> From all the evidence I’ve seen, the disastrous effect of social media is everywhere but in the data.
This study doesn't say anything about the effects of social media on students.
It finds that phone bans in schools are not associated with measurable improvements in mental health. This is not the same as saying that social media and phone use aren't harmful, it only means that phone bans in school don't independently improve mental health outcomes.
A similar study from a couple of years ago [1] reached the same conclusion, however they had more data which exposed the hidden correlation (emphasis mine):
> Implications of all the available evidence
> This study does not provide evidence to support the use of school policies that prohibit phone use during the school day in their current form, given that no differences were observed in mental, physical, and academic outcomes for adolescents attending schools that permit, versus restrict phone use. However, the negative associations found between increasing time spent on phones/social media and worsened mental health and wellbeing do provide evidence on the need to address phone and social media use in adolescents, and school policies should be developed as part a more holistic approach. Preventative efforts should also consider how other behaviours that influence mental health and wellbeing are influenced by increased phone/media use, such as sleep, physical activity, attainment, classroom behaviour and problematic use.
[1] https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanepe/article/PIIS2666-7...
This study doesn't say anything about the effects of social media on students.
It finds that phone bans in schools are not associated with measurable improvements in mental health. This is not the same as saying that social media and phone use aren't harmful, it only means that phone bans in school don't independently improve mental health outcomes.
A similar study from a couple of years ago [1] reached the same conclusion, however they had more data which exposed the hidden correlation (emphasis mine):
> Implications of all the available evidence
> This study does not provide evidence to support the use of school policies that prohibit phone use during the school day in their current form, given that no differences were observed in mental, physical, and academic outcomes for adolescents attending schools that permit, versus restrict phone use. However, the negative associations found between increasing time spent on phones/social media and worsened mental health and wellbeing do provide evidence on the need to address phone and social media use in adolescents, and school policies should be developed as part a more holistic approach. Preventative efforts should also consider how other behaviours that influence mental health and wellbeing are influenced by increased phone/media use, such as sleep, physical activity, attainment, classroom behaviour and problematic use.
[1] https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanepe/article/PIIS2666-7...