• by Steven Rosenbaum , Featured Contributor, April 17, 2023

If you aren’t the parent of a teenage girl or aren’t one yourself, it’s possible you haven’t been affected by the social media epidemic that is facing teens and Gen Z-ers.

But watching Mary’s story in this three-minute video from Dove will almost certainly catch you by surprise. Called “Cost of Beauty,” it tells Mary’s story from when she’s very young, with a background of  the searingly beautiful lyrics sung by Joe Cocker in 1974:

“You are so beautiful, to me

You are so beautiful, to me

Can't you see you're everything I hoped for, you're everything I need

You are so beautiful, to me.”

Mary grows up, becomes a teenager, and for her 12th birthday gets a cell phone. From there, things turn and she is overtaken with self-criticism of her appearance and weight. Her diary is full of notes about “goal weight” and “Weight Watchers for teens.” She writes in teenage loopy handwriting: “Look at yourself, your gross ugly self.” The downward spiral can’t help but put a lump in your throat. She checks in to the Eating Disorder Unit at a local hospital.

Dove pulls no punches: “Social media is harming the mental health of three in five kids” -- and then, words that move from awareness to activism:

“Join us in supporting legislative change to make it safer.”

So important, so real, and so powerful. Working with partners Common Sense Media and ParentsTogetherAction, Dove has put kids' health front and center.

In a press release, Dove’s CMO Alessandro Manfredi said what we’ve all been feeling: “If there isn’t real change, young people will continue to pay with their wellbeing.” Dove is supporting the campaign with a signature activation. “We have a responsibility to act and support a safer environment on social media, helping protect young people’s mental health.” said Manfredi. “This means going beyond individual interventions to drive systemic change.” He points people who want to  sign to this link.

The data that Dove uses to back up its call to activism is daunting. “Data has shown toxic content online is harming the mental health of today’s youth," said Manfredi. "Seven in 10 people ages 10-17 have been exposed to social media content that encourages weight loss or body transformation, with more than half of people ages 14-17 exposed to content that encourages restricted eating or disordered eating behaviors. 80% of young people believe people their age are addicted to social media, but more than half say it makes them and their peers feel anxious."

"You are so beautiful, to me

You are so beautiful, to me" sings Mary’s mother to her now-older daughter, in recovery for her eating disorder.

The video ends with a photo montage of several real-life survivors of mental health problems and their parents.