Mental health

Moreover, the proponents of bans ignore how they would deprive children of the benefits of social media. They are a blessing to children who feel isolated: perhaps because of their location, their sexuality, or because their brains work differently from those of others. Social media can broaden young minds, giving children from all backgrounds a window onto fresh places and people. Like it or not, social sites are now one of…

The concerns over social media, and in particular the effects on children, have been well-documented — but Finnish researcher Silja Kosola's recent description of the phenomenon as an "uncontrolled human experiment" has grabbed people's attention once again. Kosola, an associate professor in adolescent medicine, has researched the impact of social media on young people, and tells Yle News that the consequences are not very…