Pat Newton, cofounder of the International Trauma Care Alliance (ITCA) and director of Social Media Trauma Awareness, says the effect is almost scary.
"I'm a computer forensics private investigator," he tells AFN. "I can't tell you how many times that I have sat across the table from a father or mother or both parents, and they're crying their eyes out because they've lost their child because of social media."
He understands that parents often give their young children smartphones to keep tabs on them, but he points out that a phone with internet access puts the whole world in the user's hands. And with the whole world comes the world's evil.
When a child gets on social media, for example, predators are free to interact privately, "and then all of a sudden, she takes her life live on social media."
Newton says the Bible talks about what happens when man overtakes things that God designed for good. Social media can be useful, but that does not mean everyone should utilize it. He notes that kids cannot vote or go to war until they are 18, and legally, they cannot start drinking until age 21.
"We put in these guidelines until they're able to understand and accept those things. Why don't we do that with social media?" he wonders. "It's out of control."
Still, Newton recognizes that "social media is just a symptom of the root problem" and that setting age restrictions would not alleviate the mental illness or the trauma those platforms can cause. He encourages the Church to do a better job at dealing with those issues.
"At the end of the day, it's not the government's job to teach our children. It starts in our home," he submits. "It starts with a prayer life. It starts with parents who love their children [and share] the Word of God with them."
Through educational initiatives and advocacy, ITCA highlights critical societal issues, including the growing mental health crisis among youth. Emphasizing holistic approaches to mental, physical, and spiritual health, the organization strives to support vulnerable populations and promote well-being across the globe.
