A recent study challenges the notion that teenage social media use replaces face-to-face interactions. Conducted by an international team of academics, the research suggests that teens who spend more time on social media also engage in more in-person socialization. Moreover, the study found no evidence linking social media use to declines in social skills. While increased social media usage predicted more offline socializing in the future, the effects were small yet significant across sexes and age groups. However, increased social media use was associated with a decline in social skills among teens with high social anxiety levels. This highlights the complexity of the relationship between social media use and teen mental health, emphasizing the need to avoid one-size-fits-all solutions.
https://www.yahoo.com/tech/study-social-media-dont-displace-153039592.html
