Does excessive social media use actually harm the self-esteem of young people?

A Swedish survey has claimed that social media use negatively affects the self esteem of young people. But such studies must take into account the complex intertwining of online and offline worlds, and recognise that a sharp distinction between life, relationships, and communication online and offline is no longer meaningful. Stine Liv Johansen is an Associate Professor at the Centre for Children’s Literature and Media at Aarhus University. She studies children’s media use in different contexts, most recently practices related to children’s use of YouTube. She is a member of the Danish Media Council for Children and Youth.