This article is part of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/introducing-upstream-a-lifestyle-and-culture-section-of-the-daily-wire">Upstream,</a> The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.
***
“We’re sending him to a recovery center in Bali this summer to kick his phone habit,” an exasperated mother informed me of her teenage son. I was an easy target, waiting in an empty booth for my to-go burger and fries, trying to be “in the moment” without faceplanting into Instagram. She showed me her lock screen: “Here’s a photo of him in ‘The Hot Chocolate Nutcracker’ with <a href="https://people.com/blue-ivy-carters-greatest-accomplishments-beyonce-jay-z-daughter-11880522">Blue Ivy.</a>” Intrigued by her oversharing and financial resources, I took a long sip from my wine-in-a-can and braced myself for the long haul; she clearly had more than a half-eaten order of onion rings on her plate. “He’s been kicking his dad,” she said.
I casually ordered another overpriced pinot grigio and sympathetically touched her elbow. “Like, while he’s looking at his phone?” 
As real-life proof of <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0747563223003394#:~:text=The%20findings%20reveal%20that%20depression,which%20subsequently%20influences%20internalized%20aggression.">studies</a> linking smartphone addiction to aggression, this kid had completely stopped talking to his parents and had seemingly resorted to kung fu. No nearby Los Angeles-based rehab centers could snap him out of the funk, so after throwing roughly $150,000 at the problem, this mother’s only hope was to send her kid to a place 8,600 miles away from his iPhone. She hoped Indonesian fruit and flora, and perhaps a restorative bungalow over crystal blue water, could sever the electromagnetic lifeline between her sweet son’s brain and <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@aibaddie23/video/7590506286890962196?lang=en">AI baddies jet-skiing with gorillas</a> on TikTok. Or whatever he was watching.
He’s not the only one. Teens self-report using social media “<a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2025/12/09/teens-social-media-and-ai-chatbots-2025/">almost constantly</a>.” Gen Z hits up <a href="https://targetinternet.com/resources/how-different-age-groups-are-using-social-media-2024/#:~:text=Instagram%2C%20TikTok%2C%20Snapchat-,Behavioural%20trends,platforms%20like%20TikTok%20and%20Instagram.">TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat</a> as trusted sources of information, while Gen Alpha is into <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kids-dont-need-more-online-monitoring-they-need-involved-dads">Roblox</a>, YouTube, WhatsApp, TikTok, and Snapchat. <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/slang/six-seven#:~:text=interjection,that%20it%20makes%20no%20sense.%E2%80%9D">Six-seven</a>, <a href="https://we-are-family.com/uk/blog-insights/rizz-suss-and-bussin-a-guide-to-gen-alphas-freshest-slang/">no cap</a>. Even though TikTok theoretically limits users to <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/safety/en/guardians-guide">no younger than</a> 13 years old, <a href="https://www.ofcom.org.uk/media-use-and-attitudes/online-habits/living-our-lives-online">five-year-old</a> “<a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-60854885">TikTots</a>” open so many accounts that they have a cute nickname.
Cautionary messaging about the negative blah blah of social media feels like a broken record, a constant drone about <a href="https://www.kidsmentalhealthfoundation.org/mental-health-resources/technology-and-social-media/social-media-and-kids">stunted brain development</a>, depression, cyberbullying, catfishing, and anxiety. But, whatever, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oo9EbArcQ1c">Mr. Beast</a> vaccinated a herd of wild giraffes with a life-saving sniper rifle from a helicopter! <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GNyw4uaAqU">Subscribe to win an iPhone</a>, smash that freakin’ bell, and shoot it into our veins! Sure, <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2024/12/12/teens-social-media-and-technology-2024/#:~:text=and%20household%20income.-,By%20gender,87%25).">girls jump on Instagram and TikTok</a> more than boys, and the reverse is true over on YouTube, which attracts <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/fact-sheet/teens-and-social-media-fact-sheet/">90% of teens</a>, but no one’s getting out of this scot-free. Overall, kids spend an average of <a href="https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/reports-and-publications/youth-mental-health/social-media/index.html#:~:text=The%20types%20of%20use%20and,Bickham%20et%20al.%2C%202022.">3.5 hours a day</a> on their platforms of choice (and almost half of them claim they feel worse after doing it, despite the spin on healthy “<a href="https://www.massgeneralbrigham.org/en/about/newsroom/articles/kids-social-media-mental-health#:~:text=How%20can%20social%20media%20be,or%20other%20forms%20of%20media.">connection</a>”). 
So what exactly are kids watching? On the top platform <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/fact-sheet/teens-and-social-media-fact-sheet/">YouTube</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=mr+beast">Mr. Beast</a> serves over 460 million subscribers with flashy, cashy stunts; <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRijo3ddMTht_IHyNSNXpNQ">Dude Perfect</a> brings the buddy sports; <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@alishamarievlogs">AishaMarieVlogs</a> dishes lifestyle behind the scenes; and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7_YxT-KID8kRbqZo7MyscQ">Markiplier</a> built 38.4 million subs by getting really into gaming. Over on the <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/fact-sheet/teens-and-social-media-fact-sheet/">second most-favorited TikTok</a>, <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@charlidamelio?lang=en">Charli D’Amelio</a> rocks the choreography for 156 million followers, <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@khaby.lame">Khaby Lame</a> posts 2.6 billion likes worth of comedy gold, and <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@bellapoarch?lang=en">Bella Poarch</a> dazzles 93 million followers with lip syncs. And as the bronze medalist in the popularity contest, Instagram hangs on with <a href="https://www.instagram.com/nianaguerrero/?hl=en">Niana Guerro</a>’s dance moves for 16 million fans and the curated lifestyles of <a href="https://www.instagram.com/laurenorlando88/">Lauren Orlando</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/julesleblanc/">Jules Leblanc</a>. 
While the digital apple of any teen’s eye can change in an instant, the gentle art of <a href="https://www.apa.org/topics/social-media-internet/youth-social-media-2024">mind control</a> lands the knockout punch. Going beyond the <a href="https://www.apa.org/news/apa/2022/social-media-children-teens">dope show</a> of the infinite scroll, mind-meltingly effective marketing does the real dirty work. A silly <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ne_cdGwUns8">M&amp;M’s bit on Ryan’s World</a> does more than teach colors using “yummy candy.” Kids are shown <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11010392/#:~:text=Frequency%20of%20promoted%20food%20products,SMI%20in%20Supplementary%20Table%204).">at least one ad</a> by fast food, soda, or other processed food for every post, drummed up by marketers set on funneling colorful, cartoony, music-backed <a href="https://www.ifpri.org/blog/what-are-kids-watching-online-how-digital-food-marketing-shapes-childrens-and-adolescents-diets/">content</a> directly to children.
Some kids consume more than <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12487379/#:~:text=Food%20advertising%20has%20played%20a,14%2C%2017%2C%2018%5D.">4,000 food ads</a> per year on social media. Even if you stock a MAHA kitchen full of <a href="https://realfood.gov/">real food</a>, little Leo’s still getting a daily dose of digital junk. Maybe the rise in <a href="https://abcnews.com/Health/us-child-teen-obesity-rates-reach-record-high/story?id=130441952">childhood obesity</a> has nothing to do with a surge in <a href="https://cdn.nutrition.org/article/S2475-2991(25)00004-6/fulltext">food marketing on YouTube</a> leading to children&#8217;s <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12182458/">poor eating habits </a>off-screen, but it sure isn&#8217;t helping.
Happy to cash in on comparison culture, retailers turn social media into an infinite shopping mall. Considered by some to be “<a href="https://www.mikmak.com/blog/gen-alpha-marketing-trends-toy-game#:~:text=Retailer%20Insights:%20Where%20to%20Win%20*%20TikTok,Commerce%2C%20are%20turning%20engagement%20into%20measurable%20ROI.">43 million young consumers</a>,” Gen Alpha became a cash cow for national brands, with 84% begging their parents to buy something they saw online. For anyone keeping score, in 2025, teens were shelling out for <a href="https://www.pipersandler.com/teens">Nike, On Running, e.l.f. Cosmetics, Ulta, and Sephora</a>. They had to be at least <a href="https://support.apple.com/en-us/108398">13 years old to use Apple Pay</a>, even though no one younger than <a href="https://www.capitalone.com/learn-grow/money-management/how-old-to-apply-for-credit-card/">18 can get a credit card</a>, but what’s math when it’s your parents’ money?
Considering kids can also navigate age restrictions using the age-old technique of plugging in a <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn4v52ezx17o">fake birthday</a>, there’s a clear danger in underage users exploring the <a href="https://www.aap.org/en/patient-care/media-and-children/center-of-excellence-on-social-media-and-youth-mental-health/qa-portal/qa-portal-library/qa-portal-library-questions/talking-to-your-child-about-online-pornography-exposure/#:~:text=Answer%3A%20Unintentional%20exposure%20to%20pornographic,online%20in%20the%20last%20year.">darkest corners of social media</a>. With nearly <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12515835/#:~:text=Nationally%20representative%20surveys%20of%20adolescents,for%20sexual%20activities%20(17).">70% of teens</a> reporting they’ve seen explicit sexual content online, and 75% of parents claiming their kids have not, <a href="https://www.humanium.org/en/the-intrusion-of-media-sexualization-in-childhood/#:~:text=Children%20today%20are%20inundated%20with,to%20social%20media%20and%20advertisements.">sexualized marketing</a> sneaks under the radar, vaulting children into <a href="https://www.childrenandscreens.org/learn-explore/research/sexual-media-and-childhood-well-being-and-health/#:~:text=Exposure%20to%20such%20content%20is,sexually%20transmitted%20infection%20among%20adolescents.">decidedly adult behavior</a> in real life. Consumption of violent social media content only <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10177625/">compounds aggressive actions in teens</a>. And you can thank Instagram&#8217;s algorithm for working around its own <a href="https://help.instagram.com/1695974997209192">ban on illicit drugs</a> to autofill searches by teens for <a href="https://www.techtransparencyproject.org/articles/xanax-ecstasy-and-opioids-instagram-offers-drug-pipeline-kids">ecstasy, Xanax, and opioids</a>. Can’t use “<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/teens-instagram-drug-dealers-in-2-clicks-researchers-say-2021-12#:~:text=%22When%20the%20minor%20clicked%20on,services%2C%22%20the%20researchers%20said.">#MDMA</a>” or “#buyfentanyl”? Don’t let us stop you, kids. Love, Instagram. 
So do we just have to let <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@msrachelforlittles">Ms. Rachel</a> and her overalls wash us all out to A-B-sea? While there may be no turning back to non-addictive <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-old-school-gadget-making-a-quiet-comeback-in-american-homes">landlines</a> with coiled cords and rotary dials, there’s a tiny glimmer of hope. Depending on <a href="https://childmind.org/article/when-are-kids-ready-for-social-media/">maturity</a>, holding off on letting kids use social media <a href="https://www.aap.org/en/patient-care/media-and-children/center-of-excellence-on-social-media-and-youth-mental-health/qa-portal/qa-portal-library/qa-portal-library-questions/age-to-introduce-social-media/#:~:text=Strong%20parental%20relationships%20matter,about%20starting%20social%20media%20accounts!">until they’re at least 13</a> can help. Of course, while teens are <a href="https://www.research-archive.org/index.php/rars/preprint/view/1507#:~:text=Abstract,groups%20perceived%20certain%20marketing%20techniques.">more vulnerable to the social media marketing </a>complex, adults are susceptible, too. (Just scroll through my purchase history on TikTok Shop as evidence.)
Better yet, you can model the responsible behavior you want to see in your kids by <a href="https://childmind.org/article/how-using-social-media-affects-teenagers/">limiting your own phone</a> usage as you monitor theirs. Plus, as <a href="https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/ai-is-taking-over-our-social-media-feeds-but-maybe-not-how-you-expect/">AI continues to devour social media</a>, maybe we could all use a little phone-free <a href="https://www.thefp.com/p/being-human-is-cool-again">human interaction</a> … in Bali or by your nearest backyard sprinkler.
***
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<script async src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script>
<script async src="https://www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div data-widget-host="revcontent" data-pub-id="165152" data-widget-id="290588"></div><script src="https://delivery.revcontent.com/165152/290588/widget.js"></script>

What’s Quietly Shaping Kids While Parents Aren’t Watching

CONTINUE READING

Weekend Plans With Christina Koch

Move Over, Burgers. These Memorial Day Sides Just Took Over.

The Bright Side: A Baby Monkey, A Diamond Hunt, And The Internet’s Favorite Grandma

The One Wedding Trend Draining Young Women’s Bank Accounts

Demi Moore Doesn’t Look ‘Toned.’ She Looks Like She’s Starving.

Weekend Plans With Rachel Campos-Duffy

Upstream

kids

Social Media

A video goes viral showing a baby being refused his mother by two gay "dads". This is just the tip of the iceberg, which is why we will have an important discussion today about surrogacy. 

Hour 1

The Matt Walsh Show

Ep. 1765 - This Video Is One Of The Worst Things I've Seen In A Long Time 

The Strait of Hormuz officially opens for business (kind of), the Pope makes “shocking” comments on immigration, and President Trump promises UFO disclosure at TPUSA. 


The Michael Knowles Show

Ep. 1956 -  Pope Leo's "SHOCKING" Immigration Comments EXPLAINED

A false miscreed has corrupted our leadership class.


The Andrew Klavan Show

Ep. 1275 - Dumb, Dumber and Progressive

President Trump announces a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, a murder-suicide involving former Democratic Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax shakes Virginia, and France and Britain hold a conference to secure the Strait of Hormuz – after the Iranian conflict ends. Get the facts first with Morning Wire.

- - -

Ep. 2738

- - -

Wake up with new Morning Wire merch: https://bit.ly/4lIubt3

- - -

Today's Sponsors:

Alliance Defending Freedom - Visit https://JoinADF.com/WIRE or text 'WIRE' to 83848 to learn more.

Pocket Hose - Text MORNING to 64000 to get a FREE pocket pivot and their 10-pattern sprayer with the purchase of ANY size Copper Head hose. Message and data rates may apply.

Morning Wire

U.S. Expands Hormuz Blockade & VA Fairfax Deaths Investigated | 4.17.26

U.S. Expands Hormuz Blockade & VA Fairfax Deaths Investigated | 4.17.26 [Member Exclusive]

A ceasefire goes into effect between Israel and Lebanon, a tragic murder-suicide rocks Virginia, and Dairy Queen deploys AI in the drive-thru. Get the facts first with Evening Wire.
- - -
Ep. 2737
- - -
Wake up with new Morning Wire merch: https://bit.ly/4lIubt3 
- - -
Today’s Sponsor:

Alliance Defending Freedom - Visit https://JoinADF.com/WIRE or text “WIRE” to 83848 to learn more.


Menu

— Upstream —

What’s Quietly Shaping Kids While Parents Aren’t Watching