James Donaldson on Mental Health - When Are Kids Ready for Social Media?

Kids who are vulnerable For kids who are struggling with emotional issues, parents need to be aware that the algorithms in social media apps can read their mood and reinforce it.

“Social media is built to feed you content you’re more and more interested in,” says Dr.

“If you have a kid who’s depressed, the algorithm will feed them content that aligns with their mood.

If you’ve got a kid who’s anxious, the algorithm will feed them the content that aligns with their dominant emotional state.

And if you’ve got a kid who has ADHD and is looking to be distracted, the algorithm will feed them distraction.” While the majority of kids are not necessarily harmed by what they see on social media, it’s not always clear to parents if a child is depressed or anxious, so Dr.

Anderson recommends careful monitoring and use of guardrails.

“The reality is that for kids who are already in a vulnerable mental health population, consuming social media alone is a real risk factor.

It can really affect them.” Frequently Asked Questions Should kids have social media?

At what age should kids have social media?

How do you know your child is ready for social media?