NEWS BRIEFING: Young Aussies’ social media use linked to poorer mental health

**BRIEFING RECORDING AVAILABLE** Six months into Australia’s social media ban for under 16s, a decade-long study led by Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) has found young people who spend two hours or more a day on social media are more likely to experience depressive symptoms and poorer wellbeing than those whose use is limited to an hour or less. The research, which included 1,200 children from Melbourne, found the strongest impact on mental health among girls aged 12–13, although sm