Spending too much time on social media might be hurting how children think, remember, and learn.
A new study published in the journal JAMA found that kids who use social media more often tend to do worse on tests that measure memory, reading, and vocabulary.
The study looked at 6,554 children between the ages of 9 and 13. These kids were part of a larger research project called the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study, which is tracking the health and brain development of over 11,000 children in the U.S. as they grow up.
The researchers found that an average preteen spends about five and a half hours each day looking at screens for fun—and a lot of that time is spent on social media. Unlike watching TV or videos, social media involves constant interaction.
Kids are scrolling, posting, checking for likes and comments, and messaging friends. This keeps the brain very busy and always alert.
Scientists already know that spending too much time on social media can lead to mental health problems like anxiety and depression in teens. But until now, it wasn’t clear if social media use could affect how kids think and learn.
To find out, the researchers studied social media habits over three years and grouped the kids into three categories based on how much time they spent on social media. Most kids (about 58%) barely used it.
Around 37% used it a little and gradually increased their time. A small group (about 6%) used social media a lot and kept increasing their time on it as they got older.
The researchers then tested the children’s brain skills using the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery. These tests measured how well the children could read, remember things, process information quickly, and understand vocabulary.
The results showed a clear pattern: the more social media kids used, the worse they did on the tests. Kids in the heavy-use group scored the lowest, especially on tests for memory and language. Those who didn’t use social media or used it very little scored the highest.
This study doesn’t prove that social media is the cause of the lower scores, but it does show a strong connection. More research is needed to understand exactly how social media affects brain development and whether certain platforms or activities are more harmful than others.
Still, the findings suggest that it might be a good idea for parents and teachers to set limits on social media use, especially for younger children. Keeping screen time under control could help protect important brain skills that children need for school and learning.
As kids grow up in a digital world, understanding how technology affects their brains is more important than ever. This study is a strong reminder that not all screen time is the same—and some of it might be doing more harm than good.
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The study is published in JAMA.
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