From cyberbullying to shorter attention span, experts have in the past warned parents of the dangers of allowing their kids to spend too much time on social media.
Now, however, a new study has shed light on how damaging social media can be for a young person’s mental health.
A report by the UK’s Office for National Statistics has revealed that children who spend more than three hours a day on social media sites are twice as likely to suffer with mental health issues.
The study showed that kids who spent the majority of their free time on sites like Facebook and Twitter displayed higher levels of emotional problems, hyperactivity and bad behaviour.
Statistically, girls are more likely to spend over three hours on social media (11%, versus 5% of boys).
The report, which described social media sites as ‘ever-present features of social life’ for young people, stated: “While they may provide an additional way to connect with others and form relationships and thus increase children’s mental health, they could also be a source of social comparison, cyber-bullying and isolation, reducing children’s mental health.”
