Youth social media use: Like and subscribe to healthy approaches

In November 2024, Australia passed a new law banning social media use by youth under 16 years of age. The Social Media Minimum Age bill will require social media companies to take “reasonable steps” to prevent the use of their platforms by youth.[1] This legislation aims to protect youth mental health and will be backed by fines of up to C$45 million for failure to comply. Meanwhile, critics have suggested that this approach may be ineffective or even harmful. Is an outright ban necessary amid other available measures? Is it sufficient to prevent harms to youth in a complex social media universe? And what role do health care practitioners have in this area? In short, it’s complicated.

The impacts of social media on youth mental health and well-being are increasingly widely studied; findings show a litany of negative effects linked to social media use, including addiction-like experiences such as uncontrolled use, neglect of other activities, and withdrawal during pauses in engagement.[2] A growing body of research describes dose–response relationships between social media use and symptoms of anxiety and depression, as well as inattention and distractibility.[3] These effects are familiar to many: the experience of negative cognitive impacts flowing from social media use has become so pervasive that a term describing the experience—brain rot—was named Oxford’s word of the year for 2024. Many social media platforms and features are addictive by design. It has been demonstrated that compulsive social media use engages similar reward pathways as other addictive behaviors. Users may be particularly vulnerable to these effects during adolescence, a crucial period of neurological development.

Weighing the mounting evidence and identifying a need for action, the US surgeon general issued an advisory noting “growing evidence that social media is associated with harm to young people’s mental health” and recommending protective action by policymakers, technology companies, parents, and youth themselves.[4] In BC, the provincial government passed a law restricting students’ use of digital devices in the classroom, with stated aims including support for mental health, social connection, and distraction-free learning.[5]

On the other hand, evidence suggests that youth may also experience benefits from social media, including feelings of acceptance and connection.[4] Potentially isolated young people can find others who share interests and experiences, either across town or around the world. Discussing life challenges with online connections distant from family and local friends may be less awkward for some, and in some cases it may indeed be safer. The positive and negative effects of social media play out in the context of identity and environment, and evidence suggests that supportive aspects of social media may be particularly positive for racialized, disabled, and transgender people. Experiences of social media are as varied as the myriad platforms and diverse populations of users.

Health care practitioners can anticipate and respond to the rapid evolution of social media use among youth. In primary care, pediatric, and psychiatric contexts, screening and counseling for harmful social media use may become as fundamental as discussions on drug use. Public health authorities should use emerging evidence to inform policymakers, with attention to potential restrictions on use by youth, more nuanced interventions in the online environment, investment in early childhood development, prevention of traumatic adverse childhood events, and promotion of healthy social connections.

No single law, digital feature, or offline program will be protective against all potential harms of social media among youth. Instead, a variety of complementary options will be necessary. We may not be able to delete all negative aspects of youth social media use, but as a society, we can block many harmful impacts by applying health-promoting policy and practice.
—Michael Schwandt, MD, MPH, FRCPC

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References

1.    Kaye B, Menon P. Australia passes social media ban for children under 16. Reuters. Updated 28 November 2024. Accessed 4 December 2024. www.reuters.com/technology/australia-passes-social-media-ban-children-under-16-2024-11-28.

2.    The Lancet. Unhealthy influencers? Social media and youth mental health. Lancet 2024;404(10461):1375. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(24)02244-X.

3.    Weigle PE, Shafi RMA. Social media and youth mental health. Curr Psychiatry Rep 2024;26:1-8. doi: 10.1007/s11920-023-01478-w.

4.    Office of the Surgeon General. Social media and youth mental health: The U.S. Surgeon General’s advisory. 2023. Accessed 5 December 2024. www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/sg-youth-mental-health-social-media-advisory.pdf.

5.    Government of British Columbia. Cell phone restrictions in schools. Updated 10 September 2024. Accessed 5 December 2024. www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/education-training/k-12/cellphones-in-schools.