Social media comments on Prince's Trust report

"Society needs to support young people so they are empowered to safely navigate life off and online - accentuating the positives and minimising potential pitfalls," says ICLS Director Yvonne Kelly in the foreword of a Prince's Trust report which finds that 57 per cent of 16-25 year olds believe social media creates an "overwhelming pressure" to succeed, while 46 per cent say that comparing their lives to their friends on social media makes them feel "inadequate". 

The report comes shortly after the publication of Professor Kelly's latest research on the links between heavy social media use and depression in young people. The findings have been used to inform policy makers, politicians and public health officials seeking evidence on the benefits and harms of social media. 

Further links

• Teenage depression: the pitfalls of too much social media use - Blog by Yvonne Kelly, Child of our Time
• Gender differences in the associations between age trends of social media interaction and well-being among 10-15 year-olds in the UK