We still don't really know the true impact of social media on the minds of teenage users. This is because social media is only around 25 years old and its long-term effects on the mind are still being studied by experts. But today the American Psychological Association (APA) issued a statement saying that the use of social media by teenagers is not harmful to teenagers but at the same time it is not beneficial either.
APA touches on the responsibility of parents to ensure that social media platforms are used by teenagers in the right way. While not specifically naming social media in the statement, the APA condemns the use of algorithms that provide content that could be harmful to teenage users. Among the emerging issues regarding social media is that it suggests dangerous topics such as anorexia and even life-threatening video trends.
Another suggestion is that parents need to ensure that the use of social media is controlled to ensure that teenagers receive enough sleep because there is a correlation between lack of sleep and the risk of neurological development of the brain.
Some studies we have reported before say that the use of smart devices does not have a big impact on children's development. For sure, the main issue here is that parents need to care and be aware of their children's use of the internet.