MORE than one in three adults in the UK say social media has negatively affected their mental health, latest YouGov figures have revealed.
That is nearly three times as many as those who believe it has had a positive effect.
As of 14 January 2026, 37% of UK adults said that social media has had a broadly negative effect.
A mere 14% said the effect on their mental health has been positive.
Social Media and Mental Health
The negative health impacts of social media remain scientifically uncontentious.
Daily social media use is associated with increased stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, and poor sleep quality, a 2025 systematic literature review found.
It was also linked to reduced self-esteem and life satisfaction.
Not only that, but daily social media use also impacted physiological health, showing positive association with burning eyes, wrist pain, neck and shoulder pain, chest pain, stomach pain, nausea, headaches, and muscle pain.
Further, it negatively impacted academic performance, body image, mood, and general wellbeing in adolescents and young adults.
A 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis also found that short-form video use, popularised by TikTok, is associated with poorer mental health.
Stress and anxiety showed the strongest associations and findings were consistent across youth and adult cohorts.
Social Media Regulation for Children
Almost 60% of adults in the UK think that current regulations for social media companies are too relaxed, according to last month’s YouGov statistics.
Less than one in five think restrictions are currently “about right”.
This follows a wider conversation surrounding the potential for an Australian-style ban on social media for children under 16 in the UK.
Last week, the government announced a “crackdown on vile illegal content created by AI”, promising to quickly shut a legal loophole and tighten restrictions on AI chatbot providers.
In the wake of January’s public outcry that led to Elon Musk’s X stopping its Grok AI tool from creating sexualised images of women and children, the government announced new efforts to ensure the Online Safety Act keeps up with rapidly evolving harms.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “Technology is moving really fast, and the law has got to keep up. The action we took on Grok sent a clear message that no platform gets a free pass.
“Today we are closing loopholes that put children at risk and laying the groundwork for further action. We are acting to protect children’s wellbeing and help parents to navigate the minefield of social media.”
Uncertain Futures
Yesterday, the Independent Commissioner’s Office fined social media platform Reddit nearly 15 million GBP for children’s privacy failures.
The watchdog found that Reddit was using children’s personal information unlawfully, including not checking the age of users accessing its platform and putting children at risk, potentially exposing them to harmful content.
John Edwards, UK Information Commissioner, said: “Children under 13 had their personal information collected and used in ways they could not understand, consent to or control.
“That left them potentially exposed to content they should not have seen. This is unacceptable and has resulted in today’s fine.”
In the same vein, Meta Platforms is currently being sued by a woman for the harm that Instagram did to her mental health when she was a child, in a landmark case heard at the Los Angeles County’s Superior Courthouse.
Amid rapidly evolving technologies, tech giants continue to come under fire for regulations that are failing to keep pace.
References
YouGov. How social media has affected the mental health of Brits. 2026. Available at: https://yougov.co.uk/topics/technology/trackers/how-social-media-has-affected-the-mental-health-of-brits. Last accessed: 25 February 2026.
YouGov. Generally speaking, do you think that current regulations in the UK for social media companies are too tight, too relaxed, or is the current level of regulation about right?. 2026. Available at: https://yougov.co.uk/topics/technology/survey-results/daily/2026/01/13/31b0f/1. Last accessed: 25 February 2026.
Behera N et al. Impact of social media use on physical, mental, social, and emotional health, sleep quality, body image, and mood: evidence from 21 countries – A systematic literature review with narrative synthesis. 2025;DOI:10.1007/s12529-025-10411-9.
Nguyen L et al. Feeds, feelings, and focus: A systematic review and meta-analysis examining the cognitive and mental health correlates of short-form video use. 2025;151(9):1125-1146.
Featured image: Urupong on Adobe Stock
