Partnering with tech to help adolescents thrive: Q&A with Yalda Uhls

Yalda T. Uhls is an assistant adjunct professor of psychology at UCLA and CEO and founder of the Center for Scholars & Storytellers at UCLA, a leading organization bridging developmental science with entertainment and media creation. A former senior executive at MGM and Sony Pictures, she now collaborates with studios, streaming platforms, and game companies to bring research-based insights into storytelling and youth-focused content.

We recently caught up with Uhls to talk about the center's recent release of a content creator's guide with YouTube, social media bans and teen accounts, among other topics.

Tell me about your center's partnership with YouTube, the new creator's guide, and why content creators will be motivated to follow such a guide.

The Center for Scholars & Storytellers (CSS) at UCLA has worked with YouTube for many years, leading workshops for creators focused on child and adolescent development. These research-based sessions were consistently well received, prompting YouTube to expand the work into a global guide for creators.

YouTube Kids had previously developed a guide for early childhood, and as the platform recognized the need for similar guidance for adolescents, they partnered with CSS given our expertise with ages 13-17. An advisory group of experts, including organizations such as the American Psychological Association and Unicef, helped ensure the guidance was evidence-based and practical.

Key topics include adolescent brain development, responsible approaches to mental health content and ways creators can serve as positive role models. Creators are likely to follow the guide because YouTube has a history of encouraging adoption through education, promotion and creator engagement, rather than enforcement alone. CSS will also support rollout through workshops with creators globally.

How does social media affect teen mental health?

Social media's impact on teen mental health is significant and multifaceted - both positive and negative. The research shows it's not simply that social media is "bad" for teens, but rather that it affects different teens in different ways depending on how they use it - and their vulnerabilities. How social media affects a teen depends heavily on their individual differences and circumstances. Negative effects include anxiety, depression, body dissatisfaction and sleep deprivation. These are real issues and can impact many teens. Positive effects include social connection, identity exploration, creative expression and learning about new hobbies.

It's worth noting that the mental health impact of social media doesn't occur in isolation. Only 58.5% of U.S. teens always or usually receive the social and emotional support they need. When teens lack adequate in-person support and connection, they may turn to social media hoping it will fill that gap, but social media interactions - while sometimes helpful - are often more superficial than face-to-face connection and may leave teens feeling more isolated rather than supported.

What are the signs of social media addiction or problems?

What researchers refer to as "problematic social media use" is a real concern and shares features with other behavioral addictions. The most observable sign is excessive time investment. Spending more than two hours per day on social media increases the risk of problematic use, and over three hours daily is associated with roughly double the risk of anxiety and depression symptoms. Adolescents who show escalating patterns of use over time are at particularly elevated risk.

Another key indicator is disruption of essential health behaviors. Red flags include staying up late scrolling, chronic sleep deprivation, skipping meals, abandoning hobbies or withdrawing from sports and in-person social activities.

However, it's important to note that not all heavy use is problematic. Some teens spend significant time online intentionally to maintain friendships, express creativity or engage with supportive communities. The critical distinction is whether the use is within the teen's control and whether it serves meaningful purposes rather than feeling compulsive or distressing. Another distinction is whether it harmfully disrupts healthy behaviors.

Do social media bans (in schools/at home) actually work? What are the pros and cons of banning phones/social media for teens?

Broad social media bans, such as restricting platform access for teens, often sound appealing but tend to be blunt tools. Critics, including youth themselves, argue that bans are likely to be ineffective and may push teens into less regulated and potentially riskier online spaces. Without teaching young people the skills to navigate digital environments safely, the underlying vulnerabilities remain.

Bans tend to reduce visible use for a while, but they don't reliably reduce underlying problems (addiction, poor mental health, academic stress). They can create new risks instead. Evidence from other countries supports this concern. In China, gaming bans reduced official play time but did not resolve addiction or well-being issues, while creating heavy surveillance and black markets. South Korea repealed its gaming curfew in 2021, replacing it with parent-choice tools and education.

The primary benefit of bans is that adults feel they have taken decisive action, and some highly vulnerable youth may experience short-term protection. The downside is that many teens, especially marginalized youth such as LGBTQ+, neurodivergent and racial or ethnic minority teens, lose access to critical sources of community and support that may not exist offline. Education and skill-building tend to be more effective long term than prohibition alone.

What do you have to say about Instagram's teen accounts? What do they do and how do they help?

It's encouraging that Meta is beginning to acknowledge teen well-being, but skepticism is warranted. These efforts came largely in response to public pressure rather than proactive concern, and Meta is not widely trusted by parents or researchers. Teens can still easily work around many of the restrictions, particularly because there are no meaningful age-assurance mechanisms in place. As with past efforts, self-regulation tools often require users to opt in, limiting their effectiveness.

More importantly, the focus has largely been on messaging parents and the media rather than meaningfully educating teens or content creators about adolescent development and well-being. Without integrating education, research-based design and creator accountability, these changes are unlikely to produce lasting impact. Structural changes matter, but they are not sufficient on their own.

How can I protect my teen from cyberbullying/online predators?

Protecting teens online requires a balanced approach that combines education, communication and trust. While cyberbullying and online predation are serious concerns, they affect a smaller proportion of teens than media coverage often suggests. Risks such as cyberbullying, sexting, exposure to pornography and interactions with strangers seem to impact fewer than 20% of adolescents, and prevalence has not risen dramatically despite increased access to digital technology.

That said, certain teens are more vulnerable due to factors such as personality, mental health challenges, limited social support or risky online behaviors. This highlights the need for targeted strategies rather than blanket restrictions. Open communication, ongoing education about digital safety, and helping teens develop their own judgment and coping skills are among the most effective protections - especially for youth already at higher risk.