Social Media Use Linked to Depression in Teens, Study Suggests
(Approx. 600 words)

A new study of 12,000 U.S. children aged 9–13 suggests that heavy social media use during early adolescence may contribute to depression, reigniting debates about the mental health risks of platforms like TikTok and Instagram. While past research often linked social media to pre-existing mental health struggles, this study found that even children without prior issues showed higher depression symptoms as their social media use increased.

Key Findings
The study, published in JAMA Network Open, tracked participants from 2016 to 2018. Researchers noted that while 9- and 10-year-olds showed no significant link between social media and depression, 12- to 13-year-olds who spent the most time online (averaging over an hour daily) had the highest rates of depressive symptoms. Dr. Jason Nagata, the study’s lead