A recent study revealed that social media use could be subtly harming brain development in tweens.
According to research published in the American Medical Association, children between 9 and 13 years of age who spent more time on social media did not perform well on tests of reading, memory and language two years later.
For the study, researchers followed more than 6,500 children as a part of the nationwide Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study.
“Even low levels of social media use were associated with poorer cognitive outcomes,” said lead author Dr. Jason Nagata of UC San Francisco.
He further cautioned that the early adolescent brain might be particularly sensitive to digital exposure.
Nearly 58% of individuals had little to no social media use, while 37% added an hour daily by age 13, and 6% added three hours.
Children with low use scored 1–2 points reduced on cognitive tests; heavy users scored up to 4 points lower.
Social media may displace time spent on homework or reading.
Scientists discovered though small, these differences could have wide educational effects.
“Building healthy screen habits early could help protect learning and cognitive growth,” Nagata mentioned.
While the study was observational and failed to prove causation, it supports efforts to restrict screen time in schools and implement stricter age guidelines.
