- New research indicates children who spend more than three hours daily on social media are more likely to develop symptoms of depression and anxiety as teenagers.
- Experts from Imperial College London suggest that sleep disruption, particularly on school nights, is a primary factor contributing to these mental health effects.
- The study, which analysed data from 2,350 London schoolchildren between 2014 and 2018, found a clear trend between social media use and mental health outcomes.
- Researchers emphasise the complex relationship between social media and mental health, advocating for digital literacy and sleep awareness in schools.
- While there are calls for a ban on social media for under-16s, experts caution that current evidence does not fully support such outright prohibitions, suggesting more research is needed.
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