Headlines

Social Media Linked to Attention Problems in Children

Is social media damaging the ability of children to focus, or is it an essential, if flawed, tool for their development?

Published DEC 9 2025

Social Media Linked to Attention Problems in Children

Story

Above: A photo illustration of a child holding a smartphone displaying the Snapchat logo in Sydney, Australia, on Dec. 3, 2025. Image credit: Brent Lewin/Bloomberg/Getty Images

The Facts

Social media use is damaging the attention spans of children in the U.S., according to a longitudinal study tracking 8,324 children conducted by the Karolinska Institute in Sweden and the Oregon Health & Science University.
Futurism
Firstpost
Guardian
Children in the study spent an average of 2.3 hours daily watching television or online videos, 1.5 hours per day playing video games and 1.4 hours on social media. The use of the latter rose from an average of 30 minutes per day at the age of nine to 2.5 hours by age 13.
American Academy of Pediatrics
Karolinska Institutet
The research found that social media use over time led to an increase in inattention symptoms in children, which, while small on an individual basis, could have “significant consequences” if they occurred at a population level.
American Academy of Pediatrics
The study found no evidence that children already suffering from attention difficulties were more likely to increase their social media use later, which it stated supported the theory of a “one-directional relationship” between the two.
American Academy of Pediatrics
Karolinska Institutet
In addition, the researchers found no association between social media use and other symptoms of ADHD, such as increased hyperactivity and impulsiveness. Video games and watching television or online videos, meanwhile, registered no links at all to ADHD-related symptoms.
American Academy of Pediatrics
Karolinska Institutet
In light of their observations, the researchers recommended stronger age verification rules and an improved platform design “to support healthy development” among children, while announcing plans to continue their study of the children after the age of 14.
American Academy of Pediatrics
Karolinska Institutet

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The Spin

Techno-skeptic narrative

Social media, with its endless notifications and constant distractions, is directly destroying children’s collective ability to focus. Unlike other forms of digital media, such as video games or television, this wholly negative effect is limited solely to this medium. It is essential, therefore, that proper regulations are put in place to protect children before it is too late.

Futurism

Techno-optimist narrative

While social media has its downsides, it also provides essential benefits for young people, particularly marginalized youth, who find connections and community that would otherwise be unavailable offline. Meanwhile, the negatives associated with social media vary widely across individuals and are not a universal harm experienced by all children.

NCBI