Study Finds Weak Evidence Linking Social Media Use to Teen Mental Health Problems : science

[–] Vilaiban@lemmy.world 15 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

A recent study from Harvard University found the opposite :

If you’ve ever thought a break from social media might be good for your head space, new research suggests you’re onto something.

In a study of young adults published in JAMA Network Open, those who participated in a one-week social media detox experienced a boost in their mental health, with symptoms of anxiety dropping by 16.1 percent, depression by 24.8 percent, and insomnia by 14.5 percent.

https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2025/12/social-media-detox-boosts-mental-health-but-nuances-stand-out/

Another study from MIT found that social media is bad for mental health:

https://mitsloan.mit.edu/ideas-made-to-matter/study-social-media-use-linked-to-decline-mental-health

[–] toiletobserver@lemmy.world 10 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Social media isn't bad, just ask early Facebook users or current lemmy users. Corporations definitely turn them to shit marketing services. See same examples.

My anecdotal take has more to do with a deterioration of polite society and the proliferation of easily accessible information, which happens to paint a negative picture. Also, get off my lawn you kids!

[–] tyler@programming.dev 5 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Lemmy isn’t social media. It’s a forum.

[–] Jakeroxs@sh.itjust.works 6 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Forums were just social media before it had a distinct name.

[–] tyler@programming.dev 8 points 1 day ago (2 children)

No they weren’t. You don’t follow people on forums. Write a definition of social media that includes forums but excludes news websites, or literally any website with a comment section. I’ll wait.

[–] TheBlackLounge@lemmy.zip 2 points 18 hours ago* (last edited 18 hours ago)

Before Facebook etc, forums were really small and plenty. They might be about a certain topic, but you were there for the few loud people that kept it going. Following them, pretty much. Didn't like them, you went to another forum of that topic, same deal there.

It's nothing like the forums today full of new accounts asking one question and moving on.

Lemmy is also not really anything like those forums. The reason why you call Lemmy a forum but Facebook not is more accidental, maybe because of marketing, definitely not because of rigorous definitions.

In any case, @toiletobserver@lemmy.world's observation applies to social media, forums, news sites with a comment section and any other site.

[–] Jakeroxs@sh.itjust.works 4 points 1 day ago (1 children)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_media

Wow that was difficult.

[–] tyler@programming.dev 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Social networks formed by connections between profiles,[2][5] such as followers, groups, and lists

So not forums then.

[–] Jakeroxs@sh.itjust.works 3 points 23 hours ago* (last edited 23 hours ago) (1 children)

"Common features" does not imply it must have all on the list to be considered social media.

Here's the other three if you're curious:

Online platforms enable users to create and share content and participate in social networking.[2][3][4]

User-generated content—such as text posts or comments, digital photos or videos, and data generated through online interactions.[2][3]

Social media helps the development of online social networks by connecting a user's profile with those of other individuals or groups.[2][5]

[–] tyler@programming.dev 0 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

Yep exactly, and if “common features” doesn’t imply that, then that means every website on the Internet meets that definition. Even Amazon you can literally follow users and chat with them. Yes, Amazon, the shopping website.

[–] faythofdragons@slrpnk.net 1 points 5 hours ago

Yeah, most websites are incorporating social media these days.

[–] AntiBullyRanger@ani.social 4 points 1 day ago* (last edited 4 hours ago) (1 children)

deterioration of polite society

My parents’ generation, and mines have extremely different views on what “politeness” means. For them it means “respect my seniority, which means I should have authority over you,” not “I deserve dignity, so be generous at my circumstances.”

My parents want me to submit to their insubordinations “because that is the polite thing to do.” Not if I can kiss my polycule in front of them because it makes their cis monogamous biases disgust.

get off my lawn you kids!

Yep, pretty much why we don't respect landowners. Parasite scum.

[–] toiletobserver@lemmy.world 2 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

Your joke detector is broken

[–] AntiBullyRanger@ani.social 2 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

…

also our joke indicators differ.

[–] verdi@tarte.nuage-libre.fr 2 points 18 hours ago (1 children)

Snowflakes and boomers have the same toxic levels of self assurance in their righteousness, that's why we have a reacctionary wave now, both worse generations in the last 100y are imposing upon others their orthodoxies with no time for empathy or dialogue. The one with the most money is winning, predictably.

[–] AntiBullyRanger@ani.social -1 points 18 hours ago* (last edited 18 hours ago) (2 children)

e.g. @Warl0k3@lemmy.world
Why in the fuck do I get <3 day old accounts to reply to my nerdy posts, on a nerdy thread‽ And it's not the only one! This one created an account JUST to deOP me.

anyways, verdi, if you are a real frenchie, why do I have to care about boomer’s opinions that aren't helping us compost the money havers?

I am talking about how intent and meaning differ, esp. when jokes need setup and indications through generations.

[–] Warl0k3@lemmy.world 1 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

Oh god, now you're tagging me in your unhinged bullshit? This persecution fetish is really getting to be too much.

[–] AntiBullyRanger@ani.social 0 points 7 hours ago (1 children)

Just an e.g.. If you want to ignore it, it's fine. Won't tag you again.

[–] Warl0k3@lemmy.world 1 points 6 hours ago* (last edited 6 hours ago) (1 children)

"Oh tee-hee, did I harass you? It's not a big deal, I just used you as an example Im just a smol lil bean, feel free to ignore me!"

The reason you keep getting negative reactions to your content is because you're the kind of person comfortable behaving like this in public.

[–] AntiBullyRanger@ani.social 0 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

Ah, now you're just projecting. Have a good day then.

[–] Warl0k3@lemmy.world 1 points 6 hours ago* (last edited 6 hours ago) (1 children)

Christ, couldn't I at least live rent-free in the head of someone compelling? Did you legitimately just try and "No u" your way out of doing a shitty thing? God, you can't even cope with criticism when you go out and beg for it.

[–] AntiBullyRanger@ani.social 1 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

Trying being compassionate for once in your life.

[–] Warl0k3@lemmy.world -1 points 5 hours ago* (last edited 5 hours ago)

You don't even merit my contempt, but you think you deserve my compassion? Buddy at best all you can hope to get from me is pity and even then that would be me being generous.

Edit: Struck a nerve, huh?

[–] verdi@tarte.nuage-libre.fr 1 points 18 hours ago (1 children)

We just need a 100% inheritance tax. Boomers and younger generations will never let that happen.

[–] AntiBullyRanger@ani.social -2 points 18 hours ago

bruv, I am anarchist, tax is theft.

Oppression is oppression.

This shit has nothing do to with jokes or generational intents in diction.

You're in the wrong thread m8.

[–] fluffykittycat@slrpnk.net 2 points 1 day ago

Of course this was all a plot to isolate queer teenagers and stop them from openly criticizing government policy

[+] technocrit@lemmy.dbzer0.com -12 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

It's so strange how people just assume that "social media" is "bad" because that confirms their pre-conceived biases. People are even promoting that the state violently control "social media".

Sometimes it's helpful to look at the actual science which is extremely inconclusive.

[–] Steve@communick.news 29 points 1 day ago (1 children)

self-reported social media habits, gaming frequency and emotional difficulties

Looks like they were tracking self reported data, combining both social media and gaming. No wonder they didn't see anything.

[–] qarbone@lemmy.world 3 points 20 hours ago

Yeah, the inclusion of gaming made me think the data was tainted.