Gen Z, Share The Regrets You Have Growing Up On The Internet

Alana Valko
·2-min read

Unlike Millennials, most Gen Z'ers don't know a world without the internet. One study found that today, nearly all American teens report using social media, with more than a third saying they use it "almost constantly."

Three people using smartphones, viewed from below, holding phones close
Xavier Lorenzo / Getty Images

That's a completely different world than any other generation has grown up in. Whether you love it or hate it, no other generation has had so much input and information available to them at their fingertips, the ability to connect so easily to their peers, or the newfound challenges navigating the mental health effects of constant internet use. It's a complicated balance of pros and cons.

Person with long hair using a smartphone, seated at a wooden table, wearing a plaid shirt
Fiordaliso / Getty Images

So, if you're a Gen-Z'er, we want to hear directly from you. What regrets do you have growing up on the internet? What would be different or easier if you had no access to it at all?

Maybe you're in your 20s and constantly baffled that your screen time hovers around 6 hours or more. You didn't think you mindlessly scrolled that often, but when you began monitoring your phone usage, you realized just how dependent you were on digital entertainment. It's become the main thing you reach for when you're bored, and you wonder if you'd have other hobbies or interests if instant gratification wasn't so quickly at your fingertips.

Person with curly hair rests on a bed, using a smartphone in a softly lit room. Decor includes bottles and a patterned blanket
Maskot / Getty Images

Perhaps you struggle with your body image and wonder how your perspective would be different if you weren't constantly exposed to comparison online.

Person taking a selfie in a bathroom mirror with a smartphone, circular light glowing around the mirror
Elva Etienne / Getty Images

Maybe you're most concerned with the impact of the internet on your attention span. You've tried replacing your phone with books, hobbies, and more "analog" ways of living, but you find your mind wandering and a need for a faster dopamine hit. You worry about how you've been psychologically impacted by being so accustomed to addictive algorithms and siloed echo chambers.

Teen boy sitting outdoors with headphones around neck, using a tablet. Another person is in the foreground looking at a smartphone
Fotostorm / Getty Images

So, if you're a Gen Z'er and feeling a tad regretful about growing up on the internet, we want to hear from you. Tell us your perspective growing up online and your regrets about it in the comments or at this anonymous form.

Your response could be featured in an upcoming BuzzFeed Community post.

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