Fitness trainer and media figure Jillian Michaels is encouraging parents to remain vigilant with social media companies, expressing concerns over what she describes as “addictive” algorithms and content. During her appearance on “The Faulkner Focus,” she promoted her new Fox Nation documentary, “Toxic 2: A Generation on the Brink,” while recommending that parents restrict their children’s online activities.
“You really have to do everything possible,” Michaels emphasized. “This means implementing parental controls on your child’s phone—it’s essential. You should take the phone away at night, restrict the websites they can access, and regularly discuss the content they’re encountering online. However, it’s also important to be realistic about what they’ll do when they’re not under your watch.”
“Furthermore, we must keep up the pressure on social media companies to create safer algorithms for children,” she added. “They developed an addictive product, and they are aware of it. We need to maintain that pressure.”
The documentary addresses several risks faced by children today, such as excessive screen time, mental health challenges, and the issue of over-medicalization. “Honestly, many parents likely don’t fully grasp the extent of what their kids are dealing with today,” Michaels observed. “From the very beginning, those delicate little bodies and minds of our most vulnerable are being affected and overwhelmed from all sides.”
Michaels is joined by experts in the documentary, including psychology researcher Jean Twenge, who asserts that those who start using smartphones early could be more susceptible to mental health problems later in life. “In some comprehensive studies, the heaviest social media users are about twice as likely to be depressed compared to those who engage less,” Twenge noted. “Even in other research, you see at least a 40% to 50% increase in depression when comparing heavy social media use to minimal use.”
Twenge further highlighted that younger generations, like Gen Z and Gen Alpha, are acutely aware of the detrimental effects of technology. “They even coined terms like ‘chronically online,’ which suggests it’s almost like an illness, or ‘brain rot,’ indicating its negative impact on focus and attention.”
Social media companies are experiencing heightened calls for regulation and accountability regarding their platforms’ effects. Recently, Meta agreed to settle claims for as much as $17.1 billion and implement restrictions on teen accounts due to allegations of creating platforms that are addictive for children, while the company has denied these claims.
For deeper insights into the dangers that personal technology may pose for young children, you might want to check out “Toxic 2: A Generation on the Brink,” which is currently available for streaming.
