Social media is woven into modern adolescence. For many teenagers, it is where friendships are maintained, identities are explored, and communities are found. It can provide connection, creativity, and a sense of belonging^(1,2).

At the same time, social media exposes young people to experiences that can challenge emotional well-being, including unrealistic comparisons, cyberbullying, distressing content, and the displacement of sleep, exercise, and in-person relationships^(3,4).

These concerns have led many governments to consider stricter regulations, including raising the minimum age for social media access. Yet an important question remains, which is, what does the scientific evidence show?

What Did This Study Do?

Researchers in Australia followed nearly 1,200 children and adolescents for almost a decade.

The study functioned like a long-running documentary, checking in with the same young people every year to understand how their experiences and mental health changed over time. 

Researchers recorded how much time participants spent on social media, and whether they developed symptoms of:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Poor well-being
• Self-harm

This type of research is especially valuable because it follows the same individuals over many years. That makes it easier to determine whether social media use comes before later mental health problems, rather than simply occurring alongside them.

What Did They Find?

Adolescents who spent more than two hours per day on social media had a slightly higher risk of developing mental health difficulties one year later⁽⁵⁾.

Higher social media use was associated with:

• More depressive symptoms
• Lower well-being, particularly among girls
• Greater anxiety and self-harm among boys

Importantly, these effects were generally small. Most teenagers who used social media heavily did not develop serious mental health problems.

The Most Important Finding: Early Adolescence Appears to Be a Sensitive Period

The strongest associations were seen among children aged 12 to 13 years.

Early adolescence is a period of rapid remodeling. The emotional and social parts of the brain are developing quickly, but the systems responsible for judgment, impulse control, and emotional regulation are still maturing^(6,7).

As a result, experiences during this stage of life can have a stronger emotional impact. Social experiences, whether they occur in person or online, may be felt more intensely than they are later in adolescence.

What Did the Numbers Look Like?

Compared with adolescents who used social media for less than one hour per day, those who used it for more than two hours per day showed the following differences:

• For every 100 adolescents, about six additional teenagers developed significant depressive symptoms one year later.

The effects were larger among younger adolescents aged 12 to 13 years.

• Among every 100 younger girls who used social media for more than two hours daily, about 11 additional girls developed depressive symptoms or poorer well-being.
• Among every 100 younger boys, about seven additional boys developed depressive symptoms or anxiety.

Even one to two hours of daily social media use was associated with an increased risk of some mental health problems in this younger age group⁽⁵⁾.

Why Might Younger Teens Be More Vulnerable?

Learning to navigate social media is a bit like learning to drive in heavy traffic. The environment is complex, emotionally charged, and full of situations that require judgment and self-control.

Younger adolescents are still developing the skills needed to manage:

• Peer pressure
• Rejection and social conflict
• Strong emotions
• Unrealistic beauty standards
• Constant opportunities for social comparison

Brain regions involved in emotional regulation and impulse control continue to mature throughout adolescence, which may leave younger teens more vulnerable to emotionally intense online experiences^(6,7).

Why Were Girls More Affected in Some Areas?

During early adolescence, many girls become increasingly aware of appearance, friendships, and social acceptance.

Social media can magnify these concerns by creating an environment of constant comparison. Carefully curated photos and highly edited portrayals of other people's lives can make it easy to feel as though everyone else is happier, more successful, or more attractive⁽³⁾.

This may help explain why girls in the study showed higher rates of poorer well-being and depressive symptoms.

Why Were Boys More Affected in Other Areas?

The study found that boys who used social media heavily had higher risks of anxiety and self-harm⁽⁵⁾. Researchers do not yet know exactly why.

Possible explanations include differences in:

• The types of content boys engage with
• Social expectations and pressures
• The ways boys and girls use social media platforms

More research is needed to better understand these patterns.

Does This Mean Social Media Is Harmful for Everyone?

No.

This study does not prove that social media directly causes mental health problems, and many teenagers benefit from social media in important ways. 

It can help young people:

• Stay connected with friends
• Find supportive communities
• Express themselves creatively
• Explore their identities^(1,2)

A useful way to think about social media is to view it as a tool with both benefits and risks. The effects depend on how it is used, how much it is used, and who is using it⁽⁸⁾.

For some adolescents, particularly younger teens, heavy use may increase vulnerability to mental health problems.

Important Limitations of the Study

Every scientific study has limitations, and this one is no exception.

1. Social media use was self-reported.

People often underestimate how much time they spend online, so the actual amount of use may have been higher than reported.

2. Time spent online does not tell the whole story.

Two hours spent video chatting with friends is very different from two hours spent scrolling through distressing content or experiencing cyberbullying.

The study could not determine:

• Which apps participants used
• What content they viewed
• Whether their online experiences were positive or negative

3. Other factors may contribute.

Young people who are already struggling emotionally may be more likely to spend additional time online. This makes it difficult to prove that social media itself caused the mental health problems.

The Important Takeaways

This study suggests that:

• More than two hours of social media use per day is associated with a modest increase in the risk of mental health problems⁽⁵⁾.
• The strongest associations occur between ages 12 and 13 years⁽⁵⁾.
• Even one to two hours per day may be linked to increased risks for some younger adolescents⁽⁵⁾.
• Early adolescence may be a particularly important period for prevention and support.

What Should Parents and Schools Do?

The findings suggest that limiting screen time alone is unlikely to be enough.

Young adolescents also need:

• Guidance from parents and caregivers
• Education about healthy social media habits
• Skills to recognize unrealistic or misleading content
• Help managing emotions and online conflict
• Social media platforms with stronger safety protections^(2,3)

We would not expect a child to navigate a busy city without guidance. In much the same way, young adolescents should not be expected to manage the challenges of social media entirely on their own.

Support, supervision, and digital literacy may be just as important as the amount of time a teenager spends online.

One of the most impactful things you can do is encourage your kids to develop a consistent exercise routine early in life. It has numerous mental, physical, and emotional benefits that last a lifetime, and starting early is the best way to do it. The best part is they don't even need a gym to get started. 

If you'd like to learn more you can find the definitive home workout plan for teenagers here. 

References:

• Rideout V, Fox S. Digital Health Practices, Social Media Use, and Mental Well-Being Among Teens and Young Adults in the U.S. San Francisco (CA): Hopelab and Well Being Trust; 2018.
• American Psychological Association. Health Advisory on Social Media Use in Adolescence. Washington (DC): American Psychological Association; 2023.
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Social Media and Youth Mental Health: The U.S. Surgeon General's Advisory. Washington (DC): U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2023.
• Shannon H, Bush K, Villeneuve PJ, Hellemans KGC, Guimond S. Problematic social media use in adolescents and young adults: systematic review and meta-analysis. J Med Internet Res Ment Health. 2022;9(4).
• Vijayakumar N, Dashti SG, Canterford L, et al. The effects of social media on adolescent mental health: findings from a population-based cohort study in Australia. Med J Aust. 2026. doi:10.5694/mja25.01399.
• Casey BJ, Jones RM, Hare TA. The adolescent brain. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2008;1124:111-126.
• Blakemore SJ, Mills KL. Is adolescence a sensitive period for sociocultural processing? Annu Rev Psychol. 2014;65:187-207.
• Cheng Q, Humphrey N, et al. Social media time does not increase teenagers' mental health problems: findings from a longitudinal cohort study. J Public Health (Oxf). 2026.