“ Teenagers are very susceptible to the strategies that can be implemented through social media; therefore, this is a major public health issue justifying this expertise." explains Thomas Bayeux, head of socio-economic projects, social sciences, economy and society department at Anses, at a press conference. The health agency has just published a report based on more than 1000 scientific publications and detailing the health risks of social media use by teenagers, as well as recommendations to protect themselves.
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It all starts with an observation. In France, 421% of teenagers aged 12 to 17 spend between 2 and 5 hours a day on their smartphones, and 9% spend more than 5 hours.", the experts emphasize in the report, based on the CREDOC 2025 barometer (Research Center for the Study and Observation of Living Conditions). But beyond screen time, they focused here on how it was used. YouTube, Snapchat, Instagram, TikTok, etc.: according to the same survey, 171% of 12- to 17-year-olds share or comment on content found on social media several times a day, and 36% read it several times a day. Finally, 45% post content on these platforms weekly or more frequently.
Young girls on the front line
“ Posting selfies or retouched images is linked to the internalization of beauty ideals, such as thinness, to the self-objectification of one's body, which becomes an object that can be manipulated, monitored and controlled, and to comparing oneself to others“,” explains Olivia Roth-Delgado, coordinator of expertise, unit for assessing risks related to physical agents and new technologies, Anses. “As a result, adolescents are more likely to develop eating disorders (EDs) such as anorexia.” These mechanisms are well-known and have been observed in magazines, but today teenagers compare themselves not to stars but to their peers, which makes these ideals more attainable." adds the coordinator.
Young girls are the most affected. They are more present on social media, more concerned by the pressure of gender norms and stereotypes, and place more importance on what happens on these platforms. They are also more likely to use them late at night than boys, who are more likely to play video games. The consequences for sleep are disastrous. Between late-night exposure to blue light and emotional disturbances, the deterioration of sleep quality can lead to fatigue, of course, but also sadness and irritability, and, in the long term, obesity, anxiety, and depression.
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Teenage girls are particularly affected by cyberbullying, which is a continuation of the harassment they experience in real life and can be fueled by intimate images initially sent to their partners. Teenagers who engage in sexting can be targets of sextortion. (blackmail under threat of disseminating intimate images, editor's note) or of child entrapment (A malicious adult befriends a minor online, editor's note) associated with a decline in mental health and the development of suicidal thoughts“, alerts Olivia Roth-Delgado.
Adolescence, a vulnerable period in the face of manipulative platforms
Experts have been saying it for a long time, and this new report confirms it: the use of social media, while not without its merits in terms of meaningful social interaction, carries numerous health risks for adolescents. This is a significant period, contributing to the construction of the self." explains Thomas Bayeux. Biologically, brain development reaches maturity during this period, with increased sensitivity to emotional and social contexts and vulnerability to psychiatric disorders – 50% of which occur before the age of 14"He points out. However, the strategies of social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and others are specifically designed to capitalize on these kinds of sensitivities." We highlighted deceptive interfaces, or 'dark patterns', which aim to manipulate and deceive users in order to capture their attention.“,” explains Thomas Bayeux. “From platforms that simply allowed for the extension of potential real-life conversations, social networks, thanks to their particular design, have become merchants of their users’ attention and information.” Examples include infinite scrolling (you never reach the bottom of the page), automatic video playback, notifications, likes, etc." , the project manager lists. And of course, the "information bubble" effects of algorithms.
“ Certain uses of social media are bidirectionally associated with anxiety and depression, as well as self-harming behaviors such as suicide or self-mutilation.“,” emphasizes Olivia Roth-Delgado. “Thus, a teenager already more prone to these mental health issues will be more likely to turn to these platforms, whose algorithm will constantly offer them more content on the subject.” Social media will trap him in a spiral of difficulties. »
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Before the parents, the transformation must come from the platforms.
Parents can help. Studies suggest they should be supportive, open to discussion, especially about risky content, and try to understand their teen's motivations for using social media. "But supportive parents are also those who establish rules, such as a ban on access in the evening before bedtime," explains Olivia Roth-Delgado.
But ANSES' recommendations primarily target the platforms. The first lever is on holding platforms accountable, before the family or the teenager.“These platforms must be inaccessible to minors unless their mental health is protected, notably by prohibiting ‘dark patterns’ and limiting the personalization of content by algorithms,” insists Thomas Bayeux. “Teenagers’ accounts must be configured to protect them effectively, for example by keeping their content private and preventing changes before they turn 18. Finally, platforms wishing to comply should implement simple and effective procedures for blocking and reporting problematic content.” Our recommendations represent a standard to be met in terms of health risks for adolescents and what contributes to them. It is then up to the legislature to make choices based on this standard.“,” explains Matthieu Schuller, Deputy Director General of the Science and Expertise Division at ANSES. “But the idea of making these huge platforms abandon their highly lucrative strategy raises eyebrows.” We are not naive." , adds Thomas Bayeux, aware that these recommendations will potentially result in a complete ban on access to social networks below a certain age threshold. In AustraliaThis has been the case since December 2025 for minors under 16 years of age.
In France, a two-article bill, scheduled for debate in Parliament in early 2026, aims to ban " the provision, by an online platform, of an online social networking service to a minor under the age of fifteen "as early as September 1, 2026," reveals AFP.
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