Share
Among ten to 15-year-olds, those logging on for four hours a day or more were 89 per cent more likely to drink more often (stock image)
But those who logged on for one to three hours daily were 44 per cent more likely to drink.
Among ten to 15-year-olds, those logging on for four hours a day or more were 89 per cent more likely to drink more often.
Professor Yvonne Kelly said: Experimentation with drinking during adolescence is all part and parcel of growing up. However, the pattern among ten to 15-year-olds in our study is particularly striking, given that the purchase of alcohol for this group is illegal, coupled with the potential problems associated with the introduction to alcohol from an earlier age.
Negative experiences online or exposure to alcohol ads could be behind the link, researchers suggested.
But the new study took place a number of years ago and did not examine all social media channels which are widely used today.
The study, published in the journal Addiction, examined data on 6,700 participants aged 10 to 19 between 2011 and 2013.
And 3,600 of these adolescents were then followed up between 2014 and 2016.
Teenagers were asked about how many hours they spent chatting or interacting on social media sites including Facebook, MySpace and Bebo.
They were also asked about their alcohol consumption.
The study found that 18% of participants aged 10-15 years drank at least monthly, with a greater risk of more frequent drinking for each additional hour of social media use.