Sophie Szew

This session will provide participants with a radical safe space to discuss and learn about the impact of social media on youth mental health and dive into the nuances that we often neglect to pay attention to when talking about Gen z's relationship to social media. We will talk about the intersection between social media and the systematic and intentional equating of people with profit, capitalization upon vulnerability, and how to build solidarity, find community, and create change.

Audience members will leave the session with knowledge about:

• How social media serves as a site for communal care and safety-building for youth
• How big tech exploits youth vulnerability for profit, especially around mental health
• The connection between systemic injustices within other institutions, such as the American healthcare system, and systemic injustices on social media
• What kind of policies and regulations are needed to ensure social media is safe, equitable, and beneficial