Heavy social media use reduces adolescents' face-to-face social skills.

Is it true that heavy social media use reduces adolescents' face-to-face social skills?

Partly. One longitudinal cohort found increased social media use was unrelated to later social skills and predicted more offline time with friends, and a rural survey found heavy media use did not displace face-to-face socializing; a separate study reported heavy use associated with reduced face-to-face interactions. None directly measured a decline in face-to-face social skills, so the evidence only partially addresses the claim and points both ways.

Verdict: CONTESTED PARTIAL · 1 source for, 3 against · Last checked 3 Oct 2026

The private library was unavailable for some searches in this check. Missing library results are not evidence against the claim.

Hansen, S. (2025). Digital and social media use among adolescents in Arctic Norway: Exploring risk and protective factors in Finnmark County. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dialog.2025.100212

The impact of heavy and disordered use of games and social media on adolescents’ psychological, social, and school functioning. (n.d.). cir.nii.ac.jp. https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.7.2018.65

Disconnection More Problematic for Adolescent Self-Esteem than Heavy Social Media Use: Evidence from Access Inequalities and Restrictive Media Parenting in Rural America. (n.d.). cir.nii.ac.jp. https://doi.org/10.1177/08944393221117466

The new social landscape: Relationships among social media use, social skills, and offline friendships from age 10–18 years - PMC Lock. (n.d.). pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2024.108235