positive impacts

According to Dr. Murthy’s advisory, some teenagers experience a benefit when they use social media to foster positive connections with others who share common interests or identities (if they are seeking a connection with others who are, say, members of a particular racial identity), creating a space for self-expression. Relationships formed in communities like these can create opportunities for "positive interactions with more diverse peer groups than are available to them offline," the report states.

The advisory points to a 2022 survey of American teenagers and their parents by the Pew Research Center, which showed that a majority of respondents felt that social media helps teenagers feel more accepted (58%), like they have people who can support them through tough times (67%), that they have a place to show their creative side (71%), and that they are more connected to what’s going on in their friends’ lives (80%).

“Posting to let your friends know how you’ve been spending your time can be a positive or healthy way to connect and hear about each other’s day,” says Dr. Poncin. “It’s no different than 30 years ago when adolescents would be on the phone for three hours connecting with their friends—only now you're online with your friends, saying, ‘Meet you after school,’ or ‘Did you hear about this?’”