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The U.S. Surgeon General released a 2023 advisory on ‘Social Media and Youth Mental Health’.

Below is a summary of the findings:

• Social media use is almost universal among youth—95% of teens and 40% of children ages 8–12 use it.

• Kids and teens commonly encounter harmful or inappropriate content, and using social media more than 3 hours per day doubles the risk of anxiety and depression.

• Young people spend an average of 3.5 hours per day on social media.

• Social media can fuel body dissatisfaction, disordered eating, social comparison, and low self-esteem, especially in girls.

• About 46% of teens say social media makes them feel worse about their body; only 14% say it helps.

• 64% of adolescents often or sometimes see hate-based content.

• Some platforms show self-harm or suicide content, which has been linked to tragic outcomes in youth.

• Many teens use social media late into the night, with about 1 in 3 staying on screens past midnight on school nights.

• Excessive use is linked to poor sleep, shorter sleep, sleep problems, and depression.

• Over one-third of girls ages 11–15 feel “addicted” to certain platforms, and more than half of teens say quitting social media would be difficult.

  source: https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/reports-and-publications/youth-mental-health/social-media/index.html