A dramatic rise in social media use among children and adolescents is reshaping daily routines and pushing aside key developmental activities such as sport, reading and music, according to a major new study by the University of South Australia.
Researchers tracked more than 14,000 students aged 11 to 14 between 2019 and 2022, finding that daily social media use soared by more than 200 per cent over the four-year period. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, only 26 per cent of young people reported using social media every day. By 2022, that figure had jumped to 85 per cent, transforming the way Australian children spend their time.
The change has not been without consequences. The proportion of students who never read for pleasure increased from 11 per cent to 53 per cent, while those who never participated in arts activities climbed from 26 per cent to 70 per cent. Participation in extra-curricular music also fell sharply, with the number of non-participants rising from 70 to 85 per cent.
Even more striking was the collapse in children who did not use social media at all—dropping from 31 per cent to just 3 per cent of the cohort.
Researchers noted clear demographic differences, with boys more likely to stop reading and girls more frequent users of social media platforms.
UniSA researcher and PhD candidate Mason Zhou said the findings reveal a structural shift in adolescent behaviour that has outlasted pandemic restrictions.
“Social media has become deeply embedded in children’s daily lives,” Zhou said. “But now it is replacing activities that support healthy development—sport, reading and creative play. Because these changes happened at such a critical stage of adolescence, they may have lasting impacts on young people’s wellbeing.”
The study comes as Australia prepares to implement a national ban on social media use for children under 16, a policy expected to reshape digital habits across the country. Researchers say the findings underscore the need for additional support to help young people re-engage with offline activities.
Co-researcher Professor Dot Dumuid warned that without intervention, the developmental risks could be long-term.
“If we want to support young people’s wellbeing, we need to help them rebalance their time,” Dumuid said. “Children who participate in sport, arts and other extra-curricular activities generally have better academic outcomes, stronger social skills and improved mental health.”
According to the study, other types of screen use such as gaming and television increased during the pandemic but returned to normal levels by 2022—unlike social media, which remained significantly elevated.
Researchers say the national ban will likely trigger behavioural shifts toward alternative platforms such as messaging apps and gaming, making ongoing monitoring essential.
The full study is publicly available through the University of South Australia.
