Every week, Oprah is setting an intention exclusively for Oprah Daily Insiders, with reflections on topics like letting go, forgiveness, coming into your own, and more.
Happy Sunday, Insiders.
I’ve been thinking a lot recently about the double-edged sword that is social media. It has immense power at bringing people together—like how you and I connect in our Insiders Community or through Instagram. But as I was reminded while recording my latest podcast episode, having a massive virtual world at your fingertips comes with major downsides, especially for our children.
My guest, Jonathan Haidt, who is a social psychologist and the best-selling author of The Anxious Generation, shared with me that thanks to social media, kids are flat-out addicted to their phones. And this addiction starts young: Forty percent of two-year-olds in this country have their own iPads. Forty percent!
That statistic blew my mind. It’s all so different from my childhood—and likely yours—where we just played outside with our friends. Instead, nearly half of all teens in the U.S. today are online almost constantly: phone in hand, checked out from real life. And the implications for their mental health are really, really serious.
I share this not to freak you out, but to arm you with information. At the end of the episode, which you can listen to on Apple or Spotify, or watch below, Jonathan shares some very smart, common-sense advice for parents to help navigate this challenging territory. (It might even inspire you to rethink your own screen usage, too…just sayin’.)
If you’re looking for more support and information on this topic, check out our The Life You Want to Live: Teen Mental Health curriculum with Jonathan. There’s so much we can do to protect our children and help the next generation thrive in our footsteps.
Go well, everyone.
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Oprah Winfrey is a global media leader, producer, philanthropist, actress, and author. Over the course of her career, she has created an unparalleled connection with people and communities around the world. Oprah oversees Harpo Productions, serves as chairman and CEO of OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network, and is the founder of O, The Oprah Magazine and OprahDaily.com. In 1996, Oprah’s Book Club launched, serving as a catalyst for the creation of book clubs around the world and millions of books sold across genres. For 25 years, Oprah was the host and producer of the award-winning talk show The Oprah Winfrey Show.
Oprah is also a dedicated philanthropist and the founder of the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa. In 2013, she was awarded the Medal of Freedom, our nation’s highest civilian honor. In 2018, Oprah became the first African American woman to be honored with the Golden Globes’ Cecil B. DeMille Award, and in 2022, she was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
