LS and SE SAMPLE ESSAYS Theme: Technology (LS/SE) Essay 1: Evidence-Based Writing Gullible Youth: Young and Impressionable Technology hampers self-expression and development by exposing users to popular images and people on the Internet, leading to imitation and loss of originality. The youth are particularly affected, blindly trying to imitate these figures. One of the deadly results this has caused is a significant increase in suicides among young people, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) concludes, “The number of suicides in females aged 15-24 increased 87 percent over the past 20 years. And among males aged 15-24, the number of suicides rose by 30 percent over that same time period.” Studies have linked suicidal thoughts to platforms like Instagram. The University of Utah Health states, “...among teenagers who reported suicidal thoughts, 6 percent in the U.S. traced them back to Instagram.” Ul