Study links childhood social media use with anxiety and depression | The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentIndependentSwipe for next articleIndependent Bulletin homepageDownload our appAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleStorm NewtonMonday 23 March 2026 07:14 GMTHow do young people feel about the U16 social media ban?New research indicates children who spend more than three hours daily on social media are more likely to develop symptoms of depression and anxiety as teenagers.Experts from Imperial College London suggest that sleep disruption, particularly on school nights, is a primary factor contributing to these mental health effects.The study, which analysed data from 2,350 London schoolchildren between 2014 and 2018, found a clear trend between social media use and mental health outcomes.Researchers emphasise the complex relationship between social media and mental health, advocating for digital literacy and sleep awareness in schools.While there are calls for a ban on social media for under-16s, experts caution that current evidence does not fully support such outright prohibitions, suggesting more research is needed.In fullNew social media study identifies the children ‘more likely to develop anxiety’Thank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in