Two decades ago, MySpace and Facebook initiated a transformative era in social media. Currently, the complex narratives of online life persist, with connection serving as both a convenience and a burden. Significant changes have occurred since the inception of these platforms. In June, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy advocated for warning labels on social media platforms, asserting their role in the mental health crisis affecting young individuals, highlighting that social media is a crucial contributor. The new FX docuseries, Social Studies, directed by documentarian Lauren Greenfield, vividly showcases the alarming effects of this crisis.
The documentary’s premise is straightforward. Greenfield aimed to document the first generation for whom social media is an unavoidable and inherent aspect of daily life. From August 2021 to the summer of 2022, she followed a group of teenagers at several high schools in the Los Angeles area, primarily at Palisades Charter, for an entire school year while they navigated relationships, college applications, prom, and their personal interests.
"This project was unusual for me," Greenfield, known for cultural documentaries like The Queen of Versailles and Generation Wealth, commented on the series’ development. "The kids were co-investigators on this journey." In addition to capturing 1,200 hours of primary footage, Greenfield’s team requested students to save screen recordings of their phone usage, contributing another 2,000 hours of material. The documentary weaves together these insights to portray the intricate and relentless experiences of teenagers dealing with body dysmorphia, bullying, social acceptance, and suicidal thoughts. "That’s the most groundbreaking aspect of this project, as it’s something not previously explored."
The comprehensive five-episode series benefits from Greenfield’s extensive approach, offering perhaps the most precise and thorough depiction of Gen Z’s interaction with social media. With the release of the final episode this week, it is available for streaming on Hulu. In a recent conversation with Greenfield over Zoom, she discussed the challenging and seemingly endless experience of being a teenager in today’s digital landscape.
In one episode, a student remarked, "I think you can’t log in to TikTok and be safe." Having been deeply engaged in this environment for the past three years, Greenfield was asked about her views on whether social media is inherently harmful. She responded, "I don’t think it’s a binary question. I approached this as a social experiment. This is the first generation to grow up entirely with social media. Even though it has existed for some time, this generation consists of digital natives. It felt timely to examine its impact on childhood. It is the predominant cultural influence on this generation, surpassing parents, peers, or school, especially emerging from the Covid pandemic, which coincided with the shooting period. While I didn’t have a preconceived agenda, I was profoundly affected by the teenagers’ narratives and experiences, which revealed a troubling situation."
