As amazing as belonging feels, rejection stings just as intensely for many young people. And in today’s adolescent world, they’re navigating new layers in their social landscape. What started as a way to spotlight social issues and spark discussions about problematic behavior, cancel culture has trickled into the lives of adolescents.

Conflict resolution is a core part of your teen’s development. During these formative years, your child will make many mistakes that they can learn from and gain valuable skills they’ll use throughout their lifetime. However, cancel culture can make it more difficult for teens to resolve their differences, and the experience can negatively impact their mental health.

In this article, we’ll dive into what cancel culture is, how teens cancel each other using social media and its impact on young people.

What is cancel culture?

Teen cancel culture is similar to the original phenomenon that became popular on X (then Twitter) in the mid-2010s. It’s when someone’s publicly rejected for a past misdeed. Everyone disagrees sometimes. And it’s easy for a conflict to get out of hand, especially among teenagers. But cancellation usually comes at a higher price. Common patterns when someone is being canceled include:

• Social rejection — People quickly disconnect from the targeted individual (in person and online), trying to prevent the same negative attention from finding them.
• Group shifts — As people take sides, they convince others to do the same.
• Barred redemption — No apology or logical explanation seems to resolve the issue.

Teen cancel culture: Is it bullying?

Cancel culture has the potential to raise awareness and drive positive change, but there’s a fine line between canceling someone and bullying, especially in adolescence. In fact, some experts say that teen cancel culture is just bullying with a cooler name. 

Despite its advantages, it’s no secret that social media has taken teen bullying to a whole new level. It makes it all too easy to take personal conflicts to a public forum. Canceling someone typically means blocking or verbally targeting them on their platform of choice. When this happens, this young person is left open to social ostracism among friends and classmates online and in real life. A young person might be canceled for any number of reasons, such as:

• Unpopular opinions
• Crossing boundaries
• Tasteless jokes
• Thoughtless comments
• Bullying

If it seems like these are some of the same things young people have been bullied for since you were in school, you’re right. The difference is the speed of retaliation. Thanks to social media, it’s easier for one kid to lead the charge against a peer and gain widespread support.

Why do teens engage in cancel culture?

During this stage, teens are often dialed into their social experiences and guided more by the emotional and reactive part of the brain. But consider their developing mind: Their brain is still maturing and will continue to develop until their mid- to late twenties. In fact, the part of their brain responsible for organizing, planning and good decision-making (the prefrontal cortex) is one of the last pieces of the puzzle to mature.

Research shows teens are naturally more likely to act impulsively, misread social cues and engage in risky behavior. So, it’s possible that both parties in a cancel-causing conflict aren’t behaving or reacting as an adult (with more life experience) would in a similar situation. 

Also, social rewards and punishments come with taking a side. You’re either aligned with the accuser (and possibly an entire friend group) or the accused. Your teen may be afraid of taking the wrong side and being targeted themselves. It’s also possible that the canceler presents a convincing argument, complete with receipts (screenshots).

How does cancel culture affect teens?

As you can imagine, no young person wants to be ostracized, especially for a mistake they made in the heat of the moment. Friendships are important during adolescence in creating a sense of belonging and acceptance. A strong social network is also something your teen can lean into to help them cope during difficult times, and losing a friend group can feel heartbreaking.

Social isolation isn’t the only consequence. If your teen has been a victim of cancel culture, they may be experiencing heightened levels of stress and anxiety. They may also experience hopelessness, depression or suicidal ideation.* Even if your teen hasn’t participated in cancel culture, they might fear it. This could cause them to stop expressing themselves or develop a lack of trust in other people.

*Call or text 988, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, for immediate support in a mental health crisis.

Get professional mental health care for your teen

Sometimes outside support is necessary for your teen to overcome difficult situations. If they’ve been negatively impacted by cancel culture, Lightfully can help. We take a personalized, compassionate approach to mental health treatment. Our Precision Care Model (PCM) uses evidence-based interventions that support all facets of the adolescent experience, including emotions, thoughts, relationships and behavior. 

Change is possible. When you’re ready to take the first step with your child, reach out to our Admissions Concierge Team. We’ll take the next steps together, toward the fullest, brightest version of your teen.