Welcome to Students Incorporated. I'm your host,
Mr. Jason. Join me weekly as my students and
I bring you content that's informative, positive,
fun and uplifting. This podcast is created and
produced with the help of students from the International
Community School of Bangkok. In today's episode,
we'll be discussing the topic of social media
and how it can relate to student identity. I'm
joined by co -host Josiah and Proud. And we've
invited special guests, Mrs. Amber and Mr. Luke,
to help us break down this topic and hear their
perspective as educators. But before we get into
our first segment with Mrs. Amber, let's hear
our quote of the day and get some headline news.
Hey everyone, Josiah here. Our quote of the day
comes from Brene Brown. She said, social media
has given us this idea that we should all have
a posse of friends. when in reality, if we have
one or two really good friends, we are lucky.
Her comment reflects how social media creates
a misleading perception of friendship. Social
media typically exposes us to content that includes
a posse or a big group of friends together, and
it gives the illusion that we should all have
a big group of friends. In reality, the quote
argues that a few good friends are far more valuable
than having a large group. This perfectly showcases
the difference between quality and quantity when
it comes to friendship and how social media affects
that. And that's our quote of the day. Now on
to some headline news. Thank you for our quote
of the day. So for our headline news segment
on social media and identity, we found three
recent studies that showed us how complicated
this topic is. Our first headline explores the
positive side. According to a new report from
the Mayo Clinic, when used correctly, social
media can be a powerful and positive tool for
building identity. The researchers point out
that for many teens, especially those from marginalized
communities or with niche interests, it can be
hard to find like -minded peers in their immediate
physical world. These online platforms can provide
a crucial safe space to connect with others who
truly share their experiences. This fosters a
powerful sense of belonging, helps validate their
identity, and can lead to strong, supportive
friendships that might never have existed otherwise.
But of course, there's a darker side to the digital
world. Our next headline comes from a study published
in the World Journal of Advanced Research and
Reviews, and it points to the significant harm
social media can inflict on a person's identity.
The research focuses on the highly curated and
often unrealistic versions of life we constantly
see in our feeds. This creates what the study
calls a culture of comparison. We're no longer
just keeping up with the Joneses. We're keeping
up with thousands of them, all posting their
most perfect filtered moments. The study suggests
that this endless comparison can lead to a serious
decline in self -worth, a rise in anxiety, and
for some profound identity confusion as the gap
between their real life and the perfect online
life widens. So, if it can be good and it can
be bad, what's the deciding factor? That brings
us to our final headline, which comes from a
comprehensive review by the NCBI, the National
Center for Biotechnology Information. Their research
suggests the impact of social media isn't about
the platform itself, but how we engage with it.
The key difference is between being an active
participant versus a passive consumer. The review
found that actively participating, meaning creating
posts, commenting, messaging, and joining supportive
online communities can be hugely beneficial for
helping to create a positive sense of self. In
contrast, passively scrolling for hours and constantly
comparing yourself to others without even interacting
is far more likely to lead to those negative
outcomes we just talked about. So the big takeaway
here seems to be that the power for better or
for worse is really in our thumbs. The final
headline from the news segment is the perfect
launch pad for our main discussion today. It
shows that the power, for better or worse, is
in our hands, or in our thumbs. It makes me think
about how much has changed. When I was in high
school, much of my school identity was shaped
in the hallways, at the lunch table, and on the
basketball court. When the bell rang, I went
home, and for the most part, my social life was
put on pause until the next day. But for teens
today, the school hallways are digital, the lunch
table is a group chat, and identity is being
shaped 24 -7 on a screen with a rule book that's
being written and rewritten in real time. This
isn't just a small generational shift. It's a
massive global one. According to the latest digital
2025 report from Data Reportal, there are now
over 5 .2 billion social media users worldwide.
So the core question we're exploring is this.
What happens when that digital identity starts
to feel more important or even more real than
our physical one? That's the core question we're
exploring today. And to help us understand it,
we'll be hearing from two leaders in education.
First, we're pleased to welcome high school principal,
Mrs. Amber. Later in the show, we'll be joined
by the school headmaster, Mr. Luke. Leading this
first conversation will be our student co -host,
Josiah and Proud. Josiah, why don't you get us
started? All right. Welcome to the show, Ms.
Amber. We're so grateful that you could join
us. To start, could you tell our listeners a
little bit about yourself and what the role of
a high school principal looks like in the big
year of 2025? Sure. My name is Amber Quick, and
I'm the high school principal here at ICS Bangkok.
This is year eight for me. at ICS and I love
being here. My husband is a mental health counselor
and we have four boys. Our oldest graduated from
university and is a fourth grade teacher here
this year. Our second son is in university and
our littles, who are not very little anymore,
are now in grades nine and seven. Also, I would
like you to know I'm a Students Incorporated
super fan and I'm still waiting for a t -shirt
that displays this. Automatic A in the class
if you can get this action this year, Josiah.
I'm counting on you. I am sure that one day we
will get A shirt? I am hoping that I also get
a shirt. I don't know if we will get a shirt,
but we will work on that for you, Miss Amber.
No problem. So I've been working in international
schools in Hong Kong and Thailand now for almost
17 years and then eight years in the U .S. before
that. And one thing that I love is I've had the
privilege of knowing many of my students since
they were in middle school and then getting to
watch them graduate. So that was the case in
the U .S., in Hong Kong, and here in Thailand.
So that long journey with students, to me is
one of the best parts of being a teacher and
a principal because it lets me not just see academic
growth, but also discover like who they are,
what they care about, the people that they become.
And what I love about this role is the chance
to walk alongside teens during such a formative
season of life, helping them grow not only academically,
but also in character, resilience, identity.
So just like growing up has changed, being a
principal in 2025 is quite different than even
10 years ago. You know, we're not just overseeing
classes and exams, but we're thinking a lot about
these topics of student well -being, mental health,
how technology and social media are shaping this
generation. And much of my role, I would say,
is helping students, parents and teachers navigate
these changes together so that students can thrive
online, but also in real life. So in 2025, I
would say. that the role of a principal is really
about holding the big picture together. Of course,
academics, university prep, that's all super
important, right? But just as important are questions
along the lines of social media and technology
use, like how do we keep our students healthy
in all aspects of life, as well as in the digital
era? What is our role with technology and social
media at school? How do we help students balance
social media with real friendships? How do we
create a school culture where students feel safe,
confident, supported? Those are some of the challenges
that I spend much of my day thinking about, and
it's why conversations like this one today I
think are so important. I don't believe that
there's any perfect answer out there. I don't
think that there's one right answer, but I do
think that there's people that are courageous
enough to try some things in hopes of really
a healthier future for your generation, as kind
of cringy as that sounds. For me, the heart of
the job is helping students become grounded,
resilient young people in a world that is constantly
changing. Thank you. It's clear that as the world
has evolved, your job as a principal has evolved
as well. And it evolves alongside each other
with all the social media and new technologies.
On our topic of social media and identity, we'd
love your perspective. From where you stand as
a principal, what are some of the best practices
for how a school should approach social media,
especially during the school day? So when I think
about my job as principal, it's not just managing
classes, but it's walking with teens to figure
out who they are, like I mentioned before. And
honestly, social media has become one of the
biggest influences in that process. Sometimes
it's positive, but quite often I would say it's.
challenging. As a principal, I've seen how phones
and social media can disrupt learning and relationships.
And I will reference work being done by Jonathan
Haidt several times throughout this interview.
He wrote a book called The Anxious Generation,
and it's fantastic, and I would recommend it
to anyone. So if you hear me say anything that
sounds smart, it's probably because he said it
first. And one thing he points out is that childhood
has shifted in just one decade, like from play
-based and in -person to what he calls a phone
-based childhood. This is a crazy fast shift
and it's a dramatic one. It also happens that
this shift has tracked really closely with spikes
in teen anxiety, depression, especially after
2012, which happened to be when social media
and smartphones really came on the scene for
most people. So at school, I think the best practice
is creating clear and consistent boundaries.
This was kind of my viewpoint when I was a teacher.
It's my viewpoint now. I think it... I think
it's accurate for everything, certainly including
technology use. And it's really important to
me. And I hope it's felt with students. I never
want a student to feel caught off guard. I hope
that by communicating clearly and consistently,
it... Yeah, it's more it's more easy to accept
and understand. For example, we stipulate that
ninth graders use only school owned devices during
the day rather than personal devices. We don't
allow devices outside of the classroom during
the school day without teacher permission. These
these aren't as much as they feel like restrictions.
They aren't intended to just be restrictions,
but there's reasons behind them. For instance,
it reduces distractions, but it also gives students
back the space to talk face to face and solve
problems and build friendships without this.
constant pool of notifications. Does it solve
all problems? No, absolutely not. However, the
results have been hugely positive. We've saw
decreased numbers across the high school for
phone use during the day. Parents and teachers
are more on board. One of my greatest joys is
seeing students out at lunch playing volleyball
or seeing kids play a card game together or seeing
students just talk face to face. It's so good.
So the key to frame these policies is to frame
them not as punishment I hope they don't come
across that way but as protection I want students
to understand we're trying to help you focus
and helping you connect with real people in the
real world in ways that really matter so I think
when schools communicate that clearly parents
and students are more open to it So thank you,
Miss Amber. I mean, I totally agree with that
because I feel like I have a really strong bonds
with all of my friends because we get to interact
with each other during breaks and no phone policy
definitely helps a lot. So I have a follow up
questions that's a bit broader. So from what
you see with students, has social media ultimately
made it harder or easier for them to figure out
who they are? That's a good question. I would
say overall, it's made it harder. I think adolescence
is a time when identity forms through trial and
error in real life. This is the time of your
life when you try out roles, you test limits,
you learn through face -to -face feedback. This
is all very normal. This is how people grow up.
And social media tends to short -circuit this
process. I cannot... I cannot imagine if social
media had been around when I was a teenager.
It would have been a disaster. I'm horrified
to think what I would have posted, what would
have been seen. You know, just like everything.
I don't know. I think all of us that grew up
without it are hugely grateful that no one was
there to document that time of our lives on film,
to have it. be shared widely. I mean, this is
a terrible time in life to judge someone, honestly.
These are years for making mistakes, for taking
risks, for failing, for learning. But those things
don't come without a mess. And that's okay. That's
normal. But I do feel like teens today don't
have the freedom to mess up without fear of it
being known, criticized, posted, shared. And
that's a heavy burden to carry. So students and
adults, honestly, we often present this curated
version of ourselves online, right? We maybe
are seeking likes or validation or comments,
whatever, rather than wrestling with who we really
are. And algorithms that are built into social
media can push people more quickly into very
narrow interests or these kind of extreme viewpoints
before people have had a chance to explore more
broadly and find out who they actually are as
a person and what they actually believe. It's
such an unfair fight that you guys face. Millions
of dollars at the disposal of tech and app companies
that are intentionally made to create distractions
are designed to be addictive by producing constant
bursts of dopamine to your developing brains.
And it actually makes me super angry. I hate
that for you. That said, I've seen the positives
too. Some students find communities online that
affirm a talent or an interest that they don't
find locally. Maybe something in robotics or
coding or a music genre. But I would say, in
my opinion, those cases are fewer. The majority
struggle more with identity formation because
the online world asks people to perform and not
to grow. That is a great point. Many students
do feel that constant pressure to perform or
compare themselves to people who they think are
better than them online. In your view, how does
this culture of comparison impact a teenager's
identity while it's still forming? So I would
say that this is probably one of the biggest
challenges. Social media intensifies what's called
upward social comparison, especially for girls.
They're constantly seeing other people's highlight
reels, which makes them feel less than in appearance,
maybe popularity, lifestyle. And that's directly
tied to rising rates of depression and body image
struggles. Again, I can't imagine how I would
have navigated this as a teen. I assure you it
would not have been pretty. For boys, I think
the comparison may look different. It might be
more about status in gaming or online communities,
or porn, to be honest, but the effect is similar.
Identity is shaped by external measurement and
comparison rather than internal values and worth.
I've seen some really hurtful and cruel online
conversations and choices made online, and I'm
sure that's only a fraction of what's out there,
and it really is heartbreaking. Those words and
images... are shared and they're weaponized and
they can act like they're a measure for someone's
worth. And there's a pretty steep price to pay
for mistakes made online, honestly. When that
kind of thinking and decision -making start to
seep into everyday life, it can undermine the
ability to explore identity in healthy ways that
teenagers need. So that's really true. I feel
like all of us compared with each other, even
though we think we are not, but like deep down
we know we are. So building on that, what specific
concerns do you have as a principal when it comes
to how social media affects students' mental
health, their friendships, or like their self
-image? Yeah, so I think one of my biggest concerns
would be the overall rise in anxiety. Data shows
that rates of depression, self -harm, loneliness,
they spiked around the time when smartphones
and social media, especially social media, became
universal from about 2012 and after. All of the
data shows this. And I do see that play out in
school. I do feel like students today are more
anxious. They're more fragile. They're less resilient
than even maybe 10 years ago. And this is a worldwide
trend, right? It's not just specific to ICS or
Thailand. Like this is happening everywhere.
And I think, too, another thing that can become
really fragile is friendships. So a conflict
maybe that starts in a group chat or an Instagram
doesn't stay online forever. Eventually it may
come into school the next day. It can take over.
And I think before we put some of the tech policies
into place, we saw fewer students hanging out
in person during breaks or lunch because they
were on their phones. And that loss of in -person
interaction really does matter for identity and
well -being. So we decided it was something that
was important enough to prioritize. And then
maybe my last concern would be self -image, that
social media encourages constant self -presentation.
Students... worry about how they look in photos,
how they sound in videos. And I think for a teenager
who's still forming a sense of self, that pressure
can be really overwhelming. These are definitely
some serious concerns about how you can get forced
into having to create an image of yourself when
you're still figuring out that image. So let's
flip it a little bit. What are some positive
ways that you see students using social media
to actually build their identity and find their
voice and grow their confidence instead of losing
it in the process yeah for sure there are positives
and I do want to be clear about that I'm not
like anti -phones or anti -social media I know
at school we have to take kind of one one stand
right but I do think there's a difference between
maybe passive scrolling and active creating so
passive scrolling tends to harm well -being but
when students are creating They can grow. So
I've seen students use Instagram or TikTok to
showcase their art or music or clubs. That's
awesome. Others have launched small businesses
or these awareness campaigns. For example, we
had a group of students that use social media
to promote an environmental project, and it gave
them a real sense of agency. It was awesome.
It was incredible. Your class uses your Instagram
page for fun promotion ideas, and I love that,
right? You have a whole team on it. So social
media can also provide safe spaces for some students,
especially if... It's a team that's in a marginalized
group. Finding a supportive online community
can be life -changing and powerful. These are
really positive ways that it can be used. So
the challenge isn't to say all social media is
bad, right, but help students learn to use it
intentionally, creating, advocating, connecting
meaningfully instead of simply consuming. And
that's a wonderful place to end this part of
our conversation, on a note of hope and positive
action. The idea that students are using these
tools for community and inspiration is good.
Thank you so much for your time and insight,
Mrs. Amber. We're going to take a short break.
When we come back, we'll continue our discussion
with Mr. Luke. You're listening to the Students
Incorporated podcast. Social media in 2025 is
evolving fast. Short form video continues to
dominate while AI is shaping how content is created
and personalized. Shopping is moving directly
into apps through social commerce. and authentic
communities built on user -generated content
are more valuable than ever. Social platforms
are also doubling as search engines, making social
SEO an essential skill. Success this year for
both brands and creators comes from authenticity,
niche communities, and strong partnerships. But
social media isn't just about entertainment anymore.
It's also shaping education and student identity.
Many students now learn through quick explainer
clips and tutorials, and AI -driven feeds often
mirror what you study or care about. How you
present yourself online matters more than ever.
By building authentic communities, sharing your
own content, and engaging in positive online
communities, you can use social media not just
to connect, but to grow, learn, and strengthen
your digital presence as a student. Identity
matters and so does authenticity and transparency.
So stay real to yourself, both offline and online,
and grow in the process. And we are back with
our second part. Thanks for sticking with us.
In the first half, Mrs. Amber gave us some insight
from her perspective as a high school principal
of the day -to -day impact of social media. Now
for this second segment, we'll get to hear from
Mr. Luke, the headmaster of the school. We are
still on the topic of social media and identity.
Proud, go ahead and get us started with this
segment. Mr. Luke, thank you for being here.
To start, could you share a bit about your role
and how you approach the topic of social media
and student identity throughout the semesters
while the students are under your care? Thanks,
Proud. It's good to be here. I'm excited, as
always, to be on the Students Incorporated podcast.
I am one of your subscribers, and I listen to
every episode. Excited for a new season. When
it comes to my role, I guess I don't specifically
think much about my role and how it directly
relates to social media. But a big part of my
role is caring not just about academics, but
also students as a whole person. We care about
students and who students are becoming. That's
something that's on all the posters in every
room across the campus. The reality is that social
media is a huge part of how students shape their
identity now. We cannot deny that fact, and we
can't deny the fact that people are being influenced
for better or worse by social media. And that
wasn't the case when I was in school. That wasn't
the case even 12, 15 years ago. So from a whole
school approach, I would say that I try to approach
it with curiosity rather than fear. Instead of
just saying be careful or don't do that or just
no, I would tell students, I would tell you guys
to ask yourself, how is this shaping who you
are? Here at ICS, we talk about identity being
rooted not in likes or followers, but in deeper
truths like character, values, and for many of
us, our faith. My hope is that we give students
a safe... space to think, to question and reflect
and not just follow rules. Thank you. With so
many different cultures represented in our student
body, what are some ways that the school can
create a shared understanding about digital citizenship?
That's a great question. I think that's really
one of the beautiful things about ICS. We've
got this amazing kind of mosaic of cultures,
backgrounds and perspectives that really make
us a unique community. But I think that no matter
where you're from, respect and kindness are traits
and values that everyone likes and appreciates.
I think creating a shared understanding by focusing
on things that we can all agree on, like the
importance and value of honesty, integrity, empathy,
and accountability, while also listening to different
perspectives that students bring. For example,
I think about what students consider private.
Or things that are what is respectful can vary
from culture to culture. So having those conversations
together helps us build a common language when
it comes to things like digital citizenship.
I totally agree with that part since like our
school is so internationally and there's so many
kids from different countries. It's like that's
a really great point about shared value. So what
are some ways our diverse parent community can
best partner with the school to support their
children in this area? Yeah, I like that you
guys. use the word partner in your question that's
really great because I think partnership is key
that's something that's on posters all around
the school we have that there as well right the
partnership with parents and I think it is important
because when when parents and the school are
saying the same things I think students hear
it more consistently they hear it more clearly
I would encourage parents to be attentive listeners
and ask their kids about what's happening online
Not just monitoring what's happening online,
but trying to understand their kid's world. I
would say that parents need to ask their kids
real questions about what media they're consuming
and ask them what they like and why they like
it. And obviously, and this is a hard one for
me as a parent as well, but I would say that
when parents model healthy habits, like putting
our phones down at the dinner table, Or when
we're trying to talk to our kids or just showing
balance in our digital lives in general. I think
that speaks volumes to our kids and others as
well. And it's hard to tell your kid to put down
a phone while you're holding a phone in your
hand at the time. Looking ahead, we're going
to start seeing new partners with new technologies
like AI and others. What are some ways our school
can prepare students to be responsible digital
citizens locally and globally? That's a great
question, Josiah. I think AI is definitely changing
things rapidly. The challenge isn't just teaching
students how to use the tools. You guys are figuring
that out on your own at a speed that is way faster
than what us old people are capable of. So that's
great. I do think the challenge for us as a school
is to help you guys to figure out how to use
these tools wisely. That means getting students
to be able to ask questions like, Am I thinking
critically about what's real and what's not?
Or am I using this tool to genuinely learn and
grow or just to take a shortcut? Or am I using
this tool to enhance my own thinking and creativity
or am I letting it replace them? I think our
role as a school is to help students build those
habits of integrity, character, wisdom, and discernment
in order to use the available tools. to boost
our creativity and productivity because the reality
is that those character traits will matter more
and be around longer than any app or social media
platform when you're old like me the apps and
everything will change but you will have integrity
character wisdom and discernment I really agree
with that because that preparation is so vital.
So a huge part of that has to be students' well
-being. So our next question is, from your perspective,
what are some positive and negative effects you've
observed regarding social media and students'
health? Yeah, I know. When you get old people
like me talking about social media, oftentimes
it's just bash, bash, bash, and it's all negative
stuff. I do think there are some positive things.
And I think the easy answer is always going to
be that, oh, social media helps us stay connected.
That's what many of you would say, at least.
And I do know that's a real thing, but I've also
felt like it's a pseudo version of connectedness.
And I think most students would actually agree
if you really stop and think about it. But I
do think it's a way to share creativity, to share
things that you've created, artwork or music
or... It's a great way to be inspired or to inspire
others. I think it's a great way to raise awareness
about causes that you care about or for you to
personally raise your awareness about other causes,
right? Social media can give people a voice that
they wouldn't otherwise have, right? So you guys
can reach an audience of people that you would
have never had before. Those are some of the
good things. On the flip side, I think, honestly,
I think the... Kind of the comparison trap is
100 % real and 100 % damaging. I mean, I think
we see students and just people in general measuring
themselves against perfectly curated images or
videos of others. And I think when you guys or
when anyone really stops and thinks about it,
we know that it's not real, but it still has
an impact on us, right? And I think with all
this kind of new research coming out and showing
us that this comparison with unreal things can
feed anxiety, loneliness, depression, lead to
a sense of inadequacy. I think the key is knowing
that social media is a highlight reel, not the
whole story. And that your worth isn't determined
by it. And honestly, your worth shouldn't even
be impacted by it. I think the students know
this deep down again, but it doesn't prevent
us from getting caught in this comparison game.
There are entire groups of marketing strategists
sitting around designing things like this to
make you compare yourself to others, to make
you want to be more like someone you're seeing
online. We know that, and it's 100 % true. And
we just have to remember this when we see things
online. So thank you so much for that insight,
Mr. Luke. I can say that everyone can agree on
that part, that it's both impactful in both ways
of negativity and positivity. So we really have
to use it in a good way. And as we wrap up this
segment, we'd like to ask you for advice. So
what is some advice that you could give students
and parents who are also learning to navigate
the complexities of school, social media and
their online and offline identities? Yeah, great
question, Proud. I don't think this is something
that is easy to do, so I don't take it lightly,
but I guess my advice would be to be intentional.
I really think for students it means asking yourself,
does this online version of me match who I really
want to be? I think we have to understand that
we are being influenced by what we consume and
make choices with that in mind. For parents,
I think it's about creating rhythms of conversation
and trust so the kids feel safe to talk about
what they're experiencing, both on or offline.
And I think just for people in general, both
our students and parents, we cannot underestimate
the importance of real human -to -human relationships,
interactions, and community. The friendships,
skills, values, and character you build in real
life are what are going to give you the grit
to navigate the world well, whether online or
in person. I don't think many people would say
the same thing about your online life. At the
end of the day, social media is a tool, and it
can either shape you or you can choose to shape
how you use it. That would be the advice that
I would give. Mr. Luke, thank you for that simple
and clear advice about how to look at social
media. We know you're busy and have a full schedule
each day, so thanks again for stopping by the
studio today. And that brings us to the end of
our episode on social media and identity. What
a fascinating and important conversation. We
learned that the impact of these platforms isn't
just good or bad. It truly depends on how we
engage with them. The key is to be an active,
thoughtful participant rather than a passive
consumer. Mrs. Amber gave us a powerful look
at the day -to -day reality students face while
headmaster Mr. Luke provided a vision for how
the whole community can work together to build
a healthy digital culture. A huge thank you to
both Mrs. Amber and Mr. Luke for sharing their
time and expertise with us. And a special thank
you for our student co -host Josiah and Proud
for leading insightful interviews. This has been
the Students Incorporated podcast. We'll see
you next time. And as always, this podcast would
not be possible without the hard work and support
of our international student production team.
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Incorporated, because your voice matters. Ooh.