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Impact of social media and smartphone use on students
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2026-08-09 07:34 UTC → 2026-08-09 09:59 UTC ·
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Research indicates that early social media use and smartphone consumption are linked to various developmental and behavioral challenges in students. Findings suggest that students who begin using platforms such as Instagram and TikTok in middle school tend to have lower academic performance in subjects like mathematics and language arts, as well as higher rates of grade repetition. Additionally, experts have raised concerns regarding the impact of smartphone use during meals, noting that screen time can contribute to negative eating behaviors and reduced social interaction during family time. A longitudinal study of over 5,200 students in Italy's Lombardy region, published in Nature Human Behaviour, conducted by researchers from the University of Milano-Bicocca and the University of Brescia, further details these academic impacts. The research found that students who began using social media between the ages of 11 and 13 scored significantly lower in mathematics and language arts compared to those who waited until age 14 or older. Specifically, the study noted a decline in math scores by 0.27 standard deviations and language scores by 0.22 standard deviations. By age 16, this performance gap was estimated to be equivalent to approximately six months of lost learning. Researchers attributed this decline to a "continuous state of alert" triggered by frequent smartphone notifications, which leads to divided attention and distraction from academic and physical social environments. Notably, the study found that English language scores remained largely unaffected, potentially due to the high volume of English-language content available on digital platforms providing informal learning opportunities. The findings suggest that delaying autonomous access to social media until age 14 may help protect academic achievement.
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- 2026-08-09 09:59 UTC Impact of social media and smartphone use on students
- 2026-08-09 07:34 UTC Impact of social media and smartphone use on students
- 2026-08-08 17:52 UTC Impact of social media and smartphone use on students
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