A new Australian study is adding more weight to the argument against social media. And it’s even revealing how just how much social media is too much for teenagers. Research led by the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute found that adolescents who spent at least two hours a day on social media were more likely to experience depressive symptoms and poorer wellbeing one year later than those who used social platforms for less than one hour a day.
The study does not prove that social media directly caused those mental health problems. But the link is notable because the research followed young people over time instead of just relying on data from a short-term study.
Early adolescence looks like the danger zone
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The study followed almost 1,200 children in Melbourne from age nine to 19 as part of the Child to Adult Transition Study. Researchers collected annual data on social media use and mental health outcomes, including depression, anxiety, and self-harm. The strongest association was noted in girls aged 12 to 13, which researchers describe as a critical window for intervention. Dr Nandi Vijayakumar of MCRI and Deakin University said early adolescence stood out as a period when heavier social media use was linked to a greater risk of mental health problems one year later.
Ages 12 and 13 are often when phones, social apps, peer pressure, and other factors start crashing into each other at once. So even a modest rise in risk can matter when millions of young people are exposed to the same platforms every day.
Why simply deleting every app doesn’t help
In the study, researchers were also careful not to flatten the issue entirely. Social media can help some teenagers with belonging, finding self-expression, and building support systems through friendships, which is also crucial for young people who may not easily find those communities offline. At the same time, high usage can also mean more exposure to cyberbullying, harmful content, and social comparisons that can lead to sleep disruption and pressure to stay available.
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Professor Susan Sawyer from MCRI said the results do not show social media is universally harmful, but they do support age-appropriate limits, better digital literacy, and clearer parental guidance. Professor Susan Sawyer from MCRI stated that the results do not show that social media is universally harmful. But the group does support age-appropriate limits, along with better digital literacy and clearer parental guidance.
The findings also arrive as governments continue to debate age restrictions and platform rules for young users. Australia has already introduced world-first social media age restrictions, and MCRI and Deakin University are separately studying how those changes affect teens’ phone use and mental health.
