[Student Sample] Argumentative/Persuasive Essay - Collaborating

In today’s world, social media plays a major role in how teens communicate, learn, and express themselves. With more teens online than ever before, many people have started to blame social media companies for the rise in anxiety, depression, and other mental health struggles among young people. While these concerns are understandable, the question remains: Should social media platforms be held accountable for the mental health effects they have on teens? I argue that they should not. Mental health is influenced by many factors that go far beyond a single app, and placing legal responsibility on social media companies would create more problems than it solves. Instead of turning companies into scapegoats, society should focus on personal responsibility, parental involvement,and the importance of free expression online

Some people argue that social media platforms should be held legally responsible for the mental health issues teens face because these apps can expose young people to cyberbullying, unrealistic beauty standards, and addictive content. They believe that because social media companies design platforms that keep teens engaged, the companies should be accountable for the negative effects that follow. However, this argument ignores how complex mental health really is. Teen mental health is influenced by family, school life, personality, and peer pressure, not just technology. Blaming social media alone oversimplifies the issues and assumes companies can control every user experience, which is unrealistic. Because the causes of mental  health challenges are so wide-ranging, it would be so unfair and ineffective to place full legal responsibility on social media platforms.

Social media companies should not be legally responsible for teen mental health because parental supervision has a far greater influence on how teens use these platforms.Research from Common Sense Media shows that teens with strong parental guidance about screen time and online behavior report fewer negative mental health effects.This proves that it is not just the apps themselves, but the structure and boundaries set  at home, that shape a teen’s online experience. Parents control when their teens get a phone, how long they can use it, and what apps they can download. Because parental involvement plays such a major role, it would not make sense to legally punish companies for something parents can directly manage. Instead of shifting responsibility away from families, society should focus on supporting digital literacy and healthy communication between parents and teens.

Another reason social media companies should not be held legally responsible is that teens themselves have some responsibility for how they behave online.Teens have the ability to block negative accounts, limit notifications, unfollow harmful content, and decide how much time they spend on the apps.Even though teens are still developing, they are capable of making choices that protect their own well-being. Holding companies legally accountable would ignore personal responsibility and act as if teens have no power in their own online lives. Encouraging healthier decision making skills is a better solution than blaming platforms for every emotional reaction teens experience.

Most importantly, making social media companies legally responsible would lead to censorship and limits on free expression. When companies fear lawsuits by, they often remove things or restrict features to avoid being blamed for potential harm. This would negatively affect millions of users, including creators, students,and businesses that rely on these platforms. If many of the benefits that make it useful. Legal blame would not solve teen mental health struggles, it would only limit communication and creativity online.

Although social media can affect how teens think and feel, it is not reasonable to hold the platforms legally responsible for mental health outcomes. Many other forces, parents, personal choices, and outside environments, play bigger roles. Plus, legal responsibility would push companies to censor content and limit the communication that makes social media valuable. The better solution is to teach healthy digital habits and support responsible use, not to punish the platforms for issues they cannot fully control.