired teams of top level neuroscientists who study cognition to keep you — and your kids— glued to their app. And in doing so, leaching away their cognitive stamina and focus.

We all know that SM is terrible for us. Who among us has not experienced “digital dementia?” (Scrolling through headlines and finding ourselves unable to recall a single detail. ) In a surprise to probably no-one at Meta, it is actually making our kids unable to learn.

My guess on the outcome of the big Meta trial: high-priced lawyers will have their day, and, in fact, many days as the eventual appeal of the anti-Meta verdict will drag on for years. Our aversion to regulatory oversight of the tech industry — and a boatload of cash to our elected officials — will allow this widespread cognitive destruction to continue.

And our children and their children will pay the price.