How young is too young for social media? Behavioural scientists are closer to an answer

According to new research, using Instagram or Snapchat before the age of 11 is linked to more problematic digital behaviours compared to those who join these platforms at an older age. The study published in Computers in Human Behaviour also found that parental restrictions on phone use and checking social media improved some of the negative effects.

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Researchers surveyed around 1,000 middle schoolers in the northeast U.S. regarding social media use, digital behaviours and parental restrictions on phone usage. During the study, the team found that early adolescents engaged in more negative digital behaviours such as online bullying or harassment.

As per the findings, the minimum age to use social media should be at least 13 years. Children and teens may also benefit from a strategy that involves tracking and limiting the use of social media and setting rules about screen time, researchers concluded.

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