Does time on social media make teens anxious and depressed? The evidence is not so clear
The social media ban for under-16s may stem from concern about a very real mental health crisis. But is it missing the point?
The relationship between social media use and mental health in young Australians has been a subject of increasing concern. In the past two decades, mental health disorders have risen sharply among 16-to-24-year-olds, from 26% in 2007 to 39% in 2022. This surge has coincided with the rise of smartphones, providing young people constant access to social media.
However, the question remains: does increased time spent on social media actually harm their mental health? Directly studying this causal link can be challenging. In a new study, researchers analyzed 37 existing studies on the connection between social media use and anxiety or depression symptoms in young people aged 10-24. The findings were surprising: there was only a very weak link between the amount of time spent on social media and levels of anxiety and depression.
This suggests that simply restricting access to social media may not be the most effective solution for addressing mental health issues.
Written by urgent.news from The Conversation AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
