YouTube, TikTok and Snapchat – they’re just a few of the banned social media sites for Australian teenagers under 16. But while the push to protect young people from too much screen time continues, a major Adelaide University study shows that a balanced approach to social media might not be so bad.

New research from the Natural Hazards Center at the University of Colorado Boulder highlights the altruistic acts of youth during the pandemic and suggests that their experiences may have prepared them to respond to future disasters with greater empathy and resilience.