Social media use among young people is at an all-time high, raising concerns about its impact on children and teens.

According to data cited by Johns Hopkins School of Public Health professor Tamar Mendelson, 95 percent of teens use social media, and nearly 40 percent of children ages 8 to 12 are on the platforms.

Mendelson says there are significant risks associated with that usage.

“Including exposure to racist and sexist content, unrealistic beauty standards, disinformation, and cyberbullying,” she said.

She adds that young people are especially vulnerable because they are still developing their identities and coping skills.

“They’re also still developing their identities, their sense of who they are and so this is really a sensitive period in development that can have long lasting implications for teens transitioning into a healthy adulthood,” Mendelson said.

With mounting evidence that social media harms mental health, Mendelson says it is crucial that young people engage in more in-person activities and spend less time on social media.

WSB Radio’s Graham Carroll contributed to this story.