Concerns surrounding young people’s screen time are widespread. Countries around the world are starting to ban social media for users under the age of 16 — Australia being the first in December 2025. In the U.S., as of mid-2026, more than 30 states have passed laws banning or restricting cellphones in K-12 classrooms; in 2023, the U.S. surgeon general issued a formal advisory on social media and children’s and adolescents’ mental health.
These concerns and policies are part of a national and international conversation around how young people spend time on screens and the relationship between screen time and their overall health and development.
Gabriel E. Hales is a recent doctoral graduate and research fellow in the Department of Media and Information at Michigan State University’s College of Communication Arts and Sciences. He works closely with faculty in the MSU Quello Center, which focuses on helping people better understand how technology, media and public policies affect individuals, communities and society. Hales’ studies focus specifically on the relationships between students’ academic achievement/social networks and their access, use and skill sets related to digital technologies.
Here, Hales provides insight into adolescent digital media use and its influence on social, emotional and academic outcomes.