Young people and social media

Social media has fundamentally changed how young people spend their time, share information and interact with each other. More than six in ten children aged 3-17 (62%) had their own profile on a social media app or site in 2021, rising to more than nine in ten (94%) 16-17-year-olds (reference).

The pandemic meant that young people were online more than ever; with social media allowing us to maintain relationships and feel connected with friends and family while in-person socialising was not possible. Social media also provides opportunities for making new connections. With so many online communities available, young people can interact with like-minded people who share common interests from all around the world.

While providing a lifeline for many, social media use can have an impact on the mental health and wellbeing of young people. In England and Wales, 1 in 5 young people aged 10-15 have reported experiencing online bullying, with the anonymity that social media allows enabling people to circulate harmful messages or posts rapidly.

Social media can also lead to an unhealthy culture of comparison. We are presented with a constant stream of highly curated (often edited) images which present an ‘idealised’ body image of lifestyle, which can harm our own self-esteem. This can be particularly damaging for young people who are trying to establish their own identity, and the constant comparison can leave them feeling they are not enough.

There is little doubt that our online world will only continue to grow. Young people should be empowered to utilise these platforms positively.

Help keeping young people safe online:

• Give children the chance to talk about what they're experiencing online, what apps and sites they use and who they're talking to. Talking regularly, like you would about their day at school, will help your child feel relaxed and mean that when they do have any worries, they’re more likely to come and speak to you.
• Our devices are designed to keep us coming back. Features like infinite scrolling, app notifications, auto play and rewards for playing games every day are all persuasive designs to increase our use. Taking a break sometimes will help switch off from online pressures. You can use the settings on individual apps, or in the device settings to silence notifications or limit use for a period of time but it is also a good idea to sit down together with your child to agree some rules about how much time they spend online, to help them make good decisions for themselves.

For more advice and resources to help young people to manage their mental wellbeing online, visit NSPCC online wellbeing.