Overview

Social media is a significant presence i the life of many teenagers and has been for the past two decades. As is common with the arrival of new technoogy, research and regulation often lag behind the aotption of the technology. As Orben et al. (2024) note, this is particularly concerning when examining the impact of social media on teens, since they are particularly susceptible to social media influences. Recent resarch has also demonstrated that social media not only influences teen mental health, but also academic performance (Nayak and Fatma, 2025). However, social media has also been demonstrated as a significant tool for mental health intervention, particularly for teenagers who may not otherwise have access to mental health supports (Kruzan et al., 2022). Teenagers continue to have a complex relationship with social media, and there is no simple explanation of the possible benefits or deteriments. Ongoing research is needed to determine the best roles and regulations for social media in society.