Scrolling into 2025: Finding Balance in a Digital World

The upcoming TikTok ban and Florida’s new social media restrictions really caught me by surprise. As a mom and someone who cares deeply about internet wellness, I get it. I’ve seen the risks, the chaos, the distractions and the division. The New York Times recently highlighted, how social media is amplifying problems like school fights, turning what should be teachable moments into viral entertainment. A review of more than 400 fight videos - found a pattern of middle and high school students exploiting their phones and social media to arrange, provoke, capture and spread footage of brutal beatings among their peers. 

But I also can’t ignore the other side—the ways this platform and others have brought unexpected joy, connection, success and learning into so many lives, including my own.

Since joining TikTok, I’ve become a better cook, a more organized person, and way more informed about current events than ever before. Listening to perspectives of people all around the world those who look like me and those who don't - those that are in my generation and not, has truly opened my mind and my perspective. Sure, there’s nonsense, a lot of it!! But, I try my best to make sure my feed is balanced with education, humor and cooking videos. But staying on top of it all is hard, and I don’t pretend to have all the answers. Because, this is all new for me too!! 

What I do know is that banning kids entirely from social media isn’t a fix-all. Yes, we need to protect them, but we also need to teach them how to navigate the digital world wisely. Balance is the key. That means monitoring ourselves and our kids, being mindful of what we’re consuming, and leaning into the good while addressing the bad.

And we have to call the adults in the room out because, if they wanted to they would!! If companies truly wanted to make social media a safer, more appropriate space, they have the tools to do so. They could implement stricter age verification, increase content moderation, and design algorithms that prioritize educational or positive material over trending and oftentimes harmful content. Platforms could also create better parental controls and transparency tools, empowering families to monitor and guide what their kids see online. Instead we see platforms relying on engagement-driven algorithms that amplify the chaos, noise and controversy. If companies prioritized ethics over clicks, the internet overnight could be a place where creativity and growth thrive. 

The reality is, technology isn’t going anywhere, and neither are the challenges that come with it. What we can and must do is learn to live with it in a way that centers our values, builds healthier habits, and strengthens connections—both online and in real life. There’s so much good out there. The question is, how do we make sure we’re getting to it?

As we head into 2025, maybe we can all set a collective goal: to approach tech with intention. Let’s control what controls us—whether that’s social media or the clutter in our lives. That might mean kids don’t need phones so young, or we check in more often on how we’re spending our own screen time.

The new year is a fresh start. Let’s use it to set healthier boundaries, lead by example for our kids, and build a relationship with our devices and tech that prioritizes balance, growth, and connection. There’s so much good to be found—if we take control and make space for it.

Ebony Bagley - Internet Wellness Advocate - Contact me today to get on my calendar for 2025!