According to a recent Talker Research survey for LG Electronics, 62% of younger people aim to hit the ‘circle’ button on their social media feeds. The survey, conducted online between June 20 and June 24, 2024, with 2,000 Gen Z Americans, revealed that 75% of the Gen Z population believes social media negatively affects their well-being. Those who experience negative emotions on social media tend to feel bad again after 38 minutes.
Self-generated platforms such as Instagram (20%), TikTok (20%), and Facebook (13%) were reported to reduce Gen Zers’ well-being. Over half of the respondents (53%) said the material they see on social media does not reflect their interests, and 54% felt they had minimal or almost no control over their feed’s content. Additionally, 16% used their pages only when they could fully control the content.
Gen Z participants reported feeling stressed and anxious (30%) after using social media. Content related to physical violence (50%), politics (40%), and pornography (32%) was most distressing. Despite the negative impacts, they engage with social media daily for reasons such as boredom (66%), to laugh or smile (59%), and to take a break (55%). They also use it to monitor world events (49%), visit friends (44%), socialize (42%), relax or work-free (33%), and get specific information (32%).
Louis Giagrande, LG Electronics Head of US Marketing, advised users to be selective about what they share to find balance, inspiration, or simple joy. He suggested that engaging with positive posts by “liking” and “commenting” could help shift feeds toward more positive content.
Looking ahead, 38% of Gen Z expects social media to have an even greater influence on mental health over the next five years. Despite the challenges, 80% of respondents associate social media with positive feelings. Comedy (65%), animals (48%), beauty (40%), and prank videos (34%) were noted as mood enhancers. Additionally, 65% reported that social media has improved their mood on their worst days, and 44% believe it has changed their perspective on life.
The survey highlights a complex relationship between Gen Z and social media, showing both negative and positive impacts on mental health. While many feel drained and frustrated by the content, they continue to rely on social media for entertainment, connection, and mood improvement, with optimism that it will become more supportive of mental well-being in the future.
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