Episode 128: Dr Christopher Ferguson on Why Social Media Isn't Bad For Your Kids

I’m suspicious of social media, and the effect a smartphone has on my attention in general. Books like The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt, about how devices and social media are negatively affecting teenagers and children, make an argument that I’m primed to hear favourably. When researchers and politicians talk about limiting the use of phones in schools, I find myself listening sympathetically.The Australian government passed a new law in late November 2024 banning under-16s from social media, because of concerns over the effect platforms like TikTok and Instagram are having on young people. Meta is being sued in more than 30 states for “fueling mental health problems among teens by making its Facebook and Instagram platforms addictive,” according to Reuters.So I was surprised and interested to find two meta-analyses by Dr Christopher Ferguson, both published by the American Psychological Association this year, in which he claimed that “the current research literature is unable to provide strong evidence for a clinically relevant link between time spent on social media and mental health issues in youth.”In fact, Chris found that “meta-analytic evidence for causal effects was statistically no different than zero.”Chris says that researchers, authors, politicians, and activists have it all wrong. To him, the concerns over social media are part of a long history of moral panics obsessed with the corruption of youth, a thread of unfounded outrage that stretches from violent video games all the way back to Socrates.Our conversation was a lot of fun. Chris walked me through his research and methods, with a special emphasis on how studies in the field could be better and more useful. In the end, whichever side of the debate they land on, the people involved want to help young people and prevent unnecessary suffering, which, as a layman, makes me think they’re all ultimately on the same team.You can read Chris’s Substack here and buy his novel here. He is also the author of the non-fiction books Catastrophe!: How Psychology Explains Why Good People Make Bad Situations Worse, How Madness Shaped History: An Eccentric Array of Maniacal Rulers, Raving Narcissists, and Psychotic Visionaries, and Moral Combat: Why the War on Violent Video Games Is Wrong.Enjoy!1984today.substack.com1984.todayX: @1984TodayPod This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit 1984today.substack.com

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