More than a third of teens say they spend too much time on their phones, new study finds

The always-online generation may be starting to unplug a bit.

The always-online generation may be starting to unplug a bit. Around 40% of teenagers say they have cut back on their time on social media, according to a report published Monday by the Pew Research Center. Nearly the same proportion of teens acknowledge that they spend “too much” time on their smartphones (38%) and social media (27%). The findings come as concerns about the potential harm from social media to young users’ mental health and well-being continue to escalate among parents, schools and lawmakers. US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said last year that he believes 13, the minimum age to sign up for many platforms, is too young for children to be on social media. And several US states have attempted to pass legislation that aims to keep teens under the age of 16 off social media — although such laws have faced fierce legal opposition. Monday’s Pew report indicates that some teens may be taking matters into their own hands by setting stricter boundaries around their tech use. All but 5% of US teens now have access to a smartphone and a separate Pew study from December found that one third of teens say they use at least one of the five major social media platforms — YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram or Facebook — “almost constantly.” According to Monday’s report, teen girls, who some believe are especially at risk of impacts to their mental health and body image from social media, are more likely to say they spend too much time on their phones (44%) than teen boys (33%).