How Social Media Affects Teens

Social media affects teens in mixed ways. Research links heavy and compulsive use with depression and anxiety symptoms, poor sleep, and body-image concerns, especially in girls. Many teens also say it helps them feel connected and supported.^[2][3]

What researchers still debate is cause. Most studies show that the two travel together, and fewer can show that social media produces the harm. For parents, the more useful question is what your own teen’s use is doing to their sleep, mood, schoolwork, and relationships.^[4][6]

What the Research Says About Social Media and Teen Mental Health

Two national health advisories published in 2023 still frame most of the conversation. Newer survey data and long-term studies have added detail since then.

The Surgeon General’s Advisory

In 2023, the US Surgeon General issued an advisory on social media and youth mental health. It said there is broad scientific agreement that social media can both help and harm children and teens, and that the effects differ from one young person to the next.^[2]

The advisory named two main areas of concern: exposure to harmful content, and excessive or problematic use. It also stated that “we do not have enough evidence to conclude that it is sufficiently safe” for teenagers.^[3][4]

The American Psychological Association’s Health Advisory

The American Psychological Association (APA) released its own health advisory in May 2023. Its starting point is that using social media is “not inherently beneficial or harmful to young people.” The effects depend on what teens see and do online, their existing strengths and vulnerabilities, and the circumstances they grow up in.^[6]

The APA recommended adult monitoring for most social media use in early adolescence, roughly ages 10 to 14, with independence increasing gradually. It also advised that social media should not cut into sleep or physical activity.^[6]

What CDC Survey Data Show

In 2023, CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey asked US high school students about social media frequency for the first time. Students who used it at least several times a day were more likely to report being bullied, persistent sadness or hopelessness, and some measures of suicide risk.^[7]

CDC notes that the survey is cross-sectional, so it cannot show which came first. The same survey found that 40% of high school students had persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness in 2023, and 53% of female students did.^[7][8]

Studies Parents Often Hear About

• Time spent, US teens: A Johns Hopkins study followed 6,595 adolescents. After adjusting for other factors, more than 3 hours a day on social media, compared with no use, was linked with a higher risk of internalizing problems such as depression and anxiety.^[9]
• Sleep and body image, UK 14-year-olds: A study of 10,904 teens found that heavier use was tied to online harassment, poor sleep, low self-esteem, and poor body image, which were in turn tied to depressive symptoms. The links were stronger for girls.^[10]
• Addictive patterns, US preteens: A 2025 study in JAMA followed 4,285 young people from about age 10. Those whose use of social media or phones became increasingly addictive had higher risks of suicidal behaviors and thoughts. Total screen time at the start of the study was not associated with those outcomes.^[12]

Why Researchers Still Disagree About Cause

Some researchers read the same body of evidence more cautiously. An Oxford analysis of three large datasets covering more than 355,000 young people found a negative association between digital technology use and well-being. It was small, explaining at most 0.4% of the variation in well-being. The authors judged the effect too small to justify policy change.^[11]

Both advisories acknowledge these limits. The APA noted that findings suggesting cause and effect are rare, partly because the data needed may sit inside tech companies. The Surgeon General called the relationship “complex and potentially bidirectional,” which leaves open the possibility that teens who are already struggling use social media more.^[4][6]

Small average effects across a population can still hide teens who are struggling. The 2025 JAMA study suggests that addictive patterns of use, such as being unable to stop, may say more about risk than total hours.^[12]

Why Teens May Be More Vulnerable Than Adults

The Surgeon General described adolescence, ages 10 to 19, as a highly sensitive period of brain development. In early adolescence, teens are especially susceptible to social pressure, peer opinions, and comparison.^[2]

The APA added that brain regions tied to wanting attention and feedback from peers become more sensitive in early adolescence, while self-control regions are not fully developed until adulthood.^[6]

There is a real upside too. A majority of teens say social media helps them feel more accepted and more connected to their friends’ lives. The APA noted that online peer support can protect LGBTQIA+ and questioning teens from negative outcomes during stressful periods.^[2][6]

How Platform Design Is Alleged to Drive Compulsive Use

The Surgeon General’s advisory said platforms are often designed to maximize engagement, which can encourage excessive use. It gave examples:^[3]

• Push notifications
• Autoplay
• Infinite scroll
• Likes and other visible measures of popularity
• Algorithms that use personal data to recommend content

The same advisory cited a model estimating that nearly a third (31%) of social media use may come from self-control problems magnified by habit. In a survey of girls ages 11 to 15, one-third or more said they feel “addicted” to a platform.^[3]

These design questions are now at the center of litigation. A federal multidistrict litigation in California involves thousands of lawsuits alleging that Facebook and Instagram “encourage addictive behavior, fail to verify users’ ages, encourage adolescents to bypass parental controls,” and fail to guard against harmful content. Those are allegations, and a federal appeals court’s August 2026 ruling in the case addressed only a procedural question.^[13]

TikTok faces similar claims. When the District of Columbia sued the company in October 2024, it alleged that TikTok’s algorithm keeps young users on the app for hours and contributes to sleep loss, depression, anxiety, and body dysmorphia.^[14] You can follow where these cases stand in the social media addiction lawsuit overview.

Warning Signs a Teen’s Social Media Use Has Become Harmful

The APA recommends that adolescents be screened for “problematic social media use.” Its indicators focus on what the use is doing to a teen’s life:^[6]

• Using social media even when they want to stop, or when it gets in the way of things they need to do
• Going to great lengths to keep constant access
• Strong cravings, or disruption in other activities when they can’t get on
• Repeatedly spending more time than they meant to
• Lying or sneaking to keep using it
• Losing or damaging important relationships or school opportunities

Parents often notice changes at home first. This table pairs common signs with what research connects them to.

If several of these fit, a structured self-check can help you and your teen see the pattern. Try the social media addiction test together, or read more about social media addiction and how it develops.

Body Image and Eating Disorder Concerns

A synthesis of 20 studies found a significant relationship between social media use and body-image concerns and eating disorders, with social comparison as a possible factor. The advisory noted that social media may worsen body dissatisfaction and disordered eating especially among adolescent girls.^[3]

The APA advises teens to limit using social media for comparisons about appearance. It also calls for content that encourages restrictive eating, purging, or excessive exercise to be minimized and reported.^[6]

Watch for excessive dieting or exercise, or a strong fear of gaining weight. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) lists these among signs in teens that call for professional help.^[15]

Self-Harm Content and Suicide Risk

The Surgeon General’s advisory warned that harmful content, including self-harm content, can reach teens through algorithmic recommendations. It may be especially risky for teens who are already struggling with their mental health.^[3]

If your teen has seen this kind of content, stay calm and ask how they are doing. NIMH advises seeking help right away if a child talks about wanting to hurt themselves. Help is available.^[15]

If your teen is being threatened with images or contacted by an adult in a way that worries you, see the kids online safety guides for next steps.

What Parents Can Do

The Surgeon General stressed that protecting kids from social media harms should not fall on parents alone. Still, it lists steps families can take.^[5]

Start With a Conversation

Ask your teen who they connect with, what they see, and how it leaves them feeling. Support them without judgment if they tell you about harassment or unwanted contact.^[5] Early research suggests that limits combined with ongoing conversation and coaching lead to the best outcomes.^[6]

Make a Family Media Plan

Agree on expectations together, including screen time, content boundaries, and what personal information stays private. The American Academy of Pediatrics offers a free Family Media Plan tool.^[5] For age-by-age ideas, see these parental guidelines for teen phone use.

Protect Sleep and Offline Time

The Surgeon General suggests keeping phones and other devices out of use for at least an hour before bedtime and through the night. It also suggests device-free family meals and making in-person time with friends a daily priority. Because kids learn habits from what they see, it encourages parents to model the limits they set.^[5]

Use Settings and Controls

Review privacy settings with your teen and check what time-limit and supervision tools their phone and apps offer. Compare options in these reviews of parental control software. The APA found early support for pairing limits with discussion, and it notes that monitoring should respect a teen’s growing need for privacy.^[6]

Know When to Get Professional Help

NIMH suggests seeking help when a child’s behavior or emotions last for weeks, cause distress, or interfere with school, home, or friendships.^[15] If social media use seems tangled up with those problems, you can find a therapist who understands technology-related concerns.

Guides in This Section

• Social media addiction: how compulsive use develops
• TikTok addiction: the pull of short-form video
• Phone addiction in teenagers: guidelines for healthy digital habits
• Snapchat safety guide for parents
• Social media addiction test: a quick self-check

Lawsuits over teen social media harm

• Social media addiction lawsuit: who is suing and where the cases stand
• Instagram lawsuit: claims against Meta involving teen users
• TikTok lawsuit: allegations involving young users
• Social media addiction trial updates

Sources

1. Office of the Surgeon General. (2023). Social Media and Youth Mental Health: The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory. US Department of Health and Human Services.
2. Office of the Surgeon General. (2023). Social Media Has Both Positive and Negative Impacts on Children and Adolescents. In Social Media and Youth Mental Health: The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory.
3. Office of the Surgeon General. (2023). What Drives Mental Health and Well-Being Concerns: A Snapshot of the Scientific Evidence. In Social Media and Youth Mental Health: The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory.
4. Office of the Surgeon General. (2023). Critical Questions Remain Unanswered. In Social Media and Youth Mental Health: The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory.
5. Office of the Surgeon General. (2023). We Must Take Action: A Way Forward. In Social Media and Youth Mental Health: The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory.
6. American Psychological Association. (2023, May). Health Advisory on Social Media Use in Adolescence.
7. Young, E., McCain, J. L., Mercado, M. C., et al. (2024, October 10). Frequent Social Media Use and Experiences with Bullying Victimization, Persistent Feelings of Sadness or Hopelessness, and Suicide Risk Among High School Students: Youth Risk Behavior Survey, United States, 2023. MMWR Supplements, 73(4).
8. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, August 6). CDC Data Show Improvements in Youth Mental Health but Need for Safer and More Supportive Schools.
9. Riehm, K. E., Feder, K. A., Tormohlen, K. N., et al. (2019). Associations Between Time Spent Using Social Media and Internalizing and Externalizing Problems Among US Youth. JAMA Psychiatry, 76(12), 1266–1273.
10. Kelly, Y., Zilanawala, A., Booker, C., & Sacker, A. (2019). Social Media Use and Adolescent Mental Health: Findings From the UK Millennium Cohort Study. EClinicalMedicine, 6, 59–68.
11. Orben, A., & Przybylski, A. K. (2019). The Association Between Adolescent Well-Being and Digital Technology Use. Nature Human Behaviour, 3(2), 173–182.
12. Xiao, Y., Meng, Y., Brown, T. T., Keyes, K. M., & Mann, J. J. (2025, July 15). Addictive Screen Use Trajectories and Suicidal Behaviors, Suicidal Ideation, and Mental Health in US Youths. JAMA, 334(3), 219–228.
13. U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. (2026, August 10). People of the State of California v. Meta Platforms, Inc. (opinion).
14. Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia. (2024, October 8). Attorney General Schwalb Sues TikTok for Preying on District Children, Operating an Illegal Virtual Economy.
15. National Institute of Mental Health. (n.d.). Children and Mental Health: Is This Just a Stage?
16. 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. (n.d.). 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.