For years, the debate around teenagers and social media has been framed as a simple question: is it good or bad for kids? But research suggests the answer may be far more nuanced.
A study tracking more than 100,000 students over three years found teenagers who used social media in moderation reported the strongest wellbeing outcomes, while both heavy users and teens who avoided social media altogether were more likely to struggle.
Researchers say the findings challenge the idea that banning social media is automatically better for young people’s mental health.
Lead author Dr Ben Singh from Adelaide University says social media’s relationship with teen wellbeing is complex, varies by age and sex, and should not be viewed in black and white terms.
“Public debate often frames social media as being harmful to teenagers’ wellbeing, but our findings suggest the reality is far more nuanced,” Dr Singh said. “For girls, we found that moderate use of social media was linked to better wellbeing in their middle teenage years (grades 7-9; ages 12-15) and onwards.”
It was the opposite for boys, with those not using social media as they grew older at risk of poorer wellbeing, Dr Singh noted.
“In the younger years, not using social media had little impact on wellbeing, because children’s offline interactions can sufficiently meet their social needs,” he said. “But by middle adolescence, social media becomes a key setting for peer connections, identity expression and belonging, making engagement in this space more important.”
Overall, the study found that the strongest outcomes were among teenagers who used social media in moderation.
“These teens were far more likely to report positive wellbeing than those who had too much or too little social media engagement,” Dr Singh said. “It’s a real Goldilocks scenario – not too little and not too much social media is best for teenagers’ wellbeing.”
While the research showed that social media is neither inherently harmful nor inherently beneficial for teenagers, it also reinforced concerns about high levels of use.
Teenagers who reported the greatest social media use after school were consistently more likely to experience low wellbeing, including higher levels of sadness, worry and difficulty managing emotions.
“What the data points to is moderation, not extremes, as the healthiest pattern overall,” Dr Singh said.
“Helping teenagers find a healthy middle ground may be more effective than a blanket ban or total avoidance.”