Is Instagram, TikTok & Co. bad for my child? A balanced perspective for parents

Social media is now an integral part of our children's everyday lives. Studies from Switzerland and Germany show that teenagers spend an average of around four hours a day on their smartphones – with Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and WhatsApp being the most popular (JIM Study, 2024; James Study, 2024). At the same time, uncertainty is growing among parents and teachers: What constitutes healthy use? What is too much? And above all: How can we best guide children in this? Therefore it is important for parents to develop a balanced understanding in order to guide and support their children in a competent, reflective, and age-appropriate way.

Public debate is often characterized by strong opinions. Social media is portrayed either as a major threat or as a harmless part of modern communication. This blog post is intended to provide parents with a concise overview of the current research and, in conclusion, offer practical recommendations on how to foster a healthy approach to social media within the family.

Social media triggers our reward system

To understand the impact of social media, one must first examine how these platforms function. They are not neutral. Likes, comments, endless scrolling, and personalized content are deliberately designed to keep users on the platform as long as possible.

A study by Lindström et al. (2020) shows that social media operates on the principle of so-called reward learning. This means that our behavior is reinforced by feedback. Every like acts like a small reward for the brain. What makes this particularly effective is that these rewards are unpredictable—a mechanism also known from gambling. This is especially relevant for children and adolescents, as social recognition, belonging, and identity development play a central role in this phase of life.

What research says about risks

Numerous studies show links between intensive social media use and psychological stress. For example, adolescents who use social media for more than three hours a day report more frequent symptoms of anxiety and depression (Riehm et al., 2019).

International data also confirms this trend. The World Health Organization (2024) shows that problematic social media use among young people is increasing and is associated with lower well-being.

Similar risk factors are repeatedly discussed:

• social comparison

• Cyberbullying

• Sleep problems

• very intensive use

  
  

However, it is important to note that these studies show correlations, not clear cause-and-effect relationships.

Why the situation is complex

The US Surgeon General (2023) emphasizes that while there is serious evidence of risks, there are no clear statements that social media is automatically harmful.

Researchers like Orben and Przybylski (2019) also show that the effects are often smaller and more complex than assumed in public debate. What matters is not only how long social media is used, but above all, how it is used.

Social media doesn't affect everyone the same way. The effects depend on several factors, including:

• the individual personality

• the current life situation

• the consumed content

  
  

Social media often exacerbates existing stresses, but is rarely their sole cause.

What is often forgotten: Positive effects

Besides risks, research also reveals positive aspects. The American Psychological Association (2023) highlights that social media can help young people build social connections, find support, and express themselves.

A key difference lies in the type of use: Active exchange – i.e., writing, sharing, and communicating – tends to be associated with more positive effects. Passive scrolling and constant comparison, on the other hand, tend to be associated with more negative effects (Verduyn et al., 2017).

What we don't yet know

Despite numerous studies, important open questions remain:

• Which content is particularly crucial for the effect?

• How strongly do algorithms influence our experience?

• What are the long-term effects of social media?

  
  

Research in this area is still in its early stages, partly because platforms and user behavior are constantly changing.

What this means for parents and teachers

Summarizing the research, a clear picture emerges: Social media is neither purely good nor purely bad. It primarily acts as an amplifier.

For everyday life, this means: It's less about simple prohibitions or pure screen time, but about conscious guidance.

Key starting points are:

• Common rules : e.g., phone-free times during meals or before bedtime.

• Focus on the big picture : What is missing due to the use? Exercise, sleep, conversations, or free time?

• Role model function : Children strongly orient themselves towards the behavior of adults.

• Conversations instead of control : Children need structure and understanding

  
  

And perhaps most importantly: create spaces where mobile phones are not the focus – not as punishment, but as genuine family time together.

Conclusion

Social media is part of children's and young people's everyday lives. We can't completely protect them from it but we can guide them through it.

Research doesn't provide easy answers, but it helps us ask the right questions.

You know your child best and know what they need right now. As parents or teachers, it's important for us to get clear communication about certain issues so that we can support children appropriately, with a good dose of intuition. Ultimately, one key point remains: relationship is more important than control.

Sources

Lindström, B., et al. (2020). A computational reward learning account of social media engagement . Nature Communications. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-19607-x

Riehm, KE, et al. (2019). Association between time spent using social media and internalizing and externalizing problems among US youth . JAMA Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2019.2325

Orben, A., & Przybylski, A.K. (2019). The association between adolescent well-being and digital technology use . Nature Human Behavior. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-018-0506-1

Verduyn, P., et al. (2017). Do social network sites enhance or undermine subjective well-being? A critical review . Perspectives on Psychological Science. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691617709589

World Health Organization. (2024). Health behavior in school-aged children (HBSC) study: International report . https://www.who.int/europe/publications/i/item/9789289057738

US Department of Health and Human Services. (2023). Social media and youth mental health: The US Surgeon General's advisory . https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/priorities/youth-mental-health/social-media/index.html

American Psychological Association. (2023). Health advisory on social media use in adolescence . https://www.apa.org/topics/social-media-internet/health-advisory-adolescent-social-media-use

Media Education Research Network Southwest (mpfs) – JIM Study 2024. Media Education Research Network Southwest. (2024). JIM Study 2024: Youth, Information, Media . mpfs.

ZHAW – JAMES Study Zurich University of Applied Sciences. (2024). JAMES Study: Youth, Activities, Media – Survey Switzerland . ZHAW.