You may have heard this, but in late November the Australian Parliament passed a law that bans social media use by children under the age of 16. Wow.
Needless to say, the law has been hotly debated and is quite controversial, so why did the Australian Senate and Legislature overwhelmingly approve the bill? There is a strong belief that excessive social media is harmful to children, rewiring their brains, and stunting their emotional growth. Further, many feel like the effects are leading to what the majority of counselors and therapists are calling a “mental health crisis” in young people.
Here at Biblically Resilient, we don’t see social media as evil or the enemy, but we do acknowledge that too much of it, or a lack of responsible shepherding by parents can negatively affect spiritual growth, and lead to a lack of emotional and spiritual resilience or strength. This is precisely why we were interested in a recent book review by David Robertson, a Pastor from New South Wales in Australia.
The review is of a book by Jonathan Haidt called “The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood in Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness.” It was published in an excellent theological journal called themelios (Gospel Coalition), and the link to the full review is copied below.
What makes Robertson’s review so pertinent is that he lives in Australia, so he has likely experienced the conversation about his country’s new bill. He also attended a lecture by Jonathan Haidt, where the author spoke on the topic, his notes from the lecture eventually became the content of this book.
a few highlights
Robertson explains how Haidt is writing from a deep and genuine concern that social media is literally changing the lives and worldview of young people, and not for the better:
“Haidt’s thesis is straightforward. In 1994–1995 the Internet arrives. It is one of the biggest changes ever in human society and seems overwhelmingly positive. You can now know everything. (Remember Google’s mantra, “you won’t need memory” and motto, “do no evil”?) In 2007 we have the arrival of the smartphone and the thousands of apps. By 2012 there is a noticeable decrease in the mental health of teenagers, especially girls. Haidt links these directly.”[i]
There is obviously significant pushback to Haidt’s idea, but he lists several areas of harm, and noticeable consequences that anyone who works with youth these days would have a hard time disagreeing with:
“You do not develop social skills. Your childhood has been transformed by technology from a play-based childhood to a phone-based childhood. There is no time for play, hobbies, face to face contact, and books. In fact, as regards reading, there is some evidence that excessive use of the Internet is rewiring our brains and making it far harder for us to concentrate on, and think, about books. (See, for example, Martin Korte, “The Impact of the Digital Revolution on Human Brain and Behavior: Where Do We Stand?” Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience 22 [2020]: 101–11). The overall effect of this, according to Haidt, is that people are not connecting, they are performing. When you play, there are lots of mistakes, but they are low-cost mistakes. But one false move online and your whole life could literally be ruined. Little wonder that this has become the anxious generation!”[ii]
In addition to offering some practical solutions for redeeming social media and offering ideas around how to help young people navigate things effectively, Robertson calls attention to how Haidt believes this is all decreasing our youth’s spiritual sensibilities:
“One of the most challenging parts in the book is chapter 8: “Spiritual Elevation and
Degradation.” Haidt verdict is confronting: “The phone-based life produces spiritual degradation, not just in adolescents but in all of us” (p. 199). As a pastor, if I had my way, I would ban smart phones from the pew as well as the dinner table, the bedroom, and the classroom! Haidt argues that the best way to get rid of anxiety is by exposing yourself to what is causing it. In one sense he is right. But in another he misses the greatest antidote to anxiety—the certainty and security that comes from knowing Christ. Every child (and indeed every adult, too) needs to hear and take to heart the words of Jesus: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? (Matt 6:25).”[iii]
let's be proactive
This last caution mirrors how we at Biblically Resilient feel about the subject: anything that affects how we see the world and God, like social media, is powerful enough to address with scripture and patient discernment. We know that the best window for children to understand and grasp an overall Christian worldview is somewhere before the age of 14. Of course, the Holy Spirit can immediately transform the heart and mind of anyone, at any age. However, a lack of Biblical shepherding in the area of social media is introducing new ways for Satan to distort young peoples’ view of God and the world around us.
There is no room for fear, but plenty of opportunity for faithful and productive discussions with parents and church leaders (especially those who work with youth) in the area of social media and what is vying for the attention of our young people. We believe God has an incredible and vital plan for the lives of each child of God, and we desire to equip people with the tools necessary to shepherd our youth to greater faithfulness.
If you are interested in inquiring about our workshop called “Biblically Resilient Parenting In An Increasingly Complex World,” reach out to us, send us a note on the site contact page.
You can read the full review of “The Anxious Generation” HERE!
The Biblically Resilient Team
[i] Robertson, D. (2024). The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness. Themelios, Volume 49, Issue 3, https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/themelios/review/the-anxious-generation-how-the-great-rewiring-of-childhood-is-causing-an-epidemic-of-mental-illness/
[ii] Ibid.
[iii] Ibid.