Is social media really increasing drinking in children and young adults? The picture is far from clear

Alcohol remains part of our culture and we are duty bound to protect those vulnerable to its effects, writes Tony Rao. But there is still much more that we need to know about how social media influences drinking in children and younger people

Media reports suggested that one episode of binge drinking could cause lasting damage to a child’s mental health and even harm school results (Getty)

The ways in which children and young people socialise have changed significantly over the past few decades. Social media has played a huge role in this transformation – very different from the face to face contact that was once part of everyday life. It forms an important part of leisure time, but we also know that social media has the potential to harm the mental health of younger people.

A study published last week went a step further, however, as it explored the potential for alcohol-related harm, caused by social media, in two groups of young people. The results may surprise you, particularly as there has been a steady decline over the years in drinking among young people compared with older people. Such was its relevance to the health and wellbeing of children and young people, in fact, the study was quoted in a debate in the House of Lords on the report from the Commission on Alcohol Harm.

On the face of it, the results seem pretty straightforward. The comparison group was young people aged between 10 and 19 who engaged in social media for less than an hour a day. The study found that 10- to 15-year-olds with no social media activity had a lower risk of drinking at least once a month. Equally striking was the finding that those in this age group who used it for more than an hour a day had a greater risk of drinking at least once a month.