Nir Eyal Profile picture
Apr 23, 2021 9 tweets 4 min read Read on X
I’m dismayed by ongoing silence re: misinformation in #TheSocialDilemma.

For instance, the film uses the graph below to “prove” more iPhones → more teen suicides.

Actual fact: Social media affects teen depression as much as (drumroll please) EATING POTATOES.

I’ll explain 👇 Image
The film presses a causal link between the rise of social media apps on phones (2009) & the rise in teen suicide. For any parent watching, it’s a HORRIFYING image.

But, if social media is the cause, there should be a rise in suicides *wherever* teens use it.

There isn't.
First, the rise in teen suicide is mostly an American problem.

Of course, even one death is too many—but, for almost all other nations, the trend lines don't point to concerning correlations. Image
Look at this more nuanced graph from the USA.

Yes, teen suicide is rising in the USA (up from record lows). But if social media is the cause—or even a leading cause—it should be rising *everywhere* teens use it.

It isn’t.

This uptick is coming mainly from RURAL America. Image
Here’s another graph, showing suicide trends in America’s heartland. “Social media” by itself doesn’t come close to explaining these disparities. What else is going on? Image
Singling out social media as the cause of suicide ignores so many important factors, like access to mental health services, economic disparities, and (most obviously) the fact that 2009 was the year that the number of guns overtook the number of people in the USA: Image
On top of that, the % of LGBTQ youth who say they've attempted suicide dropped 25% since 2009. Why? What if social media helps these teens, as a way to find acceptance?

The film doesn’t explore this, instead cherry-picking numbers to serve its story.

usnews.com/news/health-ne…
Teen suicide is a heart-wrenching issue, and the filmmakers know it. They wanted an emotional reaction, and they did so at the expense of honesty.

I’m not the only one who noticed. Here’s Rory O’Connor, a suicidal behaviour researcher @suicideresearch:
Bottom line: I support moderating teens’ use of tech. But such BS claims take our attention off of the REAL problems. It’s more than deceptive. It’s deadly.

Parents need to know this.

More re: teen depression, tech, and the movie: nirandfar.com/social-media-a…

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More from @nireyal

Jul 16
Why you’re stuck in your comfort zone 

(and how to step out of it) /🧵
Humans are wired to escape pain and seek comfort. 

This trait helped us survive. It pushed us to escape cold, stress, and hunger by pursuing warmth, safety, and food.
But our world is generally cushier than that of our ancestors.

This has made our instinct to seek comfort work against us. How?
Read 11 tweets
Mar 18
Your kid’s device is NOT the problem.

My daughter was 5 years old when she started building a healthy relationship with her devices.

She did that WITHOUT parent-imposed screen time restrictions. Here’s how:

👇
First, let’s establish one thing:

There is no perfect amount of screen time. Sure, it’s probably not ideal to spend 6 hours on an iPhone every day.

But the issue isn’t necessarily the quantity of time. It’s the lack of forethought around device usage that’s driving your kid’s bad habits.

One of my daughter’s first phrases was “iPad time!” If she didn’t get her iPad, she’d protest relentlessly.

My wife and I knew we had to act—NOT by punishing her but by respecting her needs.

So what did we do?

👇
We explained as simply as we could that screen time comes at the expense of other things like time with Mom and Dad or playing at the park.

We also shared that smart people designed her favorite apps to keep her hooked. You may think all of this was too much for a 5-year-old, but she understood.

This laid the foundation for fixing her relationship with her device.

Equipped with this information, she was now able to make informed decisions about her screen usage and enforce her OWN rules.

This is the critical piece. It is your kid’s job to know when to stop. You need to give them enough information to empower them to make those decisions.

Then, you take a risk…

👇
Read 5 tweets
Jun 29, 2023
It’s time for you to learn how to complain better.

Frequent complaining is a detrimental habit that can—and should—be broken.

Why?
Complaining releases the stress hormone cortisol, which negatively affects mood, reduces energy levels, and can ironically lead to more of the uncomfortable emotions we seek to escape through distraction.
Instead of complaining by focusing on the problem, adopt a solution-oriented approach.

Here’s how:
Read 4 tweets
May 8, 2023
So you want to write a book. Awesome!

If you’ve made attempts already, I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that writing is hard work.

One of the toughest things is finding the time to write. 👇👇
Committing to a writing routine is ABSOLUTELY a challenge. But if it’s important to you, you have to make time for it.

Here are some of the tips and techniques I used to write 2 bestsellers:
Ask yourself WHY.

Before you commit, you need to understand WHY you’re writing in the first place. The reason must be values-based, fulfilling your desire to be creative, driven, ambitious, or curious.

That way, you can stay on the path of traction and avoid discomfort.
Read 12 tweets
May 6, 2023
One piece of productivity advice I hear that drives me INSANE is that if you want to be more productive, you need to learn to say NO more.

What kind of stupid advice is that? If you tell your boss ‘no,’ you’re going to get FIRED!

Here’s what you do instead:
Rather than saying ‘no,’ ask your boss to help you prioritize.

After all, that’s their most critical job—to point to the things that are most important.
Share your timeboxed calendar with your boss, and then show them the things you’re having trouble fitting into your schedule. Ask them to help you prioritize them.

If you do this, your boss will worship the ground you walk on.
Read 6 tweets
Feb 17, 2023
Procrastination is all about opting for instant gratification.

We’re terrible at being patient, so we choose to splurge for immediate pleasure—even if it’s not the best choice for our future selves.

Are we screwed? NO! Here are 3 ways to stop procrastination in its tracks: Image
2/ 1️⃣ Think about your future mental state.

How tired, drained, and sleepy will you likely be if you put something off? Consciously evaluating the dependability of your future self can serve as motivation to do the things you want to do today. Image
3/ 2️⃣ Make a pre-commitment pact.

It’s a promise to yourself that locks you into a future decision. It might look like planning your day with a schedule maker, getting an accountability buddy, or raising the stakes with a cash wager. Image
Read 5 tweets

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