Students at MIA spend hours on social media, which can be very damaging to developing minds. In a recent poll answered by students at Marco Island Academy, evidence shows that students use social media everyday, the same evidence suggests that some students believe that social media should be restricted. 

123 students at MIA responded to the aforementioned poll, 91% of those students answered that they use social media. Meaning only 11 people who answered the poll said they do not use social media regularly. The freshmen class makes up for most of the people who said they do not use social media. 

Looking at the data the most popular social media platforms throughout all 4 grades are both TikTok and Snapchat. The two apps are tied for first, both with 36.6% of all votes. Other social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter are also used by students, but the data indicates that those apps are not nearly as popular, especially Twitter. 

Some of the students believe that they’re spending too much time on social media. 33% of the students said they spend over 2 hours a day on social media, while 8% of the students say they spend at least 8 hours a day on social media. Despite many websites recommending only 30 minutes to an hour a day on social media. Some research explicitly says that 2 hours is way too much time on social media. Meaning the average student that spends 2 hours a day on social media, spends more time on social media than the recommended amount of time. Using social media has been known to have negative effects on people, things like decreased physical and mental health. 

Despite the student’s excessive usage of social media everyday, many students believe social media needs to be restricted. 41% of students said social media should be restricted with age limits, time limits and parental control not falling far behind. But 33% of the students who answered the poll said social media should not be restricted, and students should be able to use social media when they please. 

Due to the student’s unreasonably high and consistent amount of time spent on social media some of the students who answered the poll think social media should be restricted. 59% of students say it has not changed the way students see themselves, and only 26% of students say social media has changed the way they see themselves in a negative way. 

A junior at MIA, Skylar Siems revealed her true thoughts about social media. When asked if she had any negative experiences on social media Siems responded by saying “When you look at certain things such as seeing people go places and having a good time it just makes you feel like ‘Wow I’m missing out right now.’” In the same interview she expressed how she believes that social media should be restricted to younger age groups. 

Compiling all of this data it is clear to see that most high school students use social media more than the recommended amount, yet some students still believe social media should not be limited.