Scientists challenge view that internet harms young brains

"There is currently no evidence to suggest that internet use has or has not had a profound effect on brain development," the study concludes
"There is currently no evidence to suggest that internet use has or has not had a profound effect on brain development," the study concludes
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There is no evidence that moderate internet use has a negative effect on the teenage brain, scientists have found.

The latest scientific review challenges arguments made by prominent commentators such as the Oxford neuroscientist Susan Greenfield that teenagers risk permanently damaging their brains by spending too much time in the virtual world.

The authors added, however, that more research was needed before any long-term effects from internet use could be confidently ruled out.

Kathryn Mills, the University College London neuroscientist who led the research, said: “Finding lack of evidence is different to finding evidence of no effect. I have not found evidence that typical internet use is harming the adolescent brain.”

She looked at evidence from 135 studies focusing on “typical” internet use that did