What affect do social media algorithms have on teenagers?

Article originally published in Portuguese on Lunetas on August 19, 2026.

Sleepless nights and deep sadness were warnings that João Marcos felt during isolation during the pandemic, in 2020. At the time, aged 13, he couldn’t get off his cell phone. “I was fascinated by Tik Tok, with that infinite feed of videos and I played a lot of online games”, he says.

Unable to meet his classmates and walk around the squares of Arapiraca (AL), the teenager became a recluse and saw his habits change radically. “I had little contact with the internet before the pandemic. At school, I talked and played normally. Then, everything around me became technological. From classes to conversations between relatives”, he remembers.

The hyperconnected routine led him to develop anxiety and depression. As the algorithms drew a path that seemed convenient, he settled. “I no longer had the desire to learn complex subjects, such as mathematics. I spent nights awake playing Roblox and became addicted to social media. The notifications indicated content that caught my attention. I was eager to find out what it was.”

What happened to João Marcos could be an effect of current reality: a generation of young people sucked into social networks, with algorithms that direct attention to trends, games, betting and consumption.

All of this makes sense to the thesis of American psychologist Jonathan Haidt, author of the book “The anxious generation: how hyperconnected childhood is causing an epidemic of mental disorders” (Companhia das Letras).

The author presents a global observation that childhood and adolescence have changed, as boys and girls are less in the real world and more in the virtual world. This transformation would be directly linked to mental health problems.

Although Haidt’s idea currently serves as the basis for political and social decisions regarding the mental health of children and adolescents, there are counterpoints. Researchers in the field of psychology and child and adolescent development, such as Canadian psychologist Candice Odgers, understand the theory as one facet of a larger problem. According to Odgers, there is a correlation between hyperconnection and mental health cases among teenagers, but this would not necessarily be an isolated cause. Furthermore, there is a lack of sufficient scientific studies to support the thesis. Another problem is blaming too much screen time for the suffering of young people, leaving aside factors such as social inequalities, lack of child care and little access to mental health policies.

Where do algorithms fit into this equation?

Psychiatrist Arthur Caye, manager of the Center for Research and Innovation in Mental Health (CISM), explains the need to broaden our perspective on the relationship between the internet and mental health. He notes that current research points to more complex dynamics. “It isn’t simply a matter of saying social media causes depression. The key is having a scientific basis to understand and address the pathways suggested by this broader concept.”

In light of this, he emphasizes that screen usage has two sides. When an adolescent accesses social media, algorithms quickly learn where the user pauses, comments, watches to the end, saves, and shares. This floods their feed with similar content—something that can be both good and bad.

“It’s great for music, sports, studying, and creativity. However, things get complicated when the content involves sadness, body image, comparison, anger, fear, isolation, or humiliation,” says the psychiatrist, an expert in child and adolescent behavior.

In this sense, we can see two sides to the same ‘modus operandi’. “The online world is both useful and exhausting. It helps maintain friendships, express identity, and find communities. But it also creates a sense of constant availability and an emotional mix that hinders emotional regulation,” Caye points out.

Consequently, adolescents often feel lost; without proper mediation, there is a high risk that the algorithm will specialize in content that distorts reality. The consequences range from anxiety to constant social comparison, as demonstrated by the Mapa da Felicidade Real no Brasil 2026 (Map of Real Happiness in Brazil 2026). The study reveals that 77% of participants aged 16 to 24 have compared their lives to others’ on social media. Furthermore, 71% of this same age group felt sad or unhappy while consuming content on these platforms.

This is exactly what happened to João Marcos during his early experiences with social media. “I used to compare myself a lot with other young people my age who had a different standard of living,” he recalls. Arthur Caye explains that the comparisons arising among adolescents are not merely aesthetic. “They wonder who has more friends, who goes out more, who seems happier, and who has a more interesting routine. Adolescents compare their own lives to the curated lives of others—an unfair comparison.”

João Marcos used to spend hours on social media, consuming everything the algorithm showed in his feed. He recalls that his screen addiction altered his mood and led to anxiety. After learning how the system worked, he created the Libélulas project, which focuses on fostering self-awareness among young people regarding their screen usage. Source: unidentified.

Is it possible to “tame” what appears in your feed?

Once João Marcos understood how the algorithm’s cycle worked, he was able to turn his routine around. “It was really hard to start curbing my excessive social media use, but I began making the algorithm work for me,” he says. He actively sought out content related to languages ​​and programming. “I learned new languages ​​and how to code. That helped with my social projects focused on education. Today, I spend less time on social media and am more involved in other activities.”

This process was possible because João Marcos received proper support from psychologists both inside and outside of school. “I sought help when I realized my feelings weren’t normal. Many people around me said that asking a psychologist for help was a sign of weakness, but I knew I needed support,” he recalls.

In Caxias do Sul (RS), visual artist Rosane Castilhos is also trying to outsmart the algorithm, though in a different way. As the mother of Raquel (17) and Enzo (14), she adopted a strategy based on dialogue and constant mediation. “We talk about how these platforms are designed to capture attention and make people want to stay connected for longer and longer periods. We think it’s important for them to understand that this doesn’t happen by accident,” she says.

To make it work, the family follows different approaches. While agreements regarding schedules and usage time work well for Raquel—since she has her own phone—with Enzo, the focus is more on the nature of the content being accessed. “Enzo is autistic, so screens can also serve as a tool for his interests, communication, and self-regulation,” Rosane explains. “He enjoys using his phone and interacts a lot when he’s on it, so we pay more attention to the function that usage serves for him rather than just the amount of screen time,” she says.

Tailoring mediation to each child is a difficult task, but not an impossible one. “The main point is understanding that while the phone is part of our routine, it shouldn’t take over the entire day. It’s hard work, and things don’t always go exactly the way we’d like,” she reveals. Raquel still relies on her parents’ help to step away from screens when she is at home. “One thing leads to another. Before I know it, I’ve spent a lot of time on them. When I’m home, my parents call me to do other activities,” she says.

Enzo, on the other hand, does not use social media; instead, he is supported in turning screen-based content into playful daily activities. “We try to offer content that aligns with his interests while respecting his needs; we often incorporate this into his daily routine and into artistic and educational activities,” explains Rosane.

The boy’s interests shift depending on holidays or events. “During the World Cup, he researched the flags of the participating countries. We expanded on the theme to study capitals, languages, and traditional foods, and we listened to music from those countries,” she recalls. “We took the opportunity to turn those interests into chances for learning and play.”

Another important aspect is observing how Enzo reacts after engaging with content. “I try to notice if what he saw, read, or heard has unsettled him. If it has, we try to prevent further access; if it brings positive results, we continue.”

Rosane Castilho seeks to balance cell phone use with activities such as music and art with her children, Raquel and Enzo, in Caxias do Sul (RS). For her, talking about algorithms and encouraging other interests is a strategy for managing screen time.

What strategies are working?

At Rosane’s house, in addition to conversations and mediation, there is the opportunity to do other activities. Raquel and Enzo learn to play musical instruments, play sports, take care of their pets and go on family outings. “I really like some games and looking at images on the internet, I also like doing other things, especially playing the drums”, says Enzo.

Another essential point is the example. “As parents, we try not to spend so much time on screens and we don’t use the cell phone as a bargaining chip, because this can give more value to people wanting to use it,” says Rosane.

Therefore, at the same time as the two watch videos about science, music and art, they access content that is trending. “They want to understand what everyone is talking about. I think it’s part of their social life.”

Psychiatrist Arthur Caye also reinforces paths that lead to reflection on the relationship with screens and social networks. In other words, it is not enough to adopt strict rules, but to transform the teenager into an observer of their own experience. “Ask him what he likes to access, what content is good for him and what is bad for him, which app he spends the most time on, what time of day it is most difficult to stop using,” he says. “Self-regulation is not born from a lecture, it is born from perceiving patterns.”

Self-regulation and a change of focus were precisely the best strategies for João Marcos. This year, he won the “Bem na Rede: competition for the healthy use of technology” competition, organized by Juntô, a Brazilian mental health initiative for children and adolescents. The victory was given to the Libélulas project, created and developed by him.

“The aim is for young people to answer questions to self-analyze and be self-critical about how they are using their cell phones and the social media cycle”, he explains.

Libélulas consists of a digital form with 34 questions that makes the participant reflect on the time and quality of screen use. “At the end, they receive a booklet with emotional intelligence techniques to help with this excessive use. It is not therapy and does not replace specialized support, but it is a start”, highlights João Marcos.

What are the next steps?

Jonathan Haidt’s thesis outlines four key recommendations for caring for the “anxious generation” and reshaping childhood and adolescence in an era of hyper-connectivity. He cites:

1. Delaying smartphone use until high school;
2. Avoiding social media access before age 16;
3. Keeping schools phone-free during class;
4. Providing more time for free play, autonomy, and responsibilities.

These actions require shared responsibility among families, schools, and governments. There is currently a global trend of policy decisions moving in the same direction as Haidt’s recommendations. One example is the legislation in various countries banning mobile phone use in schools.

In Brazil, this has been in effect since February 2025 under Law No. 15.100. A study conducted by the Ministry of Education (MEC) in partnership with the Anísio Teixeira National Institute of Educational Studies and Research (Inep) and the Alana Institute—with cooperation from UNESCO—analyzed the national landscape one year after the law’s implementation. The results indicate significant improvements in students’ socialization and mental health; 97% of school principals stated that the law helped increase student participation in class, and 86% linked the restriction to reduced anxiety among students.

Another issue is the regulation of major companies to ensure they adopt measures protecting children and adolescents on their digital platforms. According to Arthur Caye, we are living in a global context that shifts responsibility away from families alone and confronts Big Tech. “The family is important, but we cannot expect it to face global companies, opaque algorithms, and constantly changing systems all on its own,” the psychiatrist argues.

Australia stands out as a prominent example so far. In that country, companies are required to take measures to prevent those under 16 from creating social media accounts. Additionally, the European Union is discussing legal measures to promote healthy social media use among adolescents. The United Kingdom, for example, has proposed banning these platforms from offering services to minors under 16, in addition to adopting a sort of “curfew” between midnight and 6 a.m. that restricts social media access for 16- and 17-year-olds. The aim is to have Parliament approve these proposals before Christmas so they can come into effect in the first quarter of 2027.

The Child Mind Institute’s report, “Growing Up in the Digital World,” notes that companies like Meta and TikTok already comply with rules regarding minimum age limits for social media use in six countries. Additionally, at least 35 countries are currently in the proposal, announcement, or debate stage—including Brazil, following the recent publication of the “Digital ECA” (Digital Child and Adolescent Statute).

“Regulating digital ecosystems for children and adolescents means acknowledging that an environment which collects data, shapes social relationships, and interferes with sleep and a sense of belonging requires rules, just like anything else with similar characteristics,” concludes Arthur Caye.

João Marcos came to understand these rules regarding social media and algorithms not through government action, but through a process involving therapy and self-discovery. “I realized that technology advances and is part of life, but it is important to know how to use it positively. I also understood that I have emotional intelligence and can use the algorithm for good things.”