Long-Term Social Media Use Linked to Depression, Self-Harm in Young People: Study

The international study examined over 350,000 children and young people around the world aged 2 to 19 years of age.

A group of teens look at a photograph they took on a smartphone in Times Square in New York City, on Dec. 1, 2017. Drew Angerer/Getty Images

An Australian-led study has found children and teenagers who spend more time on social media are more likely to experience depression, self-harm, substance use, and lower achievement later in life.

Published in JAMA Pediatrics, the systematic review examined data from 153 studies consisting of over 350,000 children and adolescents aged between 2 and 19 years, for up to two decades.