Paul Holmes -
University
English Professor

Free Materials For ESL Teachers and Learners

“Social Media Addiction” ESL Discussion Questions

I. Understanding Social Media Addiction
1. What is social media addiction?
2. How can you tell if someone is addicted to social media?
3. Why do people get addicted to social media?
4. What are the most addictive social media platforms?
5. Can spending a lot of time on social media be good for you in any way?

II. Causes of Social Media Addiction
6. How does the design of social media apps encourage addiction?
7. Why do likes, comments, and shares make social media addictive?
8. Can loneliness lead to social media addiction?
9. How does the fear of missing out (FOMO) contribute to social media addiction?
10. Do you think peer pressure affects how much time people spend on social media?

III. Effects of Social Media Addiction
11. What are the negative effects of social media addiction on mental health?
12. Can social media addiction impact physical health?
13. How does social media addiction affect relationships?
14. Can being addicted to social media make you less productive?
15. Do you think social media addiction can lead to financial problems?

IV. Social Media and Society
16. How has social media addiction changed the way we communicate?
17. Do you think social media addiction is a big problem among young people?
18. How does social media addiction affect education?
19. Can social media addiction influence political opinions?
20. How does social media addiction impact community involvement?

V. Managing Social Media Use
21. What are some ways to reduce social media use?
22. How can setting limits on social media use help?
23. Why is it important to take regular breaks from social media?
24. Can deleting social media apps from your phone reduce addiction?
25. How do you balance social media use with other activities?

VI. Recovery from Social Media Addiction
26. What steps can someone take to overcome social media addiction?
27. How can friends and family help with social media addiction?
28. Why might someone need professional help to overcome social media addiction?
29. What are the benefits of overcoming social media addiction?
30. How long does it take to recover from social media addiction?

VII. Social Media Addiction and Mental Health
31. How does social media addiction contribute to anxiety and depression?
32. Can social media addiction lead to sleep problems?
33. What is the link between social media addiction and self-esteem?
34. How can social media create unrealistic expectations?
35. Can taking a break from social media improve mental health?

VIII. The Role of Technology in Social Media Addiction
36. How do smartphones contribute to social media addiction?
37. Can technology be designed to reduce social media addiction?
38. What role do algorithms play in social media addiction?
39. How does virtual reality (VR) affect social media use?
40. Do you think technology companies should help prevent social media addiction?

IX. Social Media Addiction in Different Age Groups
41. Are teenagers more at risk of social media addiction than adults?
42. How does social media addiction affect children?
43. Can elderly people become addicted to social media?
44. How does social media addiction differ between generations?
45. What can parents do to prevent social media addiction in their children?

X. The Future of Social Media Addiction
46. Do you think social media addiction will become more common in the future?
47. How might future technologies impact social media addiction?
48. Can we ever completely overcome social media addiction as a society?
49. What would a world without social media addiction look like?
50. How can we prepare for the future impacts of social media addiction?

XI. Personal Experiences with Social Media Addiction
51. Have you ever felt addicted to social media?
52. What did you do to manage your social media use?
53. How has your life changed since reducing your social media use?
54. Can you share a positive experience you’ve had by reducing social media use?
55. Do you know someone who has overcome social media addiction? What was their experience?

XII. Social Media Addiction and Culture
56. How does culture influence social media addiction?
57. Can social media addiction vary from country to country?
58. How do cultural values affect the way we use social media?
59. Do you think some cultures are more susceptible to social media addiction?
60. How can cultural awareness help in addressing social media addiction?

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