Research conducted by the German Institute for Economic Research in Cologne (IW) suggests that the increasing use of social media may contribute to the years-long decline in school performance. According to the report, prepared for the “Initiative Neue Soziale Marktwirtschaft” (INSM) and reported by “Stern” the results of the OECD’s PISA study, conducted every three years, are “significantly negatively” affected by “the more time teenagers spend daily on digital media such as video games or social networks”.
Consequently, this leaves less time available for other activities like homework, reading, or sports. The study posits that “extensive daily use of digital media can reduce study time so much that competencies and learning outcomes accordingly suffer”. The scientists derived this calculation using PISA data from 2022.
The authors point out that various factors positively influence academic achievement, such as parents having a high professional status, the number of books available in the household, or whether German is spoken at home. However, even when accounting for these factors, the negative impact of time spent on social media remains apparent.
Thorsten Alsleben, the executive director of the initiative funded by employer associations, warned about the consequences. He stated, “The massive increase in social media consumption is no longer harmless pastime but a concrete danger to the educational success and mental health of our children”.
