- For better or worse, social media has become an intrinsic part of adolescence. A majority of teens use YouTube (95%), TikTok (67%), Instagram (62%) and Snapchat (59%), according to a Pew Research Center survey of American teenagers ages 13 to 17.
- In light of some studies linking social media use with an increase in teens’ mental health problems, including depression and anxiety, the American Psychological Association (APA) has released its first-ever Health Advisory on Social Media Use in Adolescence.
- Written by a panel of psychological scientists, the advisory presents recommendations based on social media’s impact on young users’ “social, educational, psychological and neurological development.”
