Mega-Silliness? Deconstructing the “Social Media Crisis” in Adolescent Mental Health – Keith Hampton

Join us in person or online on March 18, 2026, from 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM ET for a stimulating talk!

See you in CAS 191 or use the link here to register for the Zoom webinar: https://tinyurl.com/47ukftct

The narrative that social media has triggered a youth mental health crisis is ubiquitous, yet scientifically fragile. This talk evaluates the two primary causal frameworks used to support this claim: ideographic (historical trends) and nomothetic (experimental evidence). First, I argue that “worsening” mental health trends are better explained by a “forgotten” prior panic regarding untreated mental illness. This movement catalyzed shifts in public health policy that changed diagnostic rates but inadvertently worsened opportunities for meaningful treatment. Second, I present a systematic quality assessment of 50 frequently referenced experimental studies. Using established criteria for measurement, internal, and external validity, I demonstrate that this corpus of evidence carries such high risks of bias as to be largely uninterpretable. By shifting our methodological and conceptual focus, we can move past digital scapegoating toward a more evidence-based understanding of the current drivers of adolescent wellbeing.

Keith N. Hampton is a Professor of Media and Information at Michigan State University. In 2018 he assumed the role of Director of Academic Research for the Quello Center. Keith’s research is focused on the relationship between new information and communication technologies, social networks, democratic engagement and the urban environment. His recent research has looked at the outcomes of persistent contact and pervasive awareness through social media, including stress, social isolation, exposure to diverse points of view, and willingness to voice opinions. His publications have received a number of awards, such as a 2015 paper award from the American Sociological Association, Section on Communication and Information Technologies.

Hampton received his doctorate and Master of Arts in sociology from the University of Toronto, and his Bachelor of Arts in sociology from the University of Calgary. Before joining the faculty at MSU, he was the Endowed Professor in Communication and Public Policy and Co-Chair of the Social Media & Society Cluster in the Department of Communication in the School of Communication and Information at Rutgers. Other previous posts include assistant professor at the Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania; as well as assistant professor of technology, urban and community sociology, and Endowed Class of ’43 Chair in the Department of Urban Studies and Planning at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.