New large study finds little evidence that social media and gaming cause poor mental health in teens

New large study finds little evidence that social media and gaming cause poor mental health in teens

For years, the narrative surrounding teenagers’ use of digital technology has been one of alarm. Time spent scrolling through TikTok or playing video games is widely seen to be driving the current crisis in youth mental health, fuelling rising rates of anxiety and depression. But our recent study suggests that this simple story of cause and effect is not supported by the evidence. After following more than 25,000 young people in Greater Manchest…

Large-Scale Research Shows Social Media Does Not Cause Teen Harm

Large-scale scientific studies have found no clear causal link between social media use and widespread harm among teenagers, challenging narratives that single out platforms as primary drivers of adolescent mental health crises. Researchers and academic institutions involved in the reviews say evidence does not support sweeping claims that time spent on platforms such as Instagram, […] The post Large-Scale Research Shows Social Media Does Not Ca…

A large-scale study challenges the assumption that social media and gaming drive teens’ mental health problems. Tracking 25,000 adolescents over three years, researchers found little evidence of a direct link between time spent online or gaming and psycho