New research from Australian Catholic University (ACU) argues that adolescents are active, discerning users of social media and online gaming, not passive victims of algorithms. This challenges a narrative that has driven a wave of restrictive policy responses worldwide.
The ACU review, published in June 2026, examined 90 studies across 26 countries, centring young people's own accounts of their digital lives. Lead author Dr Chloe Gordon said online spaces are embedded in how adolescents learn, connect and understand their own identities, rather than existing separately from the rest of their lives.
The findings emerge four months after Australia's under-16 social media restrictions took effect in December 2025. The legislation bars children under 16 from holding social media accounts on platforms including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat. Platforms face fines of up to $54.6 million for failing to take reasonable steps to comply.
The ACU study is consistent with research from Adelaide University, which found that teens thrive on moderate social media use.
Teens described as active curators, not passive users
The ACU review found adolescents understand how platform algorithms function and actively use that knowledge to shape their own feeds, including unfollowing accounts, deleting apps and prioritising content that felt positive or affirming. Gordon said this finding runs counter to assumptions embedded in much current policy debate.
"This contradicts the view that young people are passive users who are easily influenced by social media," she said. "In reality, they make active choices, which tells us that we as educators can help guide young people to make good decisions in digital spaces."
That framing echoes accounts from teenagers themselves in coverage of the Australian ban's early months. Fifteen-year-old Ezra Sholl developed a nerve condition after Hodgkin's lymphoma left him unable to pursue former hobbies. He described social media as central to maintaining his social world.
"Social media has really kind of filled that void in my social life, and it's given me the avenue to still be friends with my friends, make new friends, feel connected with the wider world," he told PBS NewsHour in March.
The ACU review grouped its positive findings into three themes:
- autonomy, including self-expression and identity exploration
- competence, including learning and skill development
- relatedness, including friendships and belonging
Gordon said these benefits were particularly pronounced among underrepresented adolescents, including LGBTQI+ young people who connected with supportive networks. Others who benefited were culturally and linguistically diverse students who used platforms to maintain cultural ties.
Researchers divided on policy response
Not all researchers share the ACU team's emphasis. University of Queensland researcher Michael Noetel, whose research has examined links between screen time and children's socioemotional wellbeing, supported stronger measures to address potential harms associated with social media use.
"Young people are facing more and more mental health problems than any previous generation," he told PBS NewsHour. "Mental health problems are so debilitating that we really need to throw everything at it."
Gordon acknowledged the importance of addressing online risks but argued that policy discussions have become skewed toward fear-based responses. "Debates around adolescents' internet use have become increasingly dominated by narratives of fear and global policy responses increasingly emphasise risk reduction and harm prevention," she said. "While important, it is equally critical to understand how digital technologies can be harnessed to support positive psychological, social and educational development."
For educators, the findings underline the need to balance risk-focused policies with approaches that actively support positive digital engagement while still addressing genuine harms.