French health agency review links heavy teen social media use to anxiety and self-harm

Heavy social media use among adolescents is associated with anxiety and depressive disorders, self-harm and suicidal thoughts, according to a five-year review of more than 1,000 studies published by Anses, the French agency for food, environmental and occupational health and safety.

The review, which covered research on young people aged 11 to 17, also links prolonged use to online bullying, lower self-esteem, disturbed sleep caused by screens late at night, and a distorted self-image built on repeated exposure to idealised bodies and lives. Greater use was further associated with higher rates of alcohol, cannabis and other substance use among teenagers.

The agency's project coordinators, Olivia Roth-Delgado and Thomas Bayeux, describe the results as strong associations rather than direct proof of cause and effect. They note the relationship can run both ways: a teenager who is already struggling may look for emotionally intense material, and that in turn can deepen the difficulties they face.

Girls flagged as most at risk

The report identifies girls as a particularly exposed group. "Girls clearly represent a highly vulnerable segment on social media," Bayeux said, citing higher rates of bullying and shaming based on gender, greater social pressure, and the weight young users give to comments and validation online. LGBTQIA+ young people were also identified as facing a high risk of online bullying.

How platforms hold attention

The researchers argue that the way platforms are built matters as much as what appears on them. Features such as likes, notifications, endless feeds and autoplay reels are what Roth-Delgado calls "dark patterns", designed to "capture users' attention and monetize it". Personalised recommendation systems add to the danger, in the agency's view: one search connected to self-harm can set off a chain of similar suggestions that draws a vulnerable teenager further into harmful material.

What the report wants changed

Rather than recommending an outright ban, the report favours regulation and redesign. It points to the principle in the European Union's Digital Services Act that what is illegal offline is illegal online. Its proposals include restricting under-18s to platforms built or configured to protect minors, holding platforms responsible for their design, and involving teenagers themselves in setting rules, together with parents and teachers. The team also says artificial intelligence chatbots need closer study in future rounds of review.

The Digital Services Act, a European Union law covering online services including social networks, already places duties on the largest platforms. Under the framework, services with more than 45 million monthly users in the EU are required to identify and address risks to their users, including risks to minors, according to the European Commission's published material on the law. The Commission has also taken enforcement steps under the Act, fining X 120 million euros, about £100 million, on 5 December 2025 over a misleading blue tick, a deficient advert library and blocks on researchers' data access, and issuing preliminary findings on 24 July 2026 that TikTok's under-18 accounts fall short of the Act's safety standards. Those findings are preliminary and TikTok has the opportunity to respond. The Anses report adds to the body of evidence families and campaigners draw on in debates over social media harm claims and children's mental health.

Families who want to know more can read about who can claim.