Lembke’s session, “How Gen Z is Rebuilding Social Media from the Ground Up” (March 10, 10:00am-11:00am CT, Austin Convention Center Room 16AB), will introduce ACTV8.Media, the first youth-led co-design incubator focused on creating alternative social platforms designed with mental health guardrails from inception.
“We aren’t just talking about reform anymore—we’re building a new generation of Social Media experience,” said Lembke, who first gained national prominence testifying before Congress about social media’s impact on teen mental health, and is now on the GenZ Board of the Sustainable Media Center. “Gen Z has been the unwitting test subjects in a massive psychological experiment. Now we’re taking control of the lab.”
The session comes at a critical inflection point:
- Recent studies show over 60% of teens report experiencing anxiety, depression, or body image issues directly linked to social media use
- Teen mental health has deteriorated to crisis levels, with emergency room visits for self-harm among girls 13-18 up 189% since the widespread adoption of smartphones
- A majority of Americans now believe Big Tech bears responsibility for rising political extremism and declining youth mental health
What makes this initiative different is its approach: rather than asking tech giants to reform themselves, Lembke and the Sustainable Media Center are funding and developing alternative platforms explicitly designed to protect users rather than exploit them. The youth-led project aims to create viable alternatives to the current attention economy by 2027.
The session will reveal:
- A roadmap for a new generation of social platforms designed with youth mental health as a core priority
- The first-ever “digital co-design incubator” where Gen Z creators directly shape new platforms alongside developers
- A coalition of tech whistleblowers, youth activists, researchers, and ethical investors funding alternatives to the current ecosystem
- Results from nationwide focus groups revealing what Gen Z actually wants from digital spaces (spoiler: it’s not endless scrolling)
As the first generation to grow up entirely in the smartphone era confronts unprecedented rates of anxiety, depression, and social isolation, this session offers a rare glimpse into how its members are actively creating the digital environments they wish existed when they first picked up a phone.
For media inquiries or to schedule an interview with Emma Lembke, please contact: Lana McGilvray, Purpuse Worldwide
About Emma Lembke:
Emma Lembke is a senior at Washington University in St. Louis and on the GenZ Board of the Sustainable Media Center. Her Senate testimony on social media’s harms helped catalyze bipartisan support for youth protection legislation. Through the Sustainable Media Center, she is now leading ACTV8.Media, the first Gen Z-driven initiative to build alternative social platforms centered on user well-being rather than engagement metrics.
About The Sustainable Media Center
The Sustainable Media Center (SMC) unites youth activists, tech whistleblowers, researchers, and policymakers to transform social media. Founded on the belief that true digital reform requires intergenerational collaboration, SMC addresses the interconnected crises of teen mental health, misinformation, addiction, privacy erosion, and polarization. Through ACTV8.Media, SMC is developing alternative social platforms co-designed with Gen Z that prioritize well-being over engagement metrics, moving beyond criticism to create tangible solutions for a healthier digital future.
About SXSW:
The South by Southwest® (SXSW®) Conference & Festivals celebrate the convergence of tech, film, music, education, and culture. The 2025 event takes place March 7-16 in Austin, Texas.
Media Contact
Steven Rosenbaum, Sustainable Media Center, 1 9179302511, [email protected], http://sustainablemedia.center
Lana McGilvery, Purpose Worldwide, 1 (512) 970-8310, [email protected], https://www.purposenorthamerica.com/
SOURCE Sustainable Media Center
