1 in 3 teenagers haven't read a book in the past year due to social media: study

The rise of social media has given people a platform to meet new individuals from any part of the world and share ideas. But it also comes with its fair share of problems as young people face body image issues along with concerns such as bullying as well as social media addiction.

Now a study in the US has revealed another adverse effect of social media as findings show that one in three teenagers haven’t read a book in a year. While 60 percent read a book for pleasure everyday in the 70s, today on 16 percent adolescents indulge in such activities.

Social media usage on an average went up from an hour to two hours a day between 2006 and 2016. Researchers expressed concerns about how this may affect studies of teenagers by making it difficult for them to understand textbooks due to lack of concentration.

This comes after previous research showed how social media platforms like Instagram may be contributing to mental health issues.