Social media may be likened to a digital town square, enabling people to connect with one another in an immediate way that transcends geographical distance. But what effect is social media having on teens who are navigating a crucial developmental age? Let’s take a closer look at some of the reasons why social media may be helpful for teens or why social media may be harmful for teens.
It is helpful to go directly to adolescents when evaluating the effect of social media on teens. In fact, 45% of teens surveyed believe social media has a neutral effect, while 31% say it has a mostly positive effect.2 For teens, social media has the potential to offer the following:
- Makes them feel as though they aren’t alone
- Allows self-expression
- Facilitates connections with friends and family
- Enables them to meet new people with the same interests
- Makes it easier to find news and other information
- Allows them to seek support from others
Social media can allow people to feel like they fit in with a group of people. It can also decrease feelings of isolation and loneliness, while increasing the ability to connect with others over shared interests and views. When looking at the potential benefits of social media, it is necessary to draw a line between teens who are actively engaged online and those who are passively browsing.
A study from the University of Missouri found that users who actively post and comment to stay connected with friends and family are likely to find social media beneficial for social health. However, those who use social media for “surveillance” to passively keep up with others rather than posting or commenting are more likely to develop envy of others and increase their risk of depression.3
Social media envy is a widespread phenomenon. Users on social media platforms do not see a complete depiction of the lives of other users. A typical social media user will upload posts about fun vacations, accomplishments and other positive parts of their life.
However, they tend not to post about negative things going on in their life. When a teenager passively looks at these apparently perfect lives, it can inspire feelings of depression and heightened insecurities because their life seems less than perfect.
A study in “Clinical Psychological Science” looked at the social media and electronic device usage among teenagers and compared it to the rate of teen suicide between 2010 and 2015. The researchers discovered that 48% of teenagers who spend at least five hours per day on electronic devices have at least one risk factor of suicide. Only 33% of teens who spend two hours per day online had at least one risk factor.4
However, it is important to note that these data are inconclusive. There is a correlation between social media use and depression or suicide, but this does not mean that social media use is the cause. It is possible that teens who are prone to depression and suicidal ideation are more likely to go on social media for many hours per day.
When considering why social media is harmful for teens, it’s important to explore both sides of the equation. That is, instead of looking solely at how teens may be affected by social media use, you might also consider how the platforms themselves may be pushing a certain narrative on young users.
In 2021, Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen testified in Congress regarding internal company documents allegedly demonstrating that Facebook (a parent company, now named Meta) knew that Instagram could pose mental health risks for children and teens. Among the leaked documents was a study conducted by Facebook showing that 13.5% of girls in the U.K. said that Instagram usage worsened their suicidal thoughts, while another study demonstrated that 17% of teen girls experienced worsening of their eating disorders after using Instagram.5
Teen girls, in particular, may be more likely than teen boys to succumb to a harmful cycle of seeking validation on social media in a way that leads them to compare themselves to unrealistic standards. This, in turn, can worsen mental health.5
Social media platforms like the parent company Meta have been criticized for not doing enough to protect young users. In fact, platforms like Instagram have come under fire for intentionally using “predatory algorithms” that boost negative engagement. Because strong, negative emotions capture users’ attention longer than positive emotions, the algorithms of Instagram are said to be designed to boost negative emotions for the purpose of keeping users on the platform longer, thereby increasing advertising revenue.6
