Health · Medical Research · 1 day ago
Bradford study will limit social media for up to 5,000 children
Researchers in Bradford, England, are studying how social media use may affect children’s wellbeing.
Over six weeks, 4,000 to 5,000 pupils aged 12 to 15 at 12 schools will have their use of selected apps either restricted or tracked without limits.
In the restricted group, pupils can use the apps for up to two hours a day and must stop at 9pm.
The apps include TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook, among others.
Pupils will answer questions at the beginning and end about anxiety, sleep, body image and school life, while researchers track which apps they use and when.
The study will also look at whether less social media use changes sleep or physical activity, or leads pupils to spend more time on other screens.
It is a £1.2 million trial led by the Bradford Institute for Health Research and the University of Cambridge.
The findings may help inform debate ahead of the UK government’s planned social media ban for under-16s next spring.
A study across 12 schools in Bradford will restrict and monitor social media use for 4,000 to 5,000 children aged 12 to 15 for six weeks.
Some pupils will be limited to two hours a day on 10 selected apps and face a 9pm curfew, while others will continue as usual with their use tracked.
Researchers will examine possible effects on behaviour, anxiety, sleep, body image and school life.
The £1.2 million study is led by the Bradford Institute for Health Research and the University of Cambridge.
- Who
- 4,000 to 5,000 children aged 12 to 15 in Bradford schools.
- What
- A six-week study will restrict and monitor some pupils' social media use and track others' use as usual.
- When
- The study is described as taking place over the next six weeks; the article was published on 11 October 2026.
- Where
- 12 schools in Bradford, England.
- Why
- Researchers aim to find out how restricting social media affects children's behaviour and wellbeing.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Students will fill in questionnaires about how they are feeling, including anxiety, sleep, body image and school life.
Some pupils will have social media restricted, while others will continue as usual with their use tracked.
Students will fill in questionnaires again.
The government's social media ban for under-16s is set to be introduced.
- Schools
- 12 schools in Bradford
- Participants
- 4,000 to 5,000 children aged 12 to 15
- Study length
- Six weeks
- Daily limit
- Two hours on selected apps, with a 9pm curfew for some pupils
- Apps
- TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Reddit, Threads, X, Kick and Twitch
- Study cost
- £1.2 million
What people are saying
We want to know if they are getting better sleep, will they be doing more physical activity, or will they just replace it with other forms of screen time - TV, video games, other things on the phone.
A lot of people learn stuff from social media and they can contact their friends. It's not because of social media that young people are depressed.
It's better to socialise online sometimes because it can be awkward in real life.
Sources
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