What parents should know about new research on social media risks for teens | Expert Opinion
A healthy digital future is more than regulating social media; it includes parents and teens engaging in honest conversations about social media and its impact on us all.
The Surgeon General recently released an advisory report about how social media use affects youth mental health.
As social media grew up with our children, the benefits or harms were unclear. But there is growing evidence that social media use may harm the developing brains of children. Potential health effects include increased symptoms of depression, anxiety, ADHD, self-harm, and eating disorders.
It’s impractical to think that you can monitor everything teens do on social media, considering how much time they spend online and their savviness in navigating the digital world. A healthy digital future is more than regulating social media; it includes parents and teens engaging in honest conversations about social media and its impact on us all.
Here’s what to consider.
If your children are like mine, they are telling you they need to be on social media because everyone else is. Is that true?
The lure of scrolling through curated images and videos is hard to avoid at all ages. According to the Surgeon General’s report, up to 95% of youth ages 13-17 said they used a social media platform. Nearly 40% of children ages 8-12 also use social media. With social media engagement inevitable, parents need to start considering how — rather than if — their children will use it.
Once your child starts using social media, how much is too much?
One third of teens say they use social media “almost constantly.” A large study of children aged 12-15 found that spending more than three hours per day on social media doubled the risk of poor mental health outcomes. Signs that social media use is problematic include disruption of sleep, limited exercise or time outdoors, dropping grades, or changes in mood. There is no one-size-fits all approach for how much media time is too much, which is why it is important for families to develop a media plan that balances screen time with other activities.
What do teens say about why they use social media?
Many of my patients report that social media can help them feel connected to and engaged in a community larger than their lived experience. This is especially true for marginalized youth, who may find community in a broader online network. Many of my patients use social media to dance, sing, or learn new skills. Social media can also be a method for staying in touch with extended family members and friends who live far away. Teens at risk for mental health disorders should be especially careful with media consumption, but social media can also connect them to mental health resources and destigmatize mental health treatment.
What is the Surgeon General’s advice for parents?
The Surgeon General’s suggestions for parents include delaying the introduction of social media, teaching about the risks involved, modeling healthy boundaries, reporting online harassment, and setting norms with other parents.
How do you do this with your family?
While my children are not yet on social media, we are proactively preparing by setting expectations and rules using the AAP Media Use Plan. We try to follow the Surgeon General’s guidelines, including tech-free meals and bedrooms, educating about risks of cyber bullying and online predators, and partnering with other parents to set community standards. Before buying a smartphone, our tween used a smartwatch, which had no apps and a limited address book for texting and calling. After getting a smartphone, we set parental controls including permission needed to download apps and screen time limits. I try to moderate my own social media use around my children and discuss how it may affect my mood.
Katie Lockwood is a pediatrician with the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and associate professor of pediatrics at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.