Screen time and social media – teens and young people

  • Key points

    • Devices are a key part of modern life, but spending too much time on screens can affect your teen’s health.
    • Aim to limit your teen’s screen time (excluding schoolwork) to two hours or less each day.
    • Ask your teen to turn off their devices one hour before bedtime to get a good night’s sleep.
    • Teach your teen to be careful about who they speak to, what they click on, and the things they share online.

    Read the parent fact sheet

    Screens and social media – the good and the bad

    Devices like smartphones are part of modern life. They can be important tools for teens, helping them with school, communicating, learning skills, and even directions. However, too much screen time can impact a teen’s physical and mental health.

    There are only a limited number of hours in the day. The more time your teen spends on a screen, the less time they have for other activities like sports, in-person socialising, schoolwork, and sleep.

    How can screens and social media impact health?

    Mental health

    Many studies have found a link between screen time and mental health in teens. Generally, the results show that young people who spend the most time on screens report more negative mental health symptoms.

    Some of these signs in teens could include:

    • deep sadness or anxiety
    • acting hyperactive and fidgety
    • having low self-esteem
    • feeling like life is not satisfying.

    People bullied online are also more likely to report worse mental health.

    The overall mental health effects of screen time seem to depend on the type. For example, watching television may have less of an impact on mental health than using social media.

    Physical health

    Spending more time on screens may also have negative effects on your teen's physical health, such as:

    • less time playing sports and being active
    • more time spent lying or sitting down without moving
    • trouble sleeping
    • eating more food than needed
    • eating less nutritious food
    • eye strain and dry eyes.

    Cyberbullying

    Cyberbullying is when someone uses technology to hurt or target another person. It includes sending nasty messages, making online threats, or posting content designed to harm someone else. People who are cyberbullied are more likely to report worse mental health.

    Unfortunately, cyberbullying is very common. If you know someone is cyberbullying your teen, encourage them to cut off communication. They should block the bully, remove them from their contacts and ignore their messages or posts.

    You can report cyberbullying content to website and app administrators. In Australia, you can also report it to the eSafety Commissioner.

    If you think your teen may be in danger, call the police (000) immediately.

    Sleep and social media

    Good quality sleep plays a key role in a teen’s healthy growth and development. Screen time before bed makes it harder to fall asleep, have a good night's sleep and get enough sleep.

    There are a few reasons for this:

    • Screen light can delay the release of melatonin – a hormone that helps balance the body's sleep and wake rhythms.
    • Your teen may stay up later scrolling social media when they should be asleep.
    • Screen time may stimulate your teen’s brain.
    • Excess screen time may harm your teen’s mental health, which can make it harder for them to fall asleep and stay asleep.

    Balancing time online and in-person

    Social media is fantastic for connecting people across the globe. However, it should not replace in-person activities. Research shows that spending time with friends and family in real life is better than online for a teen's mental and emotional wellbeing.

    Meeting in person also has other benefits for teens. It keeps them active, gets them out of the house, and fosters experiences with others. It also helps build skills like communication and resilience.

    Tips to help your teen manage their screen time

    Your teen does not need to cut out all screen time to live a healthy life – they just need to find a balance.

    Here are some ways to help your teen manage the time they spend on devices:

    • Suggest they try the 20-20-20 rule to help protect their eyes. It involves taking a break every 20 minutes for 20 seconds when using a screen, and looking at something in the distance that is around 20 feet away, or about 6m (metres).
    • Aim to limit their screen time (excluding schoolwork) to two hours each day. This limit should include gaming, watching television and using social media.
    • Encourage them to set aside time during the day to get an hour of exercise.
    • Ask your teen to turn off their devices one hour before bed.
    • Create a bedtime routine with them that does not include looking at a screen.
    • Keep devices out of their bedroom overnight if you can. You may want to get them a separate alarm clock so they do not need their phone alarm.

    Helping your teen stay safe online

    You can never control everything your teen sees online. Instead, your goal should be to empower them to protect themselves and look out for their own safety.

    Prioritise privacy

    The best way for your teen to protect themselves online is to keep their personal information private. This includes social media, online games, forum websites and chatrooms. Talk to them about the importance of not sharing their full name, address, location, photos, or other details with strangers. It is best if they set their social media accounts to 'private' and only add people they have met in person.

    Set up security measures

    Teach your teen not to share their passwords with anyone, including you. They should never send passwords in an email or text message, either.

    These days, a strong password is not enough to keep data safe. Help your teen set up a few layers of security on their online accounts. Most sites and apps now have ‘multi-factor authentication’ where your teen will get a text or email to confirm they are the one logging in. Some even link up to a phone’s fingerprints or face ID.

    Make sure they think before they click

    Email links and attachments may not be what they say they are. Make sure your teen knows to stop and think before they click. Both links and attachments could be scams or even viruses designed to steal information. If an email looks suspicious, your teen should delete it to be safe.

    Teach them to check their sources

    There is a lot of information on the internet, and not all of it is reliable. It is good to get your teen into the habit of fact-checking any news they read – especially if it is coming from social media. For health information, they can use official sites like hospitals or Australian government websites. The best way for them to learn this skill is to watch you do it too.

    Try to get your teen to read posts and articles properly before they share them, so they know what they are promoting.

    Encourage them to choose their words carefully

    The words your teen shares online can stay there forever. It is critical that they think about the consequences of posting something – whether it is a private message to a friend or a comment on a celebrity photo. If they are not sure, they should not post it.

    Common questions about screens and social media

    How can I change the things my teen sees on social media?

    Each social media platform has its own algorithm. They all work a bit differently, but most will change the content your teen sees based on how they interact with it. This includes what they click on and how much time they spend reading or watching content.

    The good news is that many social media platforms now have built-in safety features to protect people under age 18. For example, TikTok has tools that allow you to limit your teen’s time on the app or check who they are following.

    How do I stop my teen from endlessly scrolling on their phone?

    Social media apps are designed to keep people scrolling, so it is not easy to break this habit. One of the easiest ways to help your teen stop endless scrolling is by setting up 'focus mode.' This will limit their access to selected apps at set times of day.

    If your teen is finding it hard to switch off from social media, try having family ‘screen-free’ days or times when you all turn off your devices.

    For more information


    Developed by The Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) Adolescent Medicine department. We acknowledge the input of RCH consumers and carers.

    Reviewed August 2025

    Please always seek the most recent advice from a registered and practising clinician.


Disclaimer

This information is intended to support, not replace, discussion with your doctor or healthcare professionals. The authors of these consumer health information handouts have made a considerable effort to ensure the information is accurate, up to date and easy to understand. The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne accepts no responsibility for any inaccuracies, information perceived as misleading, or the success of any treatment regimen detailed in these handouts. Information contained in the handouts is updated regularly and therefore you should always check you are referring to the most recent version of the handout. The onus is on you, the user, to ensure that you have downloaded the most up-to-date version of a consumer health information handout.

Updated July 2025