Teen mental health and social media: what does the evidence tell us?

Ian Sample talks to Dr Amy Orben, who leads the digital mental health programme at the Medical Research Council’s cognition and brain sciences unit, about the challenges of studying the impact of social media on teen mental health. They discuss the need for high-quality data, personalized recommendations, and parental involvement. They also explore the potential redesign of social media apps and provide advice for parents on managing their children's smartphone use.