> We report (..) blocking mobile internet for 2 weeks reduces smartphone use and improves subjective well-being, mental health (more than antidepressants), and sustained attention (as much as being 10 years younger). Despite the many benefits mobile internet offers, reducing the constant connection to the digital world can have large positive effects.
There's a ton of overlap between SM harms and believing conspiracy theories.
However, the predilection to believe conspiracy theories has been recently linked with narcissism (which seems obvious to me in hindsight).
All that said, I do not believe social media creates narcissism where none was before.
Regarding those sorts of toxic and delusional thinking that are comfortable on SM, I suspect we keep focusing on just one side of a problem with a dozen facets.
The (2025) study doesn't support this title, but we've seen it a few times:
(2+2+3+3 points) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43523761 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44528704 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43515879 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44522060
> We report (..) blocking mobile internet for 2 weeks reduces smartphone use and improves subjective well-being, mental health (more than antidepressants), and sustained attention (as much as being 10 years younger). Despite the many benefits mobile internet offers, reducing the constant connection to the digital world can have large positive effects.
There's a ton of overlap between SM harms and believing conspiracy theories.
However, the predilection to believe conspiracy theories has been recently linked with narcissism (which seems obvious to me in hindsight).
All that said, I do not believe social media creates narcissism where none was before.
Regarding those sorts of toxic and delusional thinking that are comfortable on SM, I suspect we keep focusing on just one side of a problem with a dozen facets.