Social Media Can Be Addictive

Social media is a great tool for keeping in touch with friends, keeping up with the news, exploring curiosities, and even enjoying funny memes. It's a space to share information with each other and find out how your content is being received by your followers.

However, this need for validation and the fear of missing out on important updates can lead to excessive use and addiction.

Social media platforms provide a constant flow of information and use gratification mechanisms, making it very easy to lose track of time. But how can we identify if there is already some form of dependence?

The main warning signs include:
1. Mood swings, feelings of anger, sadness, or frustration when away from social media.
2. Increased need for more hours of use.
3. Social isolation.
4. Fatigue.
5. Unsatisfactory performance in studies or work.

Children and teenagers are especially vulnerable as their cognitive and emotional regulation systems are still developing. Therefore, parents’ involvement is critical. Conversations about the dangers of social media in general and how to use social media consciously are essential.

Use social media in moderation and guide your children to do the same!

IMPORTANT: If you believe that the use of social media is significantly impairing your daily activities, seek professional help.

Stay informed and check out important tips, especially about how to provide guidance to young people, in the publications below:

1. https://internetsegura.br/ (Portuguese only)
2. https://cetic.br/media/docs/publicacoes/2/TIC_Kids_2015_LIVRO_ELETRONICO.pdf (Portuguese only)
3. https://cetic.br/media/docs/publicacoes/2/20211125083634/tic_kids_online_2020_livro_eletronico.pdf (Portuguese only)

Video Description

The animation begins with a teenager standing in his living room, smiling as he browses social media on his phone. Sunlight streams in through the windows. As the phrase "Social media is interesting" appears at the top of the scene, smileys, hearts, and thumbs-up emojis pop out of his phone.

Next to the teenager, a clock shows the passing of time. The phrase changes to "But be careful: they can be addictive." The teenager continues on his phone as the clock hands move, and outside the window the day turns into night. The character is surprised when he notices the time.

In the following scene, it is the next day. The phrase "Choose which networks you access and for how long  " appears. The boy is once again in his living room, browsing social media on his phone, but this time a stopwatch is visible next to him. When the time is up, he puts away his phone and walks out of the house. The phrase changes to "Use in moderation"

The animation ends with the teenager waving to two friends in the park, a girl and a boy. The final phrase is "Enjoy offline life."