{"id":17130,"date":"2026-01-22T19:43:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-22T19:43:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/yohrt.com\/news\/large-scale-studies-fail-to-link-social-media-use-to-teen-harms\/"},"modified":"2026-01-22T19:43:00","modified_gmt":"2026-01-22T19:43:00","slug":"large-scale-studies-fail-to-link-social-media-use-to-teen-harms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/yohrt.com\/news\/large-scale-studies-fail-to-link-social-media-use-to-teen-harms\/","title":{"rendered":"#\n                Large Scale Studies Fail To Link Social Media Use to Teen Harms"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/yohrt.com\/news\/large-scale-studies-fail-to-link-social-media-use-to-teen-harms\/#Large_Scale_Studies_Fail_To_Link_Social_Media_Use_to_Teen_Harms\" >Large Scale Studies Fail To Link Social Media Use to Teen Harms<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Large_Scale_Studies_Fail_To_Link_Social_Media_Use_to_Teen_Harms\"><\/span>\n                Large Scale Studies Fail To Link Social Media Use to Teen Harms<br \/>\n            <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<div>\n<div class=\"text-to-speech\">\n    <button class=\"text-to-speech__button button\"><br \/>\n        <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"text-to-speech__button__icon\" src=\"https:\/\/www.socialmediatoday.com\/static\/img\/play.svg?500116090725\" alt=\"\"\/><br \/>\n        Listen to the article<br \/>\n        <span class=\"text-to-speech__button__audio-length\">5 min<\/span><br \/>\n    <\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"text-to-speech__controls\">\n        <audio controls=\"\" class=\"js-text-to-speech\" preload=\"none\"><source src=\"https:\/\/text-to-speech.divecdn.com\/newspost\/810281\/2026-01-23_09.18.06\/large-scale-studies-fail-to-link-social-media-use-to-teen-harms.wav\" type=\"audio\/mp3\"><\/source><\/audio><\/p>\n<div class=\"text-to-speech__controls__text\">\n            This audio is auto-generated. Please let us know if you have feedback.\n        <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>While calls for increased social media restrictions for teens are rising, with many nations now <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/asia-pacific\/australia-europe-countries-move-curb-childrens-social-media-access-2025-12-09\/\" style=\"color:#0563c1\">looking to follow Australia\u2019s lead<\/a> in enacting higher age limits, two new studies (highlighted by <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.techdirt.com\/2026\/01\/21\/two-major-studies-125000-kids-the-social-media-panic-doesnt-hold-up\/\" style=\"color:#0563c1\">TechDirt<\/a>) have added more fuel to the debate, with both showing that social media isn\u2019t definitively harmful for teens.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>In fact, in many cases, it\u2019s the opposite.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>The <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/jamanetwork.com\/journals\/jamapediatrics\/article-abstract\/2843720\" style=\"color:#0563c1\">first new study<\/a>, which was conducted by researchers from the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span><span><span><span>University of South Australia, and incorporates responses from over 100k Australian teens over a period of three years, found that heavy social media usage can indeed be linked to bad outcomes, and poorer mental health. But for the majority of users, social media usage is actually a positive, with teens deriving significant benefit from online connection. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>As per <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/jamanetwork.com\/journals\/jamapediatrics\/article-abstract\/2843720\" style=\"color:#0563c1\">the report<\/a>:\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><em><span><span><span><span>\u201c<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em><em><span><span>Moderate social media use was associated with the best well-being outcomes, while both no use and highest use were associated with poorer well-being. For girls, moderate use became most favorable from middle adolescence onward, while for boys, no use became increasingly problematic from mid-adolescence, exceeding risks of high use by late adolescence.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span>The theory here is that as kids reach mid-adolescence, social media <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.abc.net.au\/news\/2026-01-16\/new-report-social-media-on-teens-mental-health\/106224780\" style=\"color:#0563c1\">becomes a more central element of how friendships are maintained<\/a>, which means that having no access can lead to negative outcomes.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span>Which is interesting in the context of the current social media ban discussions, many of which are focused on increasing the age of access to 16. The data from this report shows that this could have a negative impact, but then again, some element of these findings relates to exclusion, in that older teens lose out by not being able to stay in touch. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span>But if all of their friends are also banned, that could be reduced. But if they\u2019re connecting with older teens\u2026<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span>Basically, the data shows that there\u2019s no one-size-fits-all approach that best aligns with the research, though heavy social media usage, it suggests, should be limited.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span>Maybe, then, a more effective approach would be social app usage limits for younger teens, or a broader campaign to raise awareness of parental controls.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>The <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/jpubhealth\/advance-article\/doi\/10.1093\/pubmed\/fdaf150\/8371934?login=false\" style=\"color:#0563c1\">second study<\/a> was conducted by the University of Manchester, which looked at the social media usage habits of 25 kids aged between 11 and 14, and it also concluded that there\u2019s no definitive link between social media and gaming time spent, and negative mental health outcomes.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>As per the <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/jpubhealth\/advance-article\/doi\/10.1093\/pubmed\/fdaf150\/8371934?login=false\" style=\"color:#0563c1\">report<\/a>:<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><em><span><span><span><span>\u201c<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em><em><span><span><span>The lack of evidence linking social media use or gaming frequency to later internalizing symptoms suggests that these activities may not play a causal role in the development of adolescent mental health difficulties. Our findings challenge the widespread assumption that time spent on these technologies is inherently harmful and highlight the need for more nuanced perspectives that consider the context and individual differences in their use.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>So, similar to the Australian study, the data essentially shows that different people will have different outcomes, in some cases good, some bad, but that the evidence, based on a very large data set, does not support the idea that social media, or gaming in this second report, leads to mental health impacts. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Of course, this is nothing new. Many studies have been conducted seeking definitive correlations between social media usage and mental health impacts, and all of them have essentially found the same, that some people, particularly heavy users, are more susceptible to harm, while for the majority, the connective benefits largely outweigh any risks. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Which points to the fact that we should be investing in digital literacy education instead, and accepting the reality that online connection is now a critical element of social interaction more broadly, and no matter what people might hope for, we\u2019re not going back to a pre-internet time.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>This out-of-date perspective was highlighted in Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese\u2019s statement ahead of the enactment of Australia\u2019s under-16 social media ban, with <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.news.com.au\/technology\/online\/social\/anthony-albanese-urges-teens-to-read-a-book-learn-an-instrument-ahead-of-social-media-ban\/news-story\/dde6fa8d284912114c0a3da1f834c45e\" style=\"color:#0563c1\">Albanese suggesting that kids<\/a> <\/span><\/span><\/span><span><span><span><span>\u201cstart a new sport, learn a new instrument, or read that book\u201d as alternatives to social media use.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>That\u2019s not happening. No matter how much you might think it\u2019s better for them, or how much you might prefer it, <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span><span><span>kids <\/span><\/span><\/span><span><span>aren\u2019t going back to kicking a ball and building cubby houses, they\u2019ll just find another online service which enables them to connect. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span>Because online connection is now a part of the structure of our society, and it\u2019s only logical that we operate with that principle in mind.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span>Yet, politicians see attacking social media as an easy win, because older voters believe it to be the enemy, as the key difference between then and now, and as such, the main focus for their ire at the state of the world. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span>And social media has been harmful, but more so to older users than youngsters who\u2019ve grown up with it. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span>Older users are <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2026\/01\/why-are-older-adults-more-likely-to-share-misinformation-online\/\" style=\"color:#0563c1\">more likely to spread misinformation<\/a>, are <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thecareside.com.au\/post\/ai-content-detection-study\/\" style=\"color:#0563c1\">more likely to believe AI fakes<\/a>, and <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ftc.gov\/news-events\/data-visualizations\/data-spotlight\/2025\/08\/false-alarm-real-scam-how-scammers-are-stealing-older-adults-life-savings\" style=\"color:#0563c1\">fall for more scams<\/a> online than younger audiences.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span>Younger audiences are more skeptical, more wary, and generally have a better sense of such due to growing up in the digital world. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span>Of course, these are in variance to the mental health impacts, which are the main focus of concern, but again, the evidence suggests that the real impacts of social media are being felt due to older people being impacted by such, as opposed to younger groups.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span>Which, again, points to the need for improved digital literacy training, at all levels, to ensure that people are aware of concerns, that they question what they see, and are conscious of limiting their use.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span>Basically, you can\u2019t spend all day online, you do need to break out of those bubbles where you can, and that applies to all age groups.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span>As such, teen social media use, in itself, shouldn\u2019t be the main focus of concern. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/yohrt.com\/news\/social-media\/\" target=\"_blank\" >Social Media<\/a><\/span> category.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.socialmediatoday.com\/news\/large-scale-studies-fail-to-link-social-media-use-to-teen-harms\/810281\/\" target=\"_blank\" >Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Large Scale Studies Fail To Link Social Media Use to Teen Harms Listen to the article 5 min This audio is auto-generated. Please let us know if you have feedback. While calls for increased social media restrictions for teens are rising, with many nations now looking to follow Australia\u2019s lead in enacting higher age limits,&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":17131,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/imgproxy.divecdn.com\/n8f4-IU2C-P0TdAEOvCZoLhqKZ-pRXCbvQS4voKWG-s\/g:ce\/rs:fit:770:435\/Z3M6Ly9kaXZlc2l0ZS1zdG9yYWdlL2RpdmVpbWFnZS9HZXR0eUltYWdlcy0yMjEwMjU2MzA1LmpwZw==.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[1456],"class_list":["post-17130","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-social-media","tag-social-media-updates"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/yohrt.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17130","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/yohrt.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/yohrt.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yohrt.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yohrt.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17130"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/yohrt.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17130\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yohrt.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17131"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/yohrt.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17130"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yohrt.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17130"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yohrt.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17130"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}