Interviewer: There has been a lot of debate recently about the link between social media use and mental health, particularly in young people. What is your view on the strength of that link?
Dr Chen: That is a difficult question to answer, honestly. The evidence is mixed — some studies do show a correlation between heavy social media use and higher rates of anxiety and depression in adolescents. But correlation is not causation, and several large-scale studies have found the effect size to be quite small.
Interviewer: So you would not say there is a crisis?
Dr Chen: I am not sure I would go that far, no. There is something in the concern — I do not think it is entirely unfounded. But calling it a crisis implies a level of certainty that the research does not really support yet.
Interviewer: What about the argument that platforms are deliberately designed to be addictive and that this is particularly harmful for younger users?
Dr Chen: You could argue that, and I think there is something in it. But it is not quite as simple as that. The same platform can have very different effects depending on how you use it. I think we need to distinguish between passive scrolling — just consuming content — and active engagement, like connecting with friends or joining communities around shared interests.
Interviewer: So the type of use matters?
Dr Chen: It depends on the individual and on what they are doing on the platform. The picture is more complicated than it first appears. Someone who uses social media primarily for social comparison is going to have a different experience from someone who uses it to maintain relationships or explore a creative interest.
Interviewer: Some researchers argue that social media is simply a mirror — it reflects existing mental health trends rather than causing them. Do you find that convincing?
Dr Chen: Up to a point. I would not say that exactly — I do think the platforms have their own effects and dynamics. But that is not the whole picture either. It is more nuanced than that. I think we need to be careful not to look for a single cause when the reality is a complex interaction of many factors.
Interviewer: Is it worth noting any particular gaps in the research at this stage?
Dr Chen: Absolutely. It is worth noting that most of the studies we have rely on self-reported data, which has real limitations. Adolescents may not accurately describe their own usage, and they may not be aware of how their mood is being affected. It is open to debate how much weight we should put on this body of research until we have more robust longitudinal studies.
This lesson uses your browser’s built-in text-to-speech. The voice may vary depending on your device.