Is social media harming children?
The answer is more cautious than the headlines suggest. An analysis of three large datasets from the US and the UK (more than 355,000 adolescents in total) found that the link between digital technology use and wellbeing was negative but small: technology use explained at most 0.4% of the differences in wellbeing (Orben & Przybylski, 2019). These are correlations — they don’t show what causes what.
An umbrella review of 25 reviews reached a similar picture: most of them rated the links between social media and adolescent mental health as weak or inconsistent (Valkenburg, Meier & Beyens, 2022).
At the same time, the US Surgeon General’s 2023 advisory states that we cannot yet conclude social media is sufficiently safe for children (US Surgeon General, 2023). Both things are true at once: average links are small, and there is still uncertainty about safety.
Why does the 10–14 age range matter?
Because sensitivity changes with age. A UK study of 84,011 participants identified periods when the link between social media use and life satisfaction was stronger: around 11–13 for girls and around 14–15 for boys (Orben et al., 2022).
That doesn’t mean every girl in Year 7 will struggle. It means this is a good age to stay close to what’s happening on social media — taking an interest rather than banning blindly.
Why does social media bother one child and not another?
Because averages hide big differences. In a study in the Netherlands, adolescents were asked several times a day how they felt. After passive use — scrolling and looking at other people’s posts — 46% felt better, 44% felt no different and 10% felt worse (Beyens et al., 2020).
That’s useful for parents: your child could be in any of those groups. So a general rule helps less than paying attention to your own child.
Comparison is part of this. Posts mostly show the highlights — the photo that worked, not the ten that didn’t. A child comparing themselves with a selection of other people’s best moments may feel they’re falling behind.
What does this mean for parents?
- Ask “how do you feel after this account?” — not just “how many hours?”. What they see, and how they feel afterwards, matters too.
- Muting or unfollowing is fine. If an account leaves your child feeling low, they can try muting it for a while and notice how they feel.
- A post isn’t a whole life. Suggest comparing themselves with who they were a month ago, not with someone else’s highlights.
- Make a family media plan — together, with rules for adults too: time, sleep, phones out of the bedroom at night (US Surgeon General, 2023).
- Don’t demonise it wholesale. Weak average links don’t automatically justify a ban — nor do they mean everything is fine. Decide based on your own child.
If your child seems persistently low, withdrawn or is sleeping badly, talk to your GP or a child psychologist, or contact a helpline.
How our comics approach this
We are developing the “Safe Online” story, which includes a story for 12–14-year-olds about mirrors that only show victories: the hero notices how they feel after looking, and tries covering one up for a while. It is still in preparation and isn’t available yet.
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Frequently asked questions
How much time on social media is OK?
Studies don’t give a single number. What matters more is what your child is doing, how they feel afterwards, and whether there’s still time for sleep, exercise and friends.
Should I ban social media?
The research neither supports nor rules out a blanket ban. An agreement, gradually adding freedom and regular conversation are a more sensible approach.
Are girls more vulnerable?
In the UK study, the sensitive period came earlier for girls (11–13) than for boys (14–15) (Orben et al., 2022). That doesn’t mean every girl will have difficulties.
What is passive use?
Scrolling and looking at other people’s posts without messaging or creating anything yourself.
Sources
- Beyens, I., Pouwels, J. L., van Driel, I. I., Keijsers, L., & Valkenburg, P. M. (2020). The effect of social media on well-being differs from adolescent to adolescent. Scientific Reports, 10, 10763. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-67727-7 abstract
- Orben, A., & Przybylski, A. K. (2019). The association between adolescent well-being and digital technology use. Nature Human Behaviour, 3(2), 173–182. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-018-0506-1 abstract
- Orben, A., Przybylski, A. K., Blakemore, S.-J., & Kievit, R. A. (2022). Windows of developmental sensitivity to social media. Nature Communications, 13, 1649. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-29296-3 abstract
- U.S. Surgeon General. (2023). Social media and youth mental health: The U.S. Surgeon General's advisory. https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/reports-and-publications/youth-mental-health/social-media/index.html
- Valkenburg, P. M., Meier, A., & Beyens, I. (2022). Social media use and its impact on adolescent mental health: An umbrella review of the evidence. Current Opinion in Psychology, 44, 58–68. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2021.08.017 abstract
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Who prepared this and when
Written by the Ink & Brave editorial team from our evidence base; we only quote numbers from studies whose abstract or full text we have read. Each article says who wrote it and how it was checked before publication.