Researchers at Imperial College London found that children exceeding three hours of daily social media use are more likely to develop mental health problems like depression and anxiety. The relationship between platforms and mental health is complex, with sleep disruption identified as a primary factor driving these effects. Excessive social media use is causing unhappiness among young people worldwide, though the impact is worse in English-speaking countries and Western Europe. Overall happiness levels in the UK are at their lowest since the World Happiness Report began in 2012. According to Dr. Chen Shen, a researcher at Imperial's school of public health, the relationship is not as straightforward as direct causation, but children using social media above a certain level in year seven are more likely to develop problems in years nine and ten, largely due to sustained sleep disruptions.
The study analyzed data from the Study of Cognition, Adolescents and Mobile Phones (Scamp), involving 2,350 children from 31 schools across London. Researchers suggest the mental health impacts could stem from sleeping less, particularly on school nights, and going to sleep later. Professor Mireille Toledano, principal investigator of Scamp, stated that their analysis shows a clear trend between time spent on social media and mental health outcomes, noting that children using apps longer and later may offset needed sleep. The average social media usage time in the data is about two-and-a-half hours, according to Prof. Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, director of the Wellbeing Research Centre.
Platform differences significantly affect wellbeing, with algorithm-driven apps like Instagram and TikTok worse for mental health than connection-focused platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp, according to the World Happiness Report. The type and duration of social media use have a significant impact on user wellbeing. A study across 17 Latin American countries found frequent use of WhatsApp and Facebook was associated with higher life satisfaction, while use of X, Instagram, and TikTok led to lower happiness and mental health problems. Another study in the Middle East and North Africa also found that passive, visual apps filled with influencer content were more problematic.
Limited social media use of an hour or less daily leads to higher life satisfaction than no use at all, excluding those without internet access. Prof. De Neve described this as a 'Goldilocks proposition – not too much, not too little,' with positive moderate use being optimal. In response to concerns, Australia has implemented a total ban on social media for under-16s, covering Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X but excluding messaging apps like WhatsApp. Prof. De Neve called this a critical test of a complete ban, urging other countries to note the results before acting.
Platform algorithms have shifted from connecting people to optimizing scrolling, with fewer than one in five top posts on Instagram, Facebook, X, Bluesky, and TikTok coming from someone users actually know, according to an IPPR analysis. Just one in ten posts on TikTok and X are from friends and family. The IPPR report states there has been a fundamental change in how platforms work; they no longer primarily connect people but keep users scrolling, with influencers and celebrities promoted because users spend longer watching them and are more likely to spend money. Sofia Ropek-Hewson, a senior research fellow with the IPPR, said social media was once about connecting with friends but is now about watching strangers and being sold to, shaping society and increasing isolation.
Political differences exist in social media consumption, with only 13% of Reform UK voters seeing content from someone they know, compared to 23% of Green party voters, according to IPPR researchers. The IPPR is calling for the BBC to join European public service broadcasters in creating a new social media platform as an alternative to tech giants' profit-driven services. The think tank also calls for amending the Online Safety Act to tackle manipulative algorithmic design and requiring platforms to promote content from charities, community groups, and public bodies.
Research limitations include the need for updated studies, as the social media landscape has changed dramatically since data was collected between 2014 and 2018. Dr. Shen noted that platforms have changed enormously over the last decade and will likely change more in the next five to ten years. The findings support developing a secondary school curriculum to raise awareness of digital literacy and sleep, but more studies may be needed. It remains unclear how social media companies plan to address algorithm concerns or what long-term effects beyond teenage years exist, and the effectiveness of interventions like digital literacy programs is not fully known.
In global happiness rankings, Finland topped the leaderboard for the ninth consecutive year, with the UK in 29th place, down from 23rd last year, according to the World Happiness Report. The specific policy changes governments are considering in response to these findings, and the role of parental controls in moderating children's usage, are not detailed in the available reports.