How Tech Created Loneliness

Over the summer, Harvard researcher Laura Marciano interviewed 500 teenagers to study the link between technology and loneliness. Despite being on summer break and active on social media, over half of the teens reported not speaking to anyone—online or in person—in the hour before answering the survey. This repeated pattern revealed how screen time doesn’t necessarily translate to meaningful social connection.

Loneliness is becoming a public health crisis. Americans today spend more time alone, have fewer close friends, and feel more disconnected from their communities than they did two decades ago. One in two adults now reports feeling lonely. U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy declared loneliness an epidemic, warning that it’s driven in part by how tech reshapes our relationships.

Technology’s impact on loneliness isn’t entirely direct—many socially fulfilled people use tech without issue—but researchers found a strong correlation between loneliness and unhealthy tech use. Social media, in particular, can encourage superficial interactions and amplify feelings of inadequacy when people compare their lives to others’ curated online personas.

Dr. Marciano’s pandemic-era review of 30 studies on adolescent tech use revealed that social media often increases loneliness, especially when it leads to negative comparisons. Seeing others getting more likes or looking more attractive, or comparing your child’s progress to others’, can leave users feeling left behind and disconnected.

Not all social comparisons are harmful. Educational psychologist Dr. Chia-chen Yang notes that when comparisons are rooted in learning—such as seeing a friend share a useful deal or opportunity—they can be motivational. Problems arise with judgmental comparisons that provoke envy and the fear of missing out (FOMO), which are common on apps like Instagram.

These platforms are designed to drive validation-seeking behavior. Dr. Yang found that students often delete posts if they don’t receive enough likes. In response to criticism, Meta introduced controls allowing users to hide like counts. Instagram also offers tools like “favorites” to prioritize healthier content, though their effectiveness varies.

A better strategy may be self-awareness. If social media use triggers negative feelings, taking a short break can help reset emotional well-being. As Dr. Yang advised, it’s important to pause and reflect when browsing leaves you feeling worse about yourself.

Studies also show that deeper digital communication—like voice or video calls—is linked to better mental health outcomes. However, teens primarily text, which lacks tone and nuance. Some even report anxiety when responses are delayed. Very few teens—only 2 percent—regularly use video calling, a richer, more connected form of communication.

Dr. Murthy lamented that social gestures have been reduced from calls to posts to just “HBD” messages. Real connection, he emphasized, happens through hearing someone’s voice or seeing their face. During the pandemic, binge-watching and endless scrolling on platforms like TikTok and Netflix also became common coping tools, though studies link these behaviors to anxiety and loneliness.

Dr. Marc Potenza of Yale noted that binge-watching may offer temporary relief but often leads to more stress, physical inactivity, and procrastination. Disabling autoplay features and limiting screen time through in-app tools can help curb compulsive viewing—though many people ignore those reminders.

Looking ahead, experts say the tech-loneliness link is evolving. New sources of anxiety are emerging, such as how many emojis someone uses to comment on a post. Teens are also turning to AI chatbots for companionship, reporting that robots listen without judgment. Dr. Murthy’s conversations with students revealed a generation too absorbed in screens to say hello, unsure how to connect in a culture that no longer values spontaneous interaction.