Written by: Esme
Edited by: Noah & Pallavi
Visual by: Sofia
The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt explores a growing issue: the decline of adolescent mental health alongside the rise of smartphones and social media. Anxiety, depression, and loneliness among teenagers have increased sharply, and Haidt argues that platforms like Instagram play a major role.
But at the same time, Instagram has become one of students’ main tools for communicating with each other regarding school matters. Clubs and class councils rely on it to share updates and promote their events. Important information is often posted there first, meaning students without Instagram can miss out.
ISM consistently emphasizes caution when it comes to social media, reminding students to be mindful of their digital footprint, avoid sharing personal information, forbidding posting images or indicating one’s location during school trips. The HS Daily Announcements even has an added slide about appropriate social media use. The message is clear: social media is risky, and students should be careful.
Yet Instagram continues to function as a primary communication channel. “The reason we chose to use Instagram is mostly that there [are] a lot of questions [about events] and people checked Instagram way more than GChat,” said one freshman class council member. “But it’s kind of inefficient. So I’m usually the one to send messages to people who I know don’t have [Instagram], but I know I miss some people too.”
This points to a larger issue: access. Students who choose not to use Instagram or simply do not have an account are placed at a disadvantage. They may miss announcements, lose out on opportunities, or depend on secondhand information. The lack of consistent alternatives leaves a clear gap in the system.
This raises an important question: if students are advised to limit social media use, why does school communication make it feel necessary? When key information is shared primarily through Instagram, emails and official platforms begin to feel secondary rather than equal.
There is also the broader question of responsibility. At the end of the day, Instagram is a commercial app designed to maximize engagement, not to serve as an official communication tool for schools. Even if school-run accounts are managed, the platform itself is not controlled. Relying on it means placing important communication in a space that is not designed with students’ needs in mind.
A school that emphasizes awareness of social media risks should also reflect that in its communication. If Instagram remains a key platform, then equally visible, accessible, and promoted alternatives must be provided—if for nothing else, than to ensure no student has to choose between protecting their mental health and being readily involved.
