The Pervasive Nature of Short-form Media
Author: Ezra Richter | Posted on: April 30, 2026
Throughout my high school tenure, the pervasive nature of short-form media has been ever-present. Students in class no longer zone out and stare out the window. Instead, they open a different kind of window: Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube Shorts, mentally checking out until a teacher notices. Even when hanging out with friends outside of school, a brief lull in the conversation often leads someone to reach for their phone and begin scrolling. This is hardly a problem unique to my area, as the National Center for Health Statistics found that more than half of teens twelve to eighteen years old were on their phone an average of four or more hours a day, which is roughly equivalent to a part-time job.
Social media apps design short, intense videos to give their users an instant dopamine reward, maximizing engagement. While this tactic has worked great for the apps, it has had tangible negative effects for people just like my fellow students. Research has demonstrated connections between high screen time and academic procrastination, reduced attention spans, sleep disruption, heightened anxiety, and even higher rates of depression.
This raises the question: how can we, as a society, move towards a healthier future where our screens don’t inhibit us? Tackling this problem is no easy task, but I have a few ideas I believe could help combat screen addiction and its effects. Namely, the creation of new legislation that would protect against certain tactics companies use to maximize the time spent by users and the founding of low-cost and accessible recreational sports and clubs.
Most people, when asked, do not want to waste hours on their phone. However, it's so easy to get absorbed in “doomscrolling” and lose track of time. This is reinforced by features such as specialized algorithms and automatic video playback designed to keep users scrolling. Legislation prohibiting companies from using autoplay, infinite scroll design, and personalized algorithms on accounts belonging to minors would be a significant step in the right direction. If that is too much to ask, then even forcing companies to simply include an option in settings so that users can decide for themselves if they want those features could go a long way in preventing screen addiction. Similar laws already exist to prevent targeted advertising at children, and this is the logical next step. However, making apps less addictive is only part of what needs to be done to address this problem.
When I started competing in track and cross country during my sophomore year of high school, the time I was spending on my phone saw an incredible decrease. I believe that this same shift to healthier activities could improve the quality of life for many. Local governments and non-profits could come together to subsidize art clubs, music groups, and recreational sports, ensuring accessibility regardless of income.
The problem of screen addiction has been around for a while now, and so far it has shown no signs of decreasing in reach. However, I believe that with targeted legislation to make apps less addictive, as well as accessible alternative recreational options, a future where people reach for meaningful connection before their phones is within reach.