Scientists: Social Media Effects on Kids 'Trivial'

A University of Oxford study claims any negative effects of social media on teens are likely trivial. It said other life events had a far greater effect.

The study used data from extensive household surveys that ran between 2009 and 2016 which covered a wide range of issues. The researchers mined the survey results for responses from children who were aged 10 to 15 at the time of questioning, with more than 12,000 children covered. (Source: pnas.org)

The researchers looked at questions about how many hours the children spent communicating on social networks on school days. They compared this with a variety of questions about how satisfied they were with their lives.

Cause And Effect Uncertain

Overall the results did find that kids who used social media more were less satisfied with their life, but two factors limited how important the results were.

Firstly, the relationship between the two factors was minimal, to the point that the researchers called the effects "tiny - arguably trivial" and in most cases "not statistically significant."

Secondly, the researchers couldn't rule out the idea that children who were dissatisfied with their lives were more likely to use social media extensively, rather than the other way round. (Source: bbc.co.uk)

Another note of caution was that the survey relied on the teens giving accurate answers of how long they spent on social media rather than it being objectively measured. The researchers said this wasn't ideal, but that such surveys were still the best available large-scale data on the subject.

Pattern Could Be Stronger In Girls

The researchers didn't completely dismiss any links between social media and life satisfaction. They noted that the two factors were more closely related among girls than boys and that there might be a small but meaningful connection if you isolated the female responses.

Looking forward, the researchers said scientists, politicians and the tech industry should work more closely in studying the possible effects of social media, sharing data and avoiding bias. They specifically called for social media companies to share more detail and data about how people use their services.

What's Your Opinion?

Are you surprised by the results - or the lack of them? Do you believe social media use can affect wellbeing? Should social media companies be more open with their data for such research?