Social media use linked to lower academic performance in students

Research published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour and studies involving Italian students suggest a correlation between early and intense social media use and lower academic performance. Data from Invalsi tests indicate that students who opened social media accounts at a very young age tended to achieve lower average scores, particularly in Italian and mathematics.

Psychologist Carla Buttafoco notes that the impact should not be viewed through a simplistic lens of total screen time. Instead, she emphasizes the importance of understanding what needs the digital platforms satisfy and how much time they displace from essential activities such as sleep, studying, and interpersonal relationships.