Children who begin using social media at an early age are more likely to perform worse in mathematics and their native language at school, according to a new study, adding fresh evidence to the debate over when young people should be allowed to access social media platforms.
The research, published in Nature Human Behaviour, examined more than 5,000 students aged between seven and 16 in northern Italy. Researchers combined information from surveys on digital media habits with standardised examination results collected over several years in Italian, mathematics and English across grades 2, 5, 8 and 10.
The findings showed that students who created social media accounts at the ages of 11 or 12 scored lower in Italian and mathematics by the time they reached grade 8, typically between the ages of 13 and 14, than classmates who delayed joining social media.
Researchers also found that the gap became larger by grade 10, when students were 15 or 16 years old. The effect was particularly noticeable in mathematics among teenagers who had started using social media before turning 13.
According to the study, frequent smartphone distractions during important parts of the day, including study time, may contribute to weaker academic performance. Researchers said constant engagement with social media can reduce concentration and interfere with learning habits during key stages of education.
The study did not identify the same pattern in English, which is commonly taught as the first foreign language in Italian schools. Researchers suggested that the large amount of English-language content available on social media platforms may provide users with informal language exposure that could offset some of the negative educational effects.
The findings add to a growing body of research examining how social media influences children’s learning, behaviour and cognitive development. The authors recommended stronger digital literacy education in schools, tighter controls over engagement features aimed at younger users and public policies that encourage delaying children’s access to social media.
The research comes as governments around the world continue to examine stricter rules for children’s online activity. Australia recently became the first country to prohibit social media access for users under the age of 16. France has approved legislation banning social media for children under 15, while similar proposals are being considered in Spain and the United Kingdom.
At the European Union level, discussions have also gathered pace. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen recently presented an expert report indicating that evidence increasingly supports introducing a minimum age for accessing social media platforms. The report stopped short of recommending a complete ban, instead promoting a “safe by design” approach that places greater responsibility on technology companies to protect young users.
Italy has taken a different position. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has said her government does not support a social media ban, arguing that age restrictions can be easily bypassed. Critics of blanket bans have echoed that concern, pointing to studies suggesting that current age-verification systems remain relatively easy for young users to circumvent.
