Social media linked to harmful behaviour in adolescents

Report author says findings support need for guidance on time spent, regulation of health-risk behaviour content, the redesign of social media algorithms, and literacy

A study examining the association between social media use and risky health behaviours in adolescents (10-19 year olds) has revealed that content associated with alcohol, drug and tobacco use, anti-social behaviour, unsafe sexual behaviours, and gambling has the strongest evidence of harm.

Previous reviews identified harmful links between social media and some risky behaviours in university and college students but did not specifically investigate social media or assess the quality of studies. This new study, led by the University of Glasgow and published by the BMJ, analysed over 250 social media measures reported in 73 studies from 1997 to 2022 involving 1.4 million 10–19-year-olds.

Frequent or daily social media use was linked with: higher odds of alcohol consumption (48%), drug use (28%) and tobacco use (85%); risky sexual behaviours (77%); anti-social behaviour (73%); and almost three times the odds of gambling compared with infrequent or non-daily use.

Exposure to risky health behaviour content – such as alcohol advertising– had the strongest evidence of harm, especially for unhealthy eating and alcohol use. Scrolling social media for at least two hours a day doubled the odds of alcohol consumption, and stronger associations were found for adolescents over 16.

Dr Amrit Kaur Purba, lead author of the report and MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit at the University of Glasgow describes her findings as “significant.”

She said: “Although our review was based largely on cross-sectional studies, which measure social media use and health risk behaviours at the same point in time (thus inhibiting the ability to investigate cause and effect), we show that overall social media use may be predominately harmful for young people’s engagement in health risk behaviours.”

“Fortunately, many [students] commit to spending less time on the platforms and this new research provides even stronger reason that they should do so.”

Mark Saxby, Co-Founder of Positive Social, a schools charity helping students and young people navigate social media said, “Research has already shown that teenagers who spend an excessive amount of time on social media are more likely to be stressed, depressed, anxious and sleep-deprived so it’s no wonder social media is now being linked to other negative impacts.

“Many students admit social media does not make them feel good about themselves. Fortunately, many of them commit to spending less time on the platforms and this new research provides even stronger reason that they should do so.”

Lynn Perry MBE, Chief Executive, Barnardo’s said extreme and violent pornography on social media harms children and young people, distorting their views and attitudes towards healthy relationships, sex and consent: “Across the UK we're supporting children and young people who have participated in sexual acts they've seen online, despite feeling uncomfortable or even scared…The introduction of features such as effective age verification are essential to ensure that children are protected online.” 

Most social media measures rely on personal recall, so researchers cannot exclude the influence of other unmeasured factors, like parental health risk behaviours; further study is needed to establish causality, understand effects on health inequalities, and determine which are the most harmful aspects of social media.

Purba concluded, “As platforms move towards the metaverse, exposure to harmful behaviours will become even more immersive and social media use arguably more appealing. Therefore, guidance on time spent, regulation of health-risk behaviour content, the redesign of social media algorithms and literacy is crucial."

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