Is Social Media Making Us Lonely? An Arizona Community Weighs In

I was a very early adopter of the internet. I’m not kidding—when we transitioned to CompuServe, it was a big change. I still dream of the discordant tones as my modem connected to the server in the pre-World Wide Web days. (If you know who Archie and Veronica were, you know what I’m talking about here.)

A More Civilized Web?

It’s hard to imagine, but things were far more civilized back then, even though they were less regulated and formal. CompuServe and other platforms like AOL had forums—precursors to chatrooms and user groups.

Back then, total strangers could have intelligent conversations about nearly anything without being rude or accusatory. In general, information was less available, but the knowledge you did get was far more factual and reliable.

The whole experience was much more “chatting with neighbors over a fence” than “wild-west shootout”, like it is today. (It’s almost as if “WWW” stands for Wild, Wild West…but I digress.)

READ THIS: Arizona Shares Mixed Feelings About Using AI

I like to think our radio station’s social media discussions are more civilized than the average page, and I do my best to keep things respectful and open-minded.

When I asked our online community what they thought social media is doing to society, the responses were quick and honest, but also well-crafted and congenial.  Here’s what we were saying.

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What We’re Gaining—And Losing—on Social Media

A lot of our followers pointed out the good stuff first: things like staying connected with distant friends and family, finding community, and sharing information quickly. As Tom put it, social media helps us “keep up with far‑flung family and friends,” even if the platforms sometimes get in their own way.

But the downsides came through loud and clear. Many people mentioned the rise in bullying, the wide dissemination of misinformation, and the loss of basic civility. Kathy summed it up perfectly: people used to “agree to disagree,” but now it feels like every opinion sparks a war.

If you’ve been “personally victimized” by social media, you’re not imagining the emotional toll. A University of Michigan study found that heavy social media use increases feelings of loneliness by up to 13% in adults, and it’s linked to higher rates of anxiety and depression in teens, according to the CDC Youth Risk Behavior Survey.

The Kids Aren’t Alright — And We Know It

Nearly everyone agreed: children shouldn’t have unfiltered access to social media.

Dave pointed out that kids can stumble into politics, predators, and explicit content long before they’re ready. The remedy, others mentioned, is close parental attention and knowing when to turn off the stream so kids can be kids.

READ MORE: Unveiling The Dark Side: Social Media's Impact on Our Kids

So, Where Do We Go From Here?

Maybe the answer isn’t ditching social media altogether, but using it with a little more intention, and a lot more kindness. Most of us opened a social media account to keep in touch with friends and family, so it’s important to remember that and not get scooped into the distraction algorithm.

As Zena said, it can be “a wonderful tool” when we remember to scroll with grace.