By Ann Garland, Ph.D.
Parents are flooded with warnings about the negative effects of social media on children and teens. Australia just passed a law prohibiting use of social media for youth under age 16. Other countries, as well as some U.S. states, are drafting similar laws. These actions are driven by evidence that social media use can be addictive and excessive use can interfere with healthy physical activity, sleep, schoolwork, and in-person socialization. Online bullying and social comparison can also be very detrimental to mental health. The risks are clear, but what is a parent to do when social media use is now so universal?
A recent national survey indicates that virtually all teens ages 13-17 use social media and about half report that they are online “almost constantly” (Pew Research Center, 2024). Ninety percent of youth report using YouTube, with slightly fewer using TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat. Banning access to these platforms when virtually everyone is using them seems daunting if not impossible. A more realistic approach may be to structure use of social media to minimize the harmful effects and boost the beneficial uses.
Common sense strategies to limit our children’s use of social media start with modeling disciplined use ourselves, setting and consistently enforcing limits during specific times of the day or night (eg., during meals or after homework, etc.), and intentionally discussing social media content with our kids in a curious and open manner. Parental control tools, many of which are free, are also available to limit a child’s online activity. (see this website for recommendations:https://www.pcmag.com/picks/apple-vs-google-vs-microsoft-who-has-the-best-free-parental-controls).
Believe it or not social media does offer some beneficial uses that may be overlooked with all the attention to the harm. For youth who feel socially isolated, social media can be a lifeline. Loneliness is a major risk factor for mental health challenges and while in-person connections may be optimal, digital connections can be essential. Mental health professionals are also developing accessible and effective ways to share valuable therapeutic content about mental health wellness with youth on social media and through other digital platforms. For example, Dr. Jessica Schleider’s Lab for Scalable Mental Health offers free online evidence-based mental health tools for youth ages 11-17. (https://www.schleiderlab.org/yes.html). Innovative professionals in the growing field of digital mental health recognize the reality that youth are oriented to online communication and information gathering so we need to do whatever we can to limit harmful content and promote beneficial content. As parents, we should speak to our children and teens directly about this “risk to benefit” balance.
Pew Research Center, December 2024, “Teens, Social Media and Technology 2024”
https://www.pcmag.com/picks/the-best-parental-control-software
For more information on this topic: https://www.apa.org/topics/social-media-internet/social-media-parent-tips