New Jersey Releases Landmark Report on Social Media's Impact on Adolescents

NEW JERSEY — The New Jersey Commission on the Effects of Social Media Usage on Adolescents has released a comprehensive report outlining the growing concerns surrounding digital platform use among youth, along with 20 formal recommendations for schools, policymakers, parents, healthcare providers, and technology companies.

The report, titled “Growing Up Online”, was developed in response to legislation signed by Governor Phil Murphy and draws on national research, international case studies, testimony from families, and original survey data from Rutgers University. It highlights both the benefits and dangers of adolescent social media use, citing links to cyberbullying, addictive behavior, sleep disruption, and declining mental health.

“This Commission represented an impressive panel of State and national experts that demonstrated thoughtful deliberation on a deeply impactful and ever-evolving issue in our education policy landscape,” said Education Commissioner Kevin Dehmer. “Building off of this work, we must continue to review new research in light of the recommendations presented in this report to address the pressing issue of health and academic impacts of social media use on our students."

The Commission’s findings are grounded in recent research, including:

• 25% of adolescents in New Jersey reportedly spend more than two hours on their phones during the school day, according to Christakis et al. (2025), raising concerns about attention and classroom engagement.

• Adolescents who use social media for more than three hours per day are twice as likely to show symptoms of depression and anxiety (Riehm et al., 2019).

• 77% of high school students do not get enough sleep, per the CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey, with nighttime screen use identified as a major factor.

“This report is a roadmap for action. Social media has rewired childhood, and the stakes could not be higher,” said Commission Co-chairs Pearl Gabel and Charles Gelinas.

The Commission—composed of parents, students, educators, school psychologists, child advocates, and representatives from professional education associations—issued a set of 20 recommendations across five key areas: legislation, education, healthcare, parenting, and technology.

Key recommendations include:

For Schools and Education Stakeholders:

• Implement “bell-to-bell” bans on cell phone and social media use during the school day.

• Expand instruction on digital citizenship and media literacy across all grade levels.

• Revise New Jersey’s academic standards to reflect digital wellness and safe online behavior.

For Parents and Caregivers:

• Delay children’s access to social media and establish usage boundaries.

• Monitor and model responsible digital behavior at home.

For Healthcare Providers:

• Routinely screen adolescents for signs of problematic social media use.

• Educate families about age-appropriate online engagement and its mental health impacts.

For Policymakers:

• Support federal legislation such as COPPA 2.0 and the Kids Online Safety Act.

• Pass state-level transparency requirements for social media platforms.

• Launch a public awareness campaign on social media's effects.

• Advance bill S1982, which would require parental consent for users under 18 creating accounts on social media platforms.

For Social Media Companies:

• Restrict access to users under age 16.

• Develop and improve tools to prevent cyberbullying, discrimination, and exploitation.

• Provide resources for parents and conduct independent assessments of platform impact on youth.

A Growing Concern for Families and Educators

The Commission's findings reflect increasing alarm among educators and families about how adolescent behavior, attention, sleep, and emotional well-being are being shaped by digital environments. The Rutgers University survey, which included 923 parents and 202 adolescents across the state, found a disconnect between how teens view their social media use and how their families manage it.

The report acknowledges that social media platforms have created unprecedented opportunities for self-expression and connection among youth. However, these opportunities come with significant risks that schools, families, and communities must now navigate with greater awareness and coordinated action.

The full report, Growing Up Online: Findings and Recommendations from the New Jersey Commission on the Effects of Social Media Usage on Adolescents, is available on the New Jersey Department of Education’s Student Digital Wellness webpage.

It is intended to guide statewide efforts in creating safer, healthier, and more informed digital environments for New Jersey’s youth.

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