What Netflix’s Adolescence Reveals About Social Media and Teen Behaviour: Experts Weigh In

The show is based on a teenage boy being accused of killing a girl, and the factors in his life, that may have shaped his outlook and behaviour. The narrative tackles themes of social media influence, influence of incel (involuntary celibate), and bullying.

Teenagers and young adults today are considered to be part of a digital native generation, where they’ve grown up entirely around smartphones and the internet. They’re more connected than ever. But their online exposure can have far-fetched consequences.

In a conversation with BBC, writer Jack Thorne said that conversations around these topics are starting in all quarters, adding, "My son's headteacher stopped me at the school gates to say, 'I'd like to talk to you about this, and I'd like to think about what our school can do and what other schools can do'."

Although the show, Adolescence, is based abroad, the reality shown in the film is relevant for Indian audiences too.

HerZindagi spoke to experts to understand teen psychology, what makes them vulnerable to harmful messaging, what trends are potentially harmful and what parents can do.

Search for Identity: Why Teens Are More Susceptible

Even though access and addiction to phones aren’t restricted to any age, more than toddlers and adults, teenagers fall in an age bracket where they are more susceptible to being influenced by online messaging.

“Adolescents, early adults are the age group where they are very impressionable. They are also looking for a sense of their own identity and belonging. And if they are not able to form healthy connections in their family, school, neighbourhood etc, then social media becomes the place to find that sense of belonging,” said Kala Balasubramanian, a Psychotherapist working with Inner Dawn Counselling.

“That leaves them open, exposed and vulnerable to extreme ideologies, toxicity, potential abuse and even incite abuse,” she added.

The search for identity and belonging can lead teenagers to dark corners of the internet, which may not always be safe or healthy. Whether it is radical ideologies, toxic social circles, or dangerous viral trends, the digital world can easily become a double-edged sword for young minds seeking acceptance and purpose.

“Misogyny, patriarchy, and systemic oppression are a sad reality in our society. Social media, in its indiscriminate form, in these segments can really polarize the mindset of the youth. And the feeling that one can say anything online and get away with it when it is reinforced again and again, can also influence their behaviour in a negative way in real life too,” highlighted Kala.

Amrita Saluja, a psychologist, highlighted that social media is often where kids go, to satiate their curiosity. “For teens, social media is a window to the outside world. Everything that a child is curious about but unable to discover within homes, school or society, social media gives them that knowledge,” she said. “On positive fronts, like if the child has an entrepreneurial spirit, they’ll likely approach someone in the household, and be happy with the conversation. But if the child is curious about sexual things, nobody will acknowledge that, or appreciate that. So the window to that world often becomes social media.

The Incel Subculture ‘Adolescence’ Highlights, Is A Reality

Incel, or involuntary celibate, refers to a member of an online community of men, who consider themselves unable to attract women sexually and tend to blame women for it. Extreme ideas around it involve forming dangerous opinions about women. It’s one of the themes the show Adolescence addresses.

“The incel subculture that the series highlights is a significant painful reality. Online hate, hostility and violence against others, especially women, that is talked about online also has resulted in violence and deadly attacks in real life,” said Kala.

The incel subculture is quite popular in India. There are several groups on different social media platforms, going by different names. One such site, Men Going Their Own Way, explains who they are on their homepage, saying “(This initiative) is in response to Gynocentric Social Order. We are what the world calls as “Red Pilled Men” who have realized that the world’s social order has become too gynocentric and there is no benefit left for men to contribute to the society’s hierarchal order and Family system. World is not fair anymore.”

Kala explained that this problem isn’t just with the youth. The tendency to oppress, she highlighted, was especially evident in the recent rape case of Gisele Pelicot, a French woman who was drugged by her husband, and raped by him and 72 others he invited, over a period of nine years.

“The people involved in the crime were people with families, with children and grandchildren. They were engaged in good positions of work, and the society, and yet their actions, showed the extent of misogyny, entrenched in their psyche,” highlighted Kala.

Read: Gisèle Pelicot’s Triumph: Ex-Husband Sentenced to 20 Years in Mass Rape Trial That ‘Shifted Sides of Shame’

The idea that one can say anything online without consequences creates an environment where harmful beliefs can take root and then have the potential to escalate into violent behaviour.

Social Media, Bullying, and Risky Behaviour

Social media messaging can significantly influence young minds and change perceptions, especially in India, where digital engagement among youth is at an all-time high. The pressure to maintain a curated online presence, the prevalence of online bullying, and the lack of real consequences for digital misconduct contribute to this phenomenon.

Amrita highlights how she’s witnessed young girls being influenced by celebrities and wanting to dress, look, and live like them. “They develop a very low self-esteem, and they start to feel that everything they’re doing is not good enough,” she said.

Teenagers’ sense of their own selves is derived from the people around them. “Teenage is often the phase, where they aren’t connected to the parents, and they’re developing a circle where they fit in better. The personality that gets shaped, is dependent on what people around them say and think,” Amrita added.

While addictions to phones and social media are common complaints among parents, one noticeable rising concern Kala has witnessed is increased risky sexual behaviour. “Sexting, engaging in risky sexual behaviour when under age, can result in unpleasant consequences that can long-lasting damage. Parents find it difficult to talk about these topics to their children, making it more challenging to deal with,” she explained. “I think solutions lie in open conversations, and building that bridge between parents and children.”

Online presence, also attracts cyber-bullying and hate comments, a lot of which are directed towards minorities. 16-year-old makeup influencer Priyanshu Yadav from Ujjain shared an Instagram post on November 12, 2023, celebrating Diwali in a sari, jewellery, and makeup. The post drew hundreds of hateful comments and even rape threats. Just nine days later, Yadav, also known as Pranshu, tragically took his own life. His death shook the LGBT community.

Amrita has observed how teens today, get all their news updates from social media. “News on social media, along with the narratives certain profiles share, shape their views about news events. Teens quote things they’ve been reading online, so whatever is on their screen, often becomes their reality,” she said.

Recently, a 14-year-old boy killed himself, after being extensively engaged in conversation with an AI chatbot, highlighting some of the risks involved in relying on AI or other social media platforms at an extensive level.

Read: AI or Human Connection? Teen's Death After Chatbot Conversations Raises Alarming Questions on AI Safety

“Real-life social connections, in the family and outside, are indispensable for healthy emotional development and regulation,” added Kala.

Parental Control and Monitoring Behaviour

For a generation that’s grown up on the internet, separating them from technology isn’t ever going to be the solution. Yet, offering safety, awareness and protection, especially for teens and young adults, is the need of the hour.

Amrita shares that parents often go to extremes, when trying to monitor their child’s online presence. “Either they respect the child’s privacy fully, and don’t check their phones, or the parents tend to get extremely controlling, which is called helicopter parenting. The child in the second case will start to feel suffocated and start to hide things. The right way to handle this is to have a balance,” she said.

Kala highlights some signs parents need to be aware of and be on the lookout for.
“If your child has become secretive about their mobile phone content or social media usage, or
if you find age-inappropriate content that your child is exposed to, like sexual content and violence, talk to your children”, she said. “Removing access and pretending that it never happened does not help.”

Amrita felt that parents too, need to grow and adapt. “Communicating with the opposite gender will happen, so accept that. Parents also need to grow, and give their children a healthy space to explore,” she said.

If a child spends less time with friends and school/college mates in real life, rather prefers to spend time online, this is another behavioural pattern to watch out for.

“Address any irresponsible behaviour by your child online. If your child engages in bullying or online abuse or misogyny etc - it is important that parents address it with their children or seek professional help as needed,” Kala added. “Parents need to model respect and compassion to the children. This includes their screen time and social media usage too.”

While many of these issues have existed in different forms before, social media has amplified them to unprecedented levels, especially when it comes to making harmful narratives available to everyone. Beyond parental control, schools, policymakers, and society as a whole have to strive to bring about change.

“Children, adolescents, adults – all age groups, we can all learn a bit more compassion, empathy and respect for each other, and build healthy social connections in real life rather than live our lives online,” signed off Kala.