Social Media Damages Kids’ Focus: What Parents Must Know

A large new study has found that regular social media use may significantly harm children’s ability to concentrate — and could be contributing to rising diagnoses of attention-related disorders.

The peer-reviewed research, conducted by Karolinska Institutet (Sweden) and Oregon Health & Science University (USA), tracked over 8,300 children aged 9–14 across several years. The children reported how much time they spent daily on social media, video games or TV/videos, while parents and psychologists assessed their attention span and inattention symptoms.

The result: only social media use — not gaming or TV/video watching — was consistently associated with increasing inattention. On average, children in the study used social media for about 1.4 hours daily, a number that climbed from roughly 30 minutes at age 9 to 2.5 hours per day by age 13.

Why Social Media Affects Focus More Than Games or TV

The researchers explain that social media platforms are designed to keep users constantly alert — with endless scrolling, notifications, messages and the “fear of missing out.”

Even the thought that a message may have arrived is enough to break a child’s concentration, making it difficult for them to sustain attention on homework, reading or learning tasks.

Professor Torkel Klingberg from Karolinska Institutet said, “Our study suggests that it is specifically social media that affects children’s ability to concentrate.”

A Small Individual Effect, But Large Population Impact

The study highlights that not every child will show serious attention problems. However, when millions of children use social media daily, even a small shift in attention patterns can contribute to the rising global rates of ADHD-like symptoms.

Researchers warn that this trend could have long-term implications for children’s academic performance, behaviour and mental health.

What Parents and Policymakers Should Do Now

Experts say these findings should serve as a wake-up call. They recommend:

* Stricter age verification on social media platforms

* Clearer screen-time limits

* Stronger parental supervision

* Educating children about healthy digital habits


With many children joining platforms like Instagram and YouTube before the recommended age of 13, researchers argue that early exposure may be altering how their brains develop the ability to focus.

The study provides strong evidence that social media use in children needs careful monitoring. By limiting exposure, guiding digital behaviour and building healthier tech habits, parents and educators can help protect children’s attention, learning ability and overall well-being — both online and offline.