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Around the country, new legislation is being enacted to help reduce the amount of time teens spend on apps like Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok. Sounds like a nightmare? That's exactly the problem. 

If you're part of the 90% of teens on social media, chances are it's your constant companion. It entertains you when you're bored. It's where you pick up viral dances and jokes. It's how you learn the deeper meaning of Olivia Rodrigo songs, find out what your camp friends did over the weekend and do a little sleuthing on your crush.

According to a national Gallup poll, teens spend almost five hours a day on social media (that's almost as much time as you spend in class—let that sink in for a moment). But things are changing: Schools and state lawmakers are taking action and introducing bills to reduce teens' social media addiction (yes, addiction). 

A report by the U.S. Department of Education found that more than 75% of schools are banning students from using phones for anything that doesn't have to do with their assignments (which means no more scrolling Instagram when your teacher isn't looking).

On top of that, policymakers are calling for TikTok and Meta to change their algorithms to make them less addicting. And several states have already banned social media for kids under 13 while requiring parental permission for 14- and 15-year-olds (and there are a multitude of bills making the rounds on Capitol Hill proposing several additional restrictions). 

The combined impact means everyone will be (theoretically) spending a lot less time scrolling. If this fills you with panic or makes you wonder what life will be like, that could be the very reason why less phone time may be a good thing.

Hooked by design

This won't exactly come as news to all of us who have lost whole afternoons to TikTok rabbit holes, but "social media is literally designed to be addictive, with features like endless scrolling and algorithms that populate your feed with content similar to what you've shown past interest in," explains Dr. Goali Saedi Bocci, a clinical psychologist and author of The Social Media Workbook for Teens.

Another reason social media is so addicting? Ana Homayoun, an academic advisor and author of Social Media Wellness, says it's because there's a seemingly endless amount of content out there. "There are also so many ways to interact, whether it's through likes or comments," she shares.

And those likes and comments wreak havoc with your brain's reward system. Racking up hearts, getting comments or even just finding content you love gives you a hit of the feel-good hormone dopamine, making social media a source of instant gratification that's pretty hard to otherwise duplicate.

There's even research showing that the addictive nature of social media is having negative effects on our attention spans. According to studies, some teens now find books harder to read, movies too long to watch, memorization more challenging and their ability to tackle complicated tasks diminished.

Jen P., 16, agrees with all of these observations: "Simply put, I feel like my patience and focus is shot. I get bored with things super quickly. I always pick up my phone while talking to someone or watching something. And I definitely get frustrated if something I am working on doesn't come together right away."

Getting the good while nixing the bad

While there's proof that social media can be super addicting (and, for some, damaging to your self-esteem), social media can also be a mood booster—a way to express creativity, connect with people with similar interests and keep up with friends who live far away.

So how do you experience the good parts of social media while leaving the endless scrolling behind? It comes down to this: You taking control of your social media usage vs. it controlling you. 

An easy way to start is to limit who you follow to a select few. (Think of them as your VIPs.) This means that on Snapchat, you won't be bombarded with notifications from people you don't actually care that much about. On Insta, you'll spend less time in your feed than if you follow tons of people and brands. (to cut down on rando accounts, tap the "X" in the top right corner of a suggested post, then select "snooze all suggested posts for 30 days.")

Homayoun recommends checking in with yourself as you scroll. What type of posts make you feel happy or inspired? Is there anyone you follow who makes you feel sad or bad? Unfollow 'em. Pretty quickly, the algorithm will start reflecting your choices, showing only what you've deemed worthy of your time on social.

If you find scrolling for hours leaves you feeling blah or you're neglecting other stuff (like your homework), Homayoun recommends setting a timer and only going on social media for a certain window, such as 30 minutes before dinner.

Another way to cut down? Delete apps on your phone and access them from your laptop instead. This helps break the habit of reaching for your phone a million times a day plus prevents you from being bombarded with notifications—especially when you're trying to sleep.

Life with less social media

So what do you gain when you spend less time on social media and more time on, well, life? Anna B., 15, found that cutting back gives her more time to make art and write short stories—two of her fave hobbies.

@artby_julietta

Winnie D., 14, poured her extra time into afternoon runs, and is now training for a 10K. "All those hours I used to spend scrolling on the couch, I am now running with a group of girls," she says. "I honestly have never felt better about myself."

And for Mia G., 13, the positive effects have been even more significant. "When I was 11, I would spend a lot of time on TikTok. I didn't realize how anxious it was making me until I got it taken away," she says, adding that her parents enforced the ban. Now that she's not on it, Mia says her anxiety has gone way down because she's less stimulated by the apps. Her attention span has improved, too. "I used to have a really hard time focusing on one thing without scrolling social at the same time, but now I can," she adds.

@ashleebock

Worried about missing out? Dr. Bocci says to remember that your real friends will make an effort. (Remember: It's not that hard to text or call to make plans to hang out in real life.) Just, you know, when you do meet up at that cute coffee shop or finally get your girls together for that Saturday sleepover? Make one promise to each other: no scrolling. 

7 creative things to do besides scrolling

A digital detox hits different when you have one of these ideas to fall back on.

@olivepicklepie Collage journal process ✂️ using some LIFE magazines from the 60s and 70s #collagejournal #analogcollage ♬ Wasted Summers - juju<3

Get crafting. For all the girlies who save *every* magazine, collaging is the perf screen-free way to use all the pretty pics. Or go even more niche with flower pressing or papier-mâché.

Redo your room. Your Kawaii Pinterest board is calling. Hit up the thrift store for adorable decor to match your fave aesthetic.

@matildadjerf

Draw a walking or running route. Put a creative twist on your Hot Girl Walk with a mapping app like Strava (hit start, then lock your phone 'til the end of your route). No more running in circles—we're making strides in the shape of a heart.

Cook from an IRL cookbook. A delish tray of pumpkin cinnamon rolls or a personalized pizza (courtesy of your mom's recipe binder) tastes better when you make it yourself.

@rihannanquinn

Go bird-watching. Don't judge yet—this grandmacore activity is v. relaxing. Head to your backyard and see how many feathery friends you can spot (bonus points if you grab a field guide from the library first).

Dream up a board game. Modify a classic fave or brainstorm a whole new game with a fresh theme, rules and characters. The vibe? Monopoly, but like, Taylor Swift-ified.

Learn a language (at least a little). Prep for the next locale on your travel bucket list. Whether you're learning French, Japanese or Portuguese, you'll be ready to take on the world.

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Hey, girl! Just wanted to let you know that this story originally ran in our October/November 2024 issue. Want more? Read the print mag for free *today* when you click HERE.

Top and slider image: @wildflowercases
Formatted for web by Maggie Zhang.

by Emily Laurence | 10/22/2024