Kids’ social media use rises as hobbies decline
- admin928749
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
Australian researchers are sounding the alarm as new data shows children are abandoning key developmental activities in favour of scrolling on social media.
A University of South Australia study tracking more than 14,000 students aged 11–14 found that daily social media use has exploded — rising from 26% in 2019 to 85% in 2022, a 200% increase since before COVID-19.
As screen time surged, participation in traditional activities collapsed:
Kids who never read for fun jumped from 11% to 53%
Those who never took part in arts activities rose from 26% to 70%
Students who never joined extra-curricular music climbed from 70% to 85%
Social media non-users dropped from 31% to just 3%
Researchers also found boys showed a sharper decline in reading, while girls used social media more frequently. Unlike other habits that returned to normal after lockdowns — such as TV watching and gaming — social media use remained high.
UniSA researcher Mason Zhou said social media has become so dominant that it is replacing activities crucial for healthy development, including sport, creative play and reading.
“These changes happened during a critical stage of adolescence and have persisted years after restrictions ended. That could mean lasting consequences for young people,” he warned.
The findings come as Australia prepares to roll out a national social media ban for under-16s. Experts say the study highlights where extra support will be needed to help kids reconnect with enriching activities.
Co-researcher Professor Dot Dumuid said programs encouraging young people to return to sports, arts, music and reading are vital.
“Kids involved in these activities generally do better at school, build stronger identities, develop social skills and enjoy better mental health,” she said.
Dumuid also noted that while the ban may reduce social media use, children may shift to gaming or other platforms — making it important to monitor how their behaviours change.
Source : 9News
Stay tuned with Aus News Lanka – the leading platform for news for Australians.
Comments