Research shows link between teen mental health and time spent on social media

Fresh research from a leading mental health organisation has confirmed a link between social media use and teen mental health.

Black Dog Institute researcher Dr Aliza Werner-Seidler, appearing at a parliamentary hearing into social media on Tuesday, said a 2023 study of 4000 teenagers showed “an association between total time spent and their mental health symptoms”.

“Higher symptoms of depression, higher symptoms of insomnia, indications of disordered eating,” she said.

“It’s cross-sectional data, so we don’t know what causes what, but there is a relationship there and that is consistent with other research that has been done in Australia and around the world.”

She also said the research showed social media could benefit teenagers if it was used “primarily” as a source of connection.

“Young people who primarily reported using social media to connect with friends or peers, reported greater levels of well being and lower levels of depression and anxiety,” she said.

The study surveyed 15 and 16-year-olds across 145 schools nationwide and comes as the parliament’s joint select committee on social media and Australian society considers raising age verification for kids accessing digital platforms.

At the Committee’s hearing on Monday, the Australian Parents Council and the Heads Up Alliance pleaded with the government to raise the age limit to 18.

“We’ve lost the power to parent,” Australian Parents Council vice-president Karen Robertson told the committee.

“Tech companies now own our children.”

An 18-year threshold would go beyond the 14-16 years age bracket the government is considering and would place social media use alongside voting, gambling and alcohol consumption as a strictly adult activity.

On Tuesday, the Black Dog Institute cautioned against a blanket ban on social media, arguing it could also deliver some benefits to teens.

Dr Sandersan Onie said social media could offer teens a positive avenue for help-seeking and its dangers needed to be assessed at a granular level.

“I feel when we talk about social media platforms as a whole, it’s like talking about medication without discussing the active ingredients,” he said.

“What is dangerous about social media?

“Is it the user interface, is it the user experience, is it the commenting function, the scroll function?

“What are the different components within social media that make it dangerous?

“And when we understand, we are able to break down these different components, that’s when I feel we can really target and reduce what is harmful about it.”

“If we are able to harness and really boost the positive aspects of social media, we would be able to increase public health messaging,” he continued.

“Because there is no other means in our current time to show what is helpful and what is evidence based, on the scale we have, other than social media and internet platforms.”

The committee, led by Newcastle Labor MP Sharon Claydon, is investigating the use of social media age verification for Australian children, tech giant Meta’s decision to withdraw from the News Media Bargaining Code, the role of journalism, news and public interest media to counter misinformation and disinformation on digital platforms, how algorithms and recommender systems influence what Australians see and other issues related to harmful or illegal content disseminated over platforms, including child abuse material.

A final report from the committee is expected in November.

Dr Werner-Seidler said her research would be released in 2025.