By Micah Peace Urquilla and Vee Maybin
On May 23, 2024 the US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issued an advisory calling more attention to the risks that social media poses to mental health, particularly for young people. Social media certainly has its benefits. Online communities have been instrumental in helping people from marginalized groups like people with disabilities, LGBTQIA+ folks, and many groups connect with others, share information and resources, and build community. However, Dr. Murthy points out that these benefits may not outweigh the risks that social media poses, saying “...We don't have enough evidence to say it's safe, and in fact, there is growing evidence that social media use is associated with harm to young people’s mental health,” (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2023.) Overuse, exposure to harmful content, and self-esteem are the most commonly discussed risks of social media, and these impact everyone, including people with disabilities, but they are not the only risks that people with IDD face when engaging with social media.
One risk, often disguised as a benefit, is the way social media and technology can be easily confused as a replacement for building accessible, in-person community spaces. At the height of the COVID pandemic, it was a lifeline for people with and without disabilities alike, to keep in contact with friends and loved ones when it wasn’t safe to be together in physical space, but today that same sense of convenience can become barrier, rather than a support - “zooming in” to an otherwise in-person event is simply not the same as being included.
Vee shares her story, illustrating the human impact of this problem:
“One time, we got word that a family reunion was taking place. I was sort of excited to go, but when the idea of me going was proposed to my other family members, they informed us that they couldn’t have me there in person due to the location being inaccessible. They told me that they could put me in a video call and that would be good enough because the place wasn’t wheelchair accessible, but this told me they didn’t really want me there. It made me very sad because, while virtual methods are useful, they don’t adequately replace the experience of being physically there with other people and engaging with others in a more personal way. It robbed me of the feeling of love and feeling a part, instead making me feel separate even though I could see what was going on on the screen. I was “there,” but I still felt separated from the event because I wasn’t able or allowed to physically be a part of the festivities. This left me with a feeling of emptiness and loneliness. Even though you’re present in some way, it can often make you feel as though you’re not present, but merely watching an event rather than being part of it. That’s one of the major drawbacks of virtual. It can allow connections that would otherwise be impossible, but people often use it as a replacement for that connection rather than using it as what it is, an alternative tool to allow communication that would otherwise be impractical or impossible, but accessible spaces aren’t impractical or impossible, and we shouldn’t act like they are.”
There are certain connections social media and technology simply can’t replicate; they are just not possible unless you’re sitting in the room with someone. Just as there are known limitations to telehealth, and to many other tools which benefit us, social media shouldn’t be thought of as an all-purpose tool. It may be best suited to starting a connection or sharing information, rather than being the main point of connection.
Works Cited:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 23 May 2023, https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2023/05/23/surgeon-general-issues-new-ad…. Accessed 20 June 2024.
