New research from Adelaide University suggests moderate social media use among Australian teenagers may be associated with better wellbeing than either heavy use or complete avoidance, adding nuance to the ongoing debate over restrictions for under-16s.
The study, published in JAMA Pediatrics, identified a “sweet spot” of up to 12.5 hours per week of social media use that was linked to more positive wellbeing outcomes.
Researchers cautioned the findings should not be interpreted as social media being inherently beneficial. The data showed both high levels of use and not using social media were associated with poorer wellbeing.
Lead author Dr Ben Singh from Adelaide University said the relationship between social media and teen wellbeing varied by age and sex and should not be viewed in “black-and-white terms.”
“Public debate often frames social media as being harmful to teenagers’ wellbeing, but our findings suggest the reality is far more nuanced,” Singh said.
According to Singh, moderate social media use was linked to better wellbeing for girls from middle adolescence (grades 7–9; ages 12–15) and onwards. For boys, the study found that not using social media as they grew older was associated with a risk of poorer wellbeing.
In younger years, the study found not using social media had little impact on wellbeing, which Singh attributed to offline interactions being sufficient to meet social needs. By middle adolescence, the research suggests social media becomes a more important setting for peer connection, identity expression and belonging.
The study analysed data from more than 100,000 Australian children and teenagers in grades 4–12 across a three-year period (2019–2022), examining how time spent on social media related to measures including happiness, life satisfaction, emotional regulation and other indicators of wellbeing.
While the findings did not support a simple “harmful versus helpful” framing, they also reinforced concerns about heavy use. Singh said teenagers reporting the greatest social media use after school were more likely to experience low wellbeing, including higher levels of sadness, worry and difficulty managing emotions.
“What the data points to is moderation, not extremes, as the healthiest pattern overall,” Singh said. “Helping teenagers find a healthy middle ground may be more effective than a blanket ban or total avoidance.”
