The growing movement advocating for social media bans for youth, particularly those under 16, reflects understandable concerns about mental health. Parents face immense challenges: navigating their children’s education, social lives, and emotional well-being amidst a rapidly changing social media landscape. Stories of youth struggling with anxiety, depression, and social pressures are real, and social media are often cited as a key culprit. However, there is currently no strong scientific evidence that social media is the main cause, or that a ban on social media will solve these issues. On the other hand, there is evidence that a ban harms young people. Instead, we need a multifaceted approach—including technology platforms—to better support youth.
Youth Mental Health
The youth mental health crisis is real. Anxiety, depression, and loneliness have been rising among youth, and social media have been associated with these trends. However, mental health struggles are not caused by social media alone. Economic pressures, academic stress, climate anxiety, geopolitical instability, and changing family dynamics all contribute to the well-being of young people today. Ignoring these broader societal influences in favor of a singular focus on social media does a disservice to both youth and the policies designed to support them.
It’s Not That Simple
Social media is a tool with both positive and negative impacts on youth. It provides opportunities for social connection, education, entertainment, and self-expression. It can offer a sense of belonging, particularly for marginalized youth who may struggle to find supportive communities offline. However, when overused or misused, it is associated with mental health challenges. But the (limited) research we have makes it clear that the line is not a simple X leads to Y. The effects of social media depend on the type of platform, how it is used, and the individual characteristics of the young person. Oversimplifying social media as inherently harmful is inconsistent with scientific evidence and ignores the complexity of its role in youth development.
And – on that note – it’s good to recognize that the term “social media” itself is too broad, hampering effective policymaking. In Australia, for example, TikTok is banned, but YouTube Shorts is not, even though they are practically the same. Rather than broad categories, we need to focus on the specific technical aspects that make certain platforms concerning, such as endless scrolling or specific recommendation algorithms.
Bans Disregard Children’s Rights
Moreover, a ban would also conflict with fundamental children’s rights as laid out in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Young people have the right to seek and share information, including via digital platforms (Article 13), and social media play a crucial role in how they maintain friendships and organize themselves (Article 15). They also have the right to access information that contributes to their education and civic engagement (Article 17) and must be involved in decisions that affect them (Article 12). Furthermore, banning social media will never completely eliminate the risks of online interaction; it simply pushes young people into less regulated and potentially more dangerous digital spaces. Instead of imposing a ban, it is essential to respect their rights and involve them in the conversation.
A More Effective Approach
Instead of bans, we need systematic regulation that makes social media platforms safer, strengthens young people’s resilience, and supports parents in guiding their children. In a recent panel study by the University of Amsterdam (UvA), parents overwhelmingly indicated that they need this support. Digital competency programs that teach young people about privacy, online safety, and critical engagement with online content are essential and should be integrated into education. Recent monitoring research conducted here at the UvA shows that youth digital competence remains highly variable, with notably weak AI-competence, reinforcing the need for structured, evidence-based interventions.
At the same time, social media platforms must be held accountable. This means platforms should be transparent, prioritize user well-being, offer appropriate content, and avoid addictive design techniques. Currently, algorithms drive maximum engagement, keeping young people online for much longer than they intend. Young people need friction in these platforms—mechanisms that help them find a balance between healthy use and problematic overconsumption.
Follow the Science, Not Hype
Banning social media won’t fix youth mental health. But it might hurt them (more). Instead of relying on simplistic bans for a complex problem, we need science-driven policies that empower youth, support mental health, and create safer digital environments. Let’s move beyond reactionary bans and focus on evidence-based strategies that truly benefit young people.
Written by: Jessica Taylor Piotrowski, Wouter van den Bos, & Geertjan Overbeek, Faculty of Social & Behavioral Sciences, Research Priority Area Youth Digitality, University of Amsterdam
(A Dutch version of this article appeared in AD on February 7, 2025)