Giving Compass' Take:

• Amy Orben discusses the controversy around the possible harm caused by too much much screen time. 

• How can funders work to help families cope with the possible negative impacts of screen time? 

• Read more about how using social media affects teenagers.


Headlines rarely soothe nerves.

Apple's Tim Cook recently said he would not want his nephew on a social network, while child health experts wrote to Facebook warning excessive use of digital devices and social media "is harmful to children and teens".

Some negative experiences on social media - like bullying, or becoming worried about how your appearance compares to others - can and do affect some children and young people.

Consider the picture painted by a Unicef review of existing research into the effects of digital technology on children's psychological wellbeing, including happiness, mental health and social life. Rather than stating that social media was harmful, it suggested a more complex effect.

The Unicef report highlighted a 2017 study by my colleagues at the University of Oxford that examined 120,000 UK 15-year-olds. Among those teenagers who were the lightest users, it was found that increasing the time spent using technology was linked to improved wellbeing - possibly because it was important for keeping up friendships.

In contrast, among the heaviest users of technology, any increase in time was linked to lower levels of wellbeing. The researchers suggested that for those teens, technology use might get in the way of taking part in other important activities.

Read more about the controversy over social media and screen time use by Amy Orben at BBC.