Evidence · Phones and social media
Phones, social media and children: what does the evidence show?
How much time teenagers spend online, what the U.S. Surgeon General warned, and what states are doing about phones in school.
The short answer
Nearly half of U.S. teenagers say they are online almost constantly. In 2023 the U.S. Surgeon General warned that teens who spend more than three hours a day on social media may face about twice the risk of poor mental health. By March 2026, 33 states had passed laws limiting phones in K-12 schools.
Teenagers are online most of the day
Pew Research Center surveyed 1,391 teens ages 13 to 17 in fall 2024. 46% said they are online almost constantly. About nine in ten use YouTube, and roughly six in ten use TikTok and Instagram.
The Surgeon General's warning
In May 2023, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issued an advisory on social media and youth mental health. It noted that 8th and 10th graders average about 3.5 hours a day on social media, and 1 in 7 spend more than seven. Teens above three hours a day may face about twice the risk of poor mental health outcomes. The advisory called for more research, safer product design and enforced age limits.
States are taking phones out of class
By March 2026, 33 states had enacted K-12 cellphone limits. Some, such as Kansas and Indiana, ban phones for the whole school day, often called "bell to bell." Others limit phones only during class time.
What researchers still debate
Most studies show that heavy use and poor mental health go together. Researchers still debate how much social media causes the problems, which is one reason the Surgeon General asked for more research and better data from technology companies.
What you can do now
- Make a family media plan with set times and places without phones, such as meals and bedrooms.
- Delay a smartphone and social media accounts, and talk with other families so your child is not the only one.
- Ask your school what its phone policy is and how it is enforced.
- Model the habits you want: put your own phone away during family time.
Related
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