SCREENS & TEENS
The Pew Research Center recently found that 93% of U.S. teens aged 13-17 use social media, and spend an average of 4 hours and 8 minutes on it daily.
The U.S. Surgeon General raised alarms about the mental health implications of excessive social media use among adolescents. The advisory called for warning labels on social media platforms similar to those on tobacco products to highlight potential risks to youth mental health. Some of the key takeaways from the advisory include:
- Among 13 to 17-year-olds, up to 95% use social media, with one-third of teenagers saying they use social media “almost constantly.”1,2
- Children and adolescents who spend more than 3 hours a day on social media face double the risk of mental health problems including experiencing symptoms of depression and anxiety.
- When asked about the impact of social media on their body image, 46% of adolescents aged 13-17 said social media makes them feel worse.
We don’t yet have sufficient data demonstrating that social media is safe for children’s and adolescents’ mental health. We must better understand the answers to key questions, such as, which types of content are most harmful and what factors can protect young people from the negative effects of social media.
So, while we may not know all of the mental health impacts of social media, we must acknowledge its negative effects and take steps to protect young people from them.
Read the full article here: https://thereachinstitute.org
| 
