Beyond the Average: Understanding Vulnerability in the Digital Childhood Era

For years, the debate around social media and youth mental health has focused on whether digital technologies are broadly good or bad for young people. Increasingly, however, research suggests the more important question is: for whom, under what circumstances, and at what developmental moments? This session explores how digital experiences affect young people differently based on factors such as age, mental health history, neurodevelopment, sleep, social context, and patterns of engagement. Panelists will discuss the limitations of traditional research approaches, what emerging longitudinal and real-world studies are beginning to reveal, and what new scientific, policy, and public health infrastructure may be needed to better understand and support young people growing up in digital environments.