A Pew Research survey of 1,458 US teens aged 13-17 reveals most view Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat as neutral forces in their mental health, with 79% reporting no significant positive or negative effects. While 9% of Snapchat/TikTok users and 11% of Instagram users cited mental health harm, sleep and productivity concerns dominated, particularly around TikTok: 37% said it disrupted sleep and 29% linked it to productivity loss. Parents, however, painted a grimmer picture—40% believed social media hurt their children's sleep, 25% mental health, and 44% of TikTok parents felt their kids spent "too much" time on the app.

These findings contrast sharply with legislative efforts to ban minors from platforms, as lawsuits allege companies like Meta, Snap, and TikTok intentionally design addictive features. Despite parental anxiety, teens emphasized social media's role in strengthening friendships, especially via Snapchat, though they acknowledged higher bullying rates on the app compared to others.