With almost 58% of 12-17 year olds* in France reporting daily use of social media, it's clear that platforms like TikTok, Insta, SnapChat, and the like are a central part of teenagers' daily lives. For better or... for worse?
When it comes to social networks, socialization or identity construction are sometimes mentioned... However, more than 15 years after the advent of these platforms for the oldest of them (Insta) and 10 years for the newest (TikTok), it's time to take stock. Last December, the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES) issued a report on the subject titled "Use of digital social networks and adolescent health: understanding, evaluating, protecting". And clearly, the conclusions are not very reassuring.
A particularly vulnerable adolescence
First, let's remember that adolescence is a developmental period marked by increased sensitivity to social interactions, peer validation, and emotions. And while this life phase particularly exposes young people to the effects of social networks, due to still limited emotional and behavioral regulation capacities, digital platforms are precisely designed to capture their attention. Personalized algorithms, infinite scrolling, and frequent notifications thus encourage prolonged and sometimes difficult-to-control use. These mechanisms can be addictive and have consequences for adolescents' mental health.
A proven impact on sleep
In the ANSES report, the best-documented negative effects concern sleep. The scientific authority highlights that social media use delays bedtime, reduces total sleep duration, and disrupts the biological rhythm through exposure to screen light. Direct consequences for children include drowsiness, irritability, and mood disorders. It should also be noted that, in the long term, chronic sleep deprivation increases the risk of mental and physical disorders. 
Self-image and social pressure
Furthermore, social media, especially visual platforms, play a central role in body image construction. On this point, ANSES highlights several mechanisms: constant social comparisons, exposure to idealized beauty standards, and, of course, the use of filters and retouching. And once again, the consequences are not insignificant, as they are associated with increased body dissatisfaction and eating disorders, particularly among adolescent girls.
Anxiety, depression, and spiraling mechanisms
The studies analyzed in the document also highlight a link between social media use and anxiety-depressive symptoms. While this link remains complex and multifactorial, certain mechanisms can explain it. In reality, exposure to cyberbullying, constant social comparison, FoMO ("fear of missing out"), and sleep disorders will increase stress, undermine self-esteem, or disrupt adolescents' emotional balance... which will contribute to the onset or worsening of these disorders. An additional risk is the self-reinforcement of these mechanisms: a psychologically struggling teenager may turn more to social networks, which can exacerbate their distress.
Cyberviolence and increased risks
On the other hand, the 2025 legal study by the IRJS (Sorbonne Legal Research Institute) highlights the extent of risks associated with online use among minors, such as cyberbullying (insults, mockery, dissemination of information), non-consensual sharing of intimate images, sextortion and online manipulation, and exposure to violent or dangerous content. These practices, obviously, can have significant psychological consequences, particularly in terms of stress, anxiety, or depression.
It should be noted that not all adolescents are exposed in the same way, with some groups being more vulnerable than others. This includes girls, who use social media more intensely and emotionally, already anxious and depressed teenagers, as well as LGBTQ+ youth or those in situations of social fragility.
Between benefits and risks: a fragile balance
The question is not to demonize, because social networks, when used correctly and by audiences mature enough to access them (it should be remembered that the rule is now to be at least 15 years old), can also help strengthen social ties, allow self-expression, or support isolated adolescents. However, all current data converge towards one finding: they can clearly play a role in mental health depending on the usage, the content viewed, and the individual context. What can be concluded is that they can no longer be considered neutral, with a real impact on psychological health when not sufficiently supervised.
*CRÉDOC 2025 Digital Barometer
What we could have done in 25 years... instead of scrolling