At What Age Is It Dangerous for Children to Have Social Media Accounts – Scientists

Scientists at the University of Milan-Bicocca found that children who created TikTok or Instagram accounts at age 11-12 lag behind their peers who started using social media at 14 by the eighth grade. The gap is equivalent to losing six months of schooling and widens by tenth grade in math. Study author Chiara Respi advises delaying registration until 13-14 and implementing digital hygiene.

A study by the University of Milan-Bicocca, reported by Newsweek, has revealed a direct link between the age at which children create their first social media account and their academic performance. Analysis of data from over five thousand students showed that teenagers who signed up for TikTok or Instagram at age 11-12 lag significantly behind their peers who gained access to these platforms at age 14 by the eighth grade. The gap in math and native language scores is equivalent to losing about six months of schooling and does not disappear with age; in math, it becomes even more pronounced by the tenth grade. Social media had no effect on English performance. Study author Chiara Respi attributes the decline to the phenomenon of distracted attention: constantly checking notifications and scrolling through feeds trains the brain to switch tasks, depriving it of the ability to concentrate deeply. She recommends delaying the creation of a first account until age 13-14 and implementing digital hygiene rules: screen-free zones, open dialogue about the impact of notifications, and support for face-to-face communication.