In a groundbreaking move that could reshape how we understand the relationship between teens and social media, researchers in the UK have launched a world-first study to test whether reducing teenagers’ time on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube can actually improve their mental health. The study, aptly named The IRL Trial (IRL standing for “In Real Life”), is set to recruit around 4,000 teens aged 12 to 15 from 10 schools in Bradford, UK. The goal? To find out if cutting back on screen time can lead to better sleep, less anxiety, and healthier social interactions—without resorting to outright bans.

Here’s how it works: Half of the participants will install a bespoke app that tracks their social media use and restricts their time on selected platforms to just one hour per day, with a nighttime curfew from 9 PM to 7 AM. The other half will continue using social media as usual, serving as the control group. The study is designed in collaboration with the teens themselves, ensuring their voices are heard in the process. As co-leader Amy Orben of the University of Cambridge explains, “Children absolutely have to be part of this conversation.”

The trial comes at a time when governments worldwide are grappling with the impact of social media on young people. Australia has already implemented a ban on social media for under-16s, and the UK is considering similar measures. But as Pete Etchells of Bath Spa University points out, “The honest answer is that we don’t know, and that’s why studies like this are so important.” The lack of high-quality research on the causal links between social media use and mental health has been a major gap, as highlighted by a recent report from the UK’s Department of Science, Innovation and Technology.

What makes this study particularly innovative is its focus on moderation rather than prohibition. Teens in the trial will still be able to use messaging apps like WhatsApp, recognizing that social media isn’t inherently bad—it’s how it’s used that matters. As Margarita Panayiotou of the University of Manchester notes, “They find social media a useful space to understand themselves,” but they also see its drawbacks, like the fear of being judged online, body comparisons, and cyberbullying.

The results of The IRL Trial won’t be available until mid-2027, but the implications could be huge. If the study finds that reducing social media use improves mental health, it could influence policies worldwide. But even if it doesn’t, the data will provide much-needed clarity in a debate that’s often driven by fear rather than facts. As Etchells puts it, “If the compliance elements of the Online Safety Act 2023 were actually properly enforced, I think that would go some way to solving some of the issues that we have already.”

In the meantime, the study serves as a reminder that the conversation about social media and mental health needs to include the people most affected: the teens themselves. After all, as one participant in a similar study put it, “We’re not just passive users—we’re the ones living this reality.” And that’s a perspective worth listening to.

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