Social media exacerbates anxiety and suicidal thoughts among teenagers — especially among girls.

These conclusions were reached by the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (Anses) in a large-scale five-year study.

How the "attention trap" works

The so-called "key concepts" of the report were dark patterns — "deceptive design choices" that make users spend more time in apps. This refers to autoplay videos, infinite scrolling, likes, notifications, and personalized recommendations.

"If a teenager searches for self-harm content once, algorithms can start systematically feeding them similar material, drawing them into a negative spiral," explains Olivia Roth-Delgado, head of scientific projects at Anses.

According to researchers, adolescence is a particularly vulnerable period because the brain is still developing. During this time, the reward system changes, sensitivity to social context and peer approval increases, and the risk of developing mental disorders also rises.

Thomas Baye, head of the socio-economic department at Anses, adds that the business model of platforms is directly interested in retaining attention: "Capturing user attention is at the heart of the social media economy — it's about data and advertising revenue. Personalization algorithms and the promotion of the most emotional content work precisely for this."

Girls are in a high-risk group.

One of the main conclusions of the report was that girls are a more vulnerable group. They are more likely to face cyberbullying, gender humiliation, and social pressure, and are more sensitive to comments and ratings online.

Not only the time, but also the way of using it.

Researchers emphasize that the duration of time spent on social media is an important, but not the only, indicator. It is important to understand how teenagers interact with platforms — whether they publish content, edit photos, actively read comments, and how emotionally involved they are.

Sleep is a separate issue. Using social media at night can disrupt sleep due to the effects of blue light and emotional arousal. Chronic sleep deprivation, in turn, has proven long-term consequences for mental and physical health.

The authors acknowledge that establishing a direct causal link between social media use and mental disorders is difficult. It is more about strong associations and feedback mechanisms.

Teenagers with pre-existing psychological vulnerabilities are more likely to turn to social media, and algorithms "read" their emotional triggers and offer content with a strong emotional charge. This results in a vicious circle.

What do the experts suggest?

Anses recommends that minors only have access to versions of social networks specifically designed with child protection in mind. This is not about banning platforms, but about technical solutions and greater corporate responsibility.

"We are not calling for the complete disappearance of social media. But it must be a safe environment for teenagers," the agency emphasizes.

The report covers studies published mainly between 2011 and 2021, so the latest tools, such as AI chatbots, require a separate analysis. Anses has already recommended that their impact on mental health be the subject of a separate future study.