Michelle Obama knows it’s not easy to be in the public eye, and that’s why she pays attention to her social media usage.
During a live taping of her “IMO” podcast — which she cohosts with her brother, Craig Robinson — at SXSW on Thursday, Obama spoke about her top tip for protecting herself and her family online.
“People always ask me and Barack, how did we stay hopeful in, not just the eight years that we were in the White House, but beyond?” Obama said, per People.
The former first lady said she and her husband, Barack Obama, faced “a lot of negative energy” due to widespread rumors about them, such as gossip about his nationality and whether he attended Harvard.
“But through it all, what kept us sane — and we tried to instill this in our daughters — is, you cannot live through social media,” Obama said. “I don’t think I have ever once looked at a comment section, period.”
The things that internet users say in the comments section are often untrue, since they are “people who don’t know you,” she said.
“That doesn’t mean you don’t stay informed, but staying informed has nothing to do with the comment section. It has everything to do with the content of the stories that you take in,” Obama said.
“I think we cannot get so trapped by social media that we feel so caught up into the one way we get information. We’ve got to broaden our spectrum, and we have to get off the phone,” she added.
The pitfalls of social media
But it’s not just public figures who are vulnerable to the negative impact of social media; children and teenagers are especially at risk. Cyberbullying and the need to constantly seek validation online can have a detrimental effect on their mental health.
Researchers from Yale and Columbia looked at screen time habits in over 5,100 kids, ages 9 and 10. The study, published in 2023, showed that youths who spend the most time on their phones are more likely to develop depression and anxiety, among other problems, in the future.
Governments are taking note: Australia has already approved a law banning social media for children under 16, while Norway is considering enacting a ban for children under 15.
Other celebrity moms have also spoken up about the dangers of social media.
In January 2024, Penélope Cruz told Elle about her concerns regarding letting her kids use social media.
“It’s so easy to be manipulated, especially if you have a brain that is still forming,” Cruz said. “And who pays the price? Not us, not our generation.”
During a panel at the “A Day of Unreasonable Conversation” summit in March 2024, Paris Hilton spoke about how technology has changed the way children interact with the world.
“Kids are not going outside anymore and playing as much because everyone’s just so busy on their phones,” Hilton said. “So, hopefully, my kids won’t be as addicted to social media as I am.”
A representative for Obama did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent by Business Insider outside regular hours.
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