Young People and the Problem of Social Media Use

There is a debate raging at the moment in Australia and overseas about the harmful effects of social media upon young people and whether there ought to be limitations placed on the ability of young people to access social media.

The debate centres around the argument that social media is harmful.

There have been a number of studies looking at this issue. One of those studies was conducted by the University of Sydney in 2023, by researching the reported experiences of younger people. It identified that young people report they sometimes have negative online experiences and that they have felt unsafe and unsettled through those experiences.

At the same time, the research indicates that the influence of social media on the lives of young people is complex. It identifies that young people are already applying strategies to keep themselves safe, whilst also acknowledging the greater need for young people, parents and governments to take a more active role in online safety.

The report also suggests that online safety measures must be weighed against an intrinsic right of people, including young people, to access information that they wish to access.

Social Media and Mental Health: A Closer Look at the Data

Clearly, the issue of social media use and online safety amongst young people is a necessary and complex issue to consider.

The Medical Journal of Australia has recently published an article which casts further light on youth mental health and social media. The article notes that there has been a parallel rise in youth mental health issues and social media use. However, I well recall the adage that was drummed into us at university, when I was studying psychology, that “correlation does not equal causation.”

Exploring Correlation and Causation in Social Media’s Impact

As the authors of the MJA article note, simply because there has been a rise in social media use and youth mental health problems does not imply a causal relationship between them. They do not discount the possibility of such a causal relationship or the possibility that social media use may exacerbate mental health problems amongst young people. They argue, however, that social media use is not the root cause of youth mental health issues for the following reasons. Firstly, the rates of increase in youth mental health problems have not been universal and the existence of such a trend has been disputed. Furthermore, longitudinal studies and meta-analyses only reveal small, if any, associations between social media use and mental health issues.

Gender Differences in Social Media’s Influence

Finally, the authors point to the disproportional increase in reported self-harming behaviours amongst young women compared with young men. There is no evidence that young women are more likely to use social media than young men. And there is also no clear evidence that problematic social media use differs in its effect on depression between girls and boys. Accordingly, it is said that increased social media use does not fully explain the greater rise in self-harm among young women.

Evaluating Calls for a Social Media Ban on Young Users

Calls by some groups to impose a blanket ban on child social media use may be well intentioned. However, they may not consider the nuances and complexities of this issue.

For example, there are benefits to young people using social media. Young people are able to use social media to access online resources to better understand their issues and to seek help. It is suggested that especially for minority youth there may be no other accessible source of reputable information, and complete bans could hinder both health literacy development and help-seeking behaviours.

Addressing the Root Cause of Youth Mental Health Issues

There is yet a further perspective to this discussion. Whilst it is a necessary discussion to have, it may be drawing attention away from other more important issues such as the real root cause of youth mental health problems. The problematic use of social media may be a symptom of a wider societal issue or issues.

Perhaps it is those other issues that first need to be addressed.