For several years, a group of researchers and activists have been sounding the alarm about the potential dangers associated with children using social networks. The concerns have struck an emotional chord, considering the struggles faced by numerous individuals, both young and old, in their relationship with platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. It stands to reason that the uneasy feeling many people experience after prolonged scrolling may have more severe implications for certain individuals, particularly the youth.
This growing anxiety has led to a significant increase in state-level regulations this year aimed at reducing children’s phone usage. One contributing factor, of course, is the failure of Congress to take decisive action on the matter.
The state of Utah recently passed a law prohibiting social network use for children under 18 without parental consent. Arkansas has considered similar measures, while Montana has gone to the extent of completely banning TikTok.
The idea that young people require enhanced protection when engaging with social networks has long garnered sympathy. However, questions persist regarding the extent to which intervention should be enforced. The available data on the relationship between children, teenagers, social networks, and mental health has been fragmented, limited in scope, and characterized by contradictory findings. Reviewing the trickle of research that has emerged thus far often results in confusion.
However, recent progress has been made in understanding the impact of social networks on young individuals. For many children, frequent use of these platforms does indeed prove detrimental. The available research now appears robust enough to provide lawmakers with confidence in demanding greater accountability from the companies behind these platforms.
This realization was reinforced upon reading the advisory on social media and youth mental health issued by US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy. Spanning 19 concise pages, the advisory synthesizes over a decade of research on the risks associated with social networks, concluding that the potential for harm is significant. While acknowledging the benefits of social networks for young people, the report emphasizes the urgent need for action from social networks, lawmakers, and parents in specific areas.
According to the surgeon general’s report, “Nearly every teenager in America uses social media, and yet we do not have enough evidence to conclude that it is sufficiently safe for them. Our children have become unwitting participants in a decades-long experiment. It is critical that independent researchers and technology companies work together to rapidly advance our understanding of the impact of social media on children and adolescents.”
The report merits a thorough reading in its entirety. However, several key findings from the surgeon general are worth highlighting.
Firstly, children are beginning to use social media at increasingly younger ages. The report reveals that two out of five children start using social networks between the ages of 8 and 12, a vulnerable period where the potential benefits seem unlikely to outweigh the risks. It is noteworthy that this occurs despite the fact that platform terms of service typically prohibit children under 13 from accessing their services. Social media platforms ought to take more substantial measures to restrict young children’s access and avoid targeting them with products like Meta’s Messenger Kids, which employ cynical growth-hack strategies.
Secondly, researchers are gaining insights into which children are more vulnerable to harm from social networks. This includes adolescent girls, children with existing mental health issues, victims of cyberbullying, individuals with body image concerns and eating disorders, and those whose sleep patterns have been disrupted by social media. Parents of children falling into these categories should pay special attention to their children’s social media usage.
Thirdly, there is mounting evidence that frequent social media use can have negative effects on physical development. The report states that “small studies have shown that people with frequent and problematic social media use can experience changes in brain structure similar to changes observed in individuals with substance use or gambling addictions.” Furthermore, a longitudinal study found that high-frequency use of digital media, including social media, increased the likelihood of developing ADHD symptoms over a two-year period among adolescents without initial ADHD symptoms.
Lastly, reducing the time children spend on social media appears to be a simple yet effective intervention with significantly positive outcomes. Spending more than three hours a day on social networks doubles the risk of experiencing mental health problems such as depression and anxiety. Voluntary screen-time controls seem insufficient, and policymakers should consider implementing and enforcing daily time limits for these applications.
Despite the risks involved, it is evident that social network usage also provides tangible benefits to many young people. It is no surprise that 95 percent of them engage with social media platforms.
The report highlights some of these benefits, stating that social media can support the mental health and well-being of LGBTQIA+ youths by facilitating peer connections, identity development, and social support. It further notes that a significant majority of adolescent girls of color encounter positive content affirming their racial identity on social media platforms. Adolescents also report feeling accepted, supported during challenging times, able to express their creativity, and more connected to their friends’ lives through social media.
Moreover, the report suggests that social media can prompt certain children with mental health issues to seek treatment as they gain awareness and understanding through these platforms.
This information is valuable as it sheds light on which individuals can particularly benefit from social networks. Understanding why and how LGBTQIA+ youths gain advantages from these platforms, for instance, can help develop safer and more beneficial environments for all users.
Nonetheless, there are still many unknowns. In part, this is due to platforms being cautious about sharing data that could assist researchers in gaining a deeper understanding. Concerns about user privacy play a role, but there is also a reluctance to confront the harms that their own platforms may cause.
The surgeon general’s report acknowledges this concern, stating, “There is broad concern among the scientific community that a lack of access to data and lack of transparency from technology companies have been barriers to understanding the full scope and scale of the impact of social media on mental health and well-being.”
Nevertheless, there is hope for change. The European Union’s Digital Services Act now provides academic researchers with a legal avenue to safely request and study platform data, which is expected to contribute significantly to understanding the effects of social media on mental health and various other issues.
In the interim, the available data is sufficient to make valuable recommendations to platforms, policymakers, parents, and children. Platforms should conduct independent assessments of their products’ effects on children and adolescents, establish scientific advisory committees to guide product development and share data with researchers while preserving privacy.
Policymakers should develop age-appropriate health and safety standards for platforms, allocate more funding for research in this area, and curtail growth and engagement tactics targeted at children.
The amount of information presented is substantial, and there are undoubtedly individuals, particularly those working at social platforms, who may still question the available evidence.
However, as more data becomes available, it becomes increasingly difficult to maintain an unbiased perspective, especially regarding younger children in the high-risk groups mentioned earlier. If one were to become a parent, limiting children’s exposure to social media during middle school would be prudent, recognizing that completely preventing unsupervised use of platforms like YouTube and TikTok may be unrealistic. Continued monitoring of social media usage and its potential impact on mental health throughout high school would also be advisable.
The consequences of children using them were largely unknown. However, with each step forward, a better understanding of both the risks and benefits is emerging. The surgeon general’s advisory strongly suggests that using social networks poses risks to children’s well-being.