What research says about social media addiction as Zuckerberg testifies in court
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Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg will be grilled on Wednesday on the addictive nature of social media for youth, though scientists have not reached a consensus on whether "addiction" is the right label for compulsive use.
Why it matters: Regardless of the classification, researchers have found that excessive social media use has negative effects on youth mental health.
The big picture: The American Psychiatric Association defines social media addiction as "problematic and compulsive use" and "an obsessive need to check and update" platforms.
- But excessive social media use has not been classified as an addiction in the DSM-5, the authoritative guide for diagnosing mental disorders.
Driving the news: Zuckerberg's testimony is part of a watershed social media trial questioning if Meta's platforms, as well as Alphabet Inc.-owned YouTube, deliberately attack and harm children.
- The trial's outcome could impact how thousands of similar lawsuits against social media companies play out.
- The plaintiff, a 20-year-old known by the initials KGM, alleges that compulsive social media use, which began when she was 6 years old, contributed to depression and other mental health struggles.
What they're saying: "These lawsuits misportray our company and the work we do every day to provide young people with safe, valuable experiences online," Meta said on its website.
- "Striking a balance between allowing teens to access the benefits of social media while keeping them safe is one of the most critical questions across our industry."
- Meta cited a 2023 report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine that said "research shows social media has the potential to both harm and benefit adolescent health."
By the numbers: Most teens visit social media apps and websites daily, per a December report from Pew Research. 36% of teens report using one of five popular platforms — YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook — "almost constantly."
- The prevalence underscores how embedded social media is in the daily lives of many teens.
Our thought bubble, from Axios' Maria Curi: Expect both sides to cite research favorable to their own arguments and bring in expert witnesses to back their claims.
- Scientific conclusions aside — the challenge for Meta and YouTube is the common, widespread feeling that it's difficult to put our phones down and get off social media.
State of play: Addictive use of social media, video games and mobile phones is associated with worse mental health among preteens, per 2025 research from Columbia's Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and Weill Cornell Medicine.
- They categorize addictive use as excessive use interfering with schoolwork, home responsibilities, or other activities.
- About half the children reported high addictive use from the start of the study. 25% developed increasingly addictive use as they aged.
Zoom in: A separate study published last year in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that social media use during early adolescence predicted higher depressive symptoms the following year.
- "The findings suggest that clinicians should provide anticipatory guidance regarding social media use for young adolescents and their parents," researchers wrote.
