Reaction: Gen Z Has Regrets

Earlier this week, ‘The Anxious Generation’ Author Jonathan Haidt and CEO of the Harris Poll, Will Johnson co-authored a New York Times op-ed—Gen Z has regrets.

The article shared the findings of a recent a nationally representative Harris Poll survey of 1,006 Gen Z adults (ages 18-27), their own social media use, about their views on the effects of social media on themselves and on society and about what kinds of reforms they’d support.

Here are the key takeaways:

• Time spent on social media: Over 60% of Gen Z respondents spend at least 4 hours per day on social media, with 23% spending 7 or more hours.

• Perception of social media's impact: 60% of respondents believe social media has a negative impact on society, while 32% see it as positive.

• Personal impact: 52% of Gen Z respondents said social media benefited their lives, while 29% said it had a negative personal effect. Women (44%) and L.G.B.T.Q. individuals (47%) were more likely to report negative impacts on their emotional health.

• Platform regret: The platforms with the highest regret are X/Twitter (50%), TikTok (47%), Snapchat (43%), and Facebook (37%). By contrast, only 15% regret YouTube, and 17% regret Netflix or the internet itself.

• Concern for children: 45% of respondents would not allow their child to have a smartphone before age 14, and 57% support parents restricting access before high school.

• Support for regulation: 69% support a law requiring social media companies to offer child-safe options, with 36% supporting a ban on social media use for those under 16.

Wow. A lot to unpack. Somehow let’s try to ignore the fact that Gen Z is spending a majority of their awake, non-school hours nuking their brains on platforms that they’ve self-determined are net negative for society and and focus on the part that’s even more insane: the regret.

 
We know it’s bad for us. We regret it. But we keep doing it, trapped in a cycle of compulsion.. Wasted time is the least of our issues. We’re talking about a product that leaves many users feeling worse, more disconnected, and more regretful after using it. Sleep deprivation, body image distortion, anxiety, depression, and exposure to harmful content promoting suicide and eating disorders are just the tip of the iceberg.

It’s a glaring red flag for what’s to come as these social media habits become baked into adulthood. And that leads to me to my biggest question:

How will these habits and lifestyles evolve once these children are parents, employees, and business owners?

Think about it. We've got an entire generation who’s first words we’re probably ‘follow me on Instagram.’ They've never known a world without likes, shares, and instant gratification. It's hardwired into their very existence.

Fast forward a decade or two, and what do we have? A workforce with the attention spans of coked out lab rats. Parents who are more concerned with capturing the perfect Instagram moment than being present with their kids. Business owners who prioritize the vanity metrics of ‘going viral’ over genuine value creation.

Unfortunately, all of these are probably true. But there’s a silver lining. As more and more people feel trapped in these digital spaces, the demand for solutions to reclaim their time, mental energy, overall well-being will grow. And this generation will have the purchasing power and the emotional investment to drive real change.

This is exactly why I’m so bullish on digital wellness coaching and the broader digital wellness industry.

And after the last two weeks of customer discovery calls, I can confidently tell you it’s not only the wellness-obsessed, nighttime boner measuring tech bros and 4chan incels who are seeking out help.

A lot more to come here, stay tuned :)

Resources

Digital Wellness Coaching: I’m looking to take on 3 more screen time coaching clients & build a few great testimonials (this is the cheapest it will ever be). If you think you might be a fit, let’s chat.

Digital Detox Tools: A free directory of 75+ digital wellness products, software, and services. Access it here.

That’s all for this week. Now stop scrolling and go do something great!

Thanks,

Randy