Girl meets Instagram. And then her childhood – and her life -  are forever altered by the effects of social media. This is what the Surgeon General is telling us. This is what the research is showing us: rising depression, anxiety, eating disorders and suicides. But behind this data, real people are suffering the consequences.

Kara Alaimo, communications professor and author of  Over the Influence: Why Social Media is Toxic for Women and Girls – And How We Can Take It Back, has researched social media since 2016. Through her interviews, she’s heard countless stories of algorithms leading users from a subtle interest to a dangerous spiral.  Engaging with a workout post led to a feed full of ‘fitspo’ content, featuring influencers with unrealistic body standards – which led to body dysmorphia,  disordered eating and lasting mental health struggles.

“We grew up with Seventeen Magazine, which also promoted unrealistic beauty standards, but we didn’t spend hours a day - every day - looking at it,” Kara explains. It’s the combination of toxic content and the time spent that creates actual harm for young girls.

Tune in to hear Nicki of Scrolling 2 Death and Kara discuss her research insights and strategies for managing kids’ social media use.

Kara Alaimo, PhD is a communication professor at Fairleigh Dickinson University, where she created the university’s academic programs in social media. Her book Over the Influence: Why Social Media is Toxic for Women and Girls – And How We Can Take It Back explains how social media is affecting every aspect of the lives of women and girls and what we can do about it. She has been writing opinion and analysis pieces for CNN about the social impact of social media since 2016. She speaks frequently to parents and students in schools about how to handle kids’ social media use. For more information, visit www.karaalaimo.com and follow her on Instagram, Facebook and Bluesky.