My IEEE Research Article - The Psychological Impacts of Algorithmic and AI-Driven Social Media on Teenagers: A Call to Action

Did you know that endless scrolling and infinite content feeds on social media can significantly affect children's mental and physical health? 

I worked with Dr. John Hastings and Sahil Arora to investigate the impact of AI-driven social media on teens' mental health. Our research paper, "The Psychological Impacts of Algorithmic and AI-Driven Social Media on Teenagers: A Call to Action," was presented at the IEEE 2024 Digital Platforms and Societal Harms (DPSH) conference and published in IEEE Xplore. 

Young users are especially vulnerable to persuasive designs, which can lead to excessive screen time and adverse psychological outcomes. This paper calls for action from policymakers, platform developers, and educators to prioritize the well-being of teenagers in the digital age and work towards creating secure social media platforms that protect the young from harm, online harassment, and exploitation.

Research Paper Title: The Psychological Impacts of Algorithmic and AI-Driven Social Media on Teenagers: A Call to Action

Abstract: 

This study investigates the meta-issues surrounding social media, which, while theoretically designed to enhance social interactions and improve our social lives by facilitating the sharing of personal experiences and life events, often results in adverse psychological impacts. Our investigation reveals a paradoxical outcome: rather than fostering closer relationships and improving social lives, the algorithms and structures that underlie social media platforms inadvertently contribute to a profound psychological impact on individuals, influencing them in unforeseen ways. This phenomenon is particularly pronounced among teenagers, who are disproportionately affected by curated online personas, peer pressure to present a perfect digital image, and the constant bombardment of notifications and updates that characterize their social media experience. As such, we issue a call to action for policymakers, platform developers, and educators to prioritize the well-being of teenagers in the digital age and work towards creating secure and safe social media platforms that protect the young from harm, online harassment, and exploitation.

You can read the full article using the below link:

https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2408.10351

https://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/DPSH60098.2024.10774922

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