In sum, do social network sites threaten our mental health? The literature suggests that much depends on whether their use is active or passive, unless there are signs of social network site addiction, or cyberbullying is involved. When engaging actively with social network sites, one may feel more connected, which positively influences mental health. In contrast, passive use of social network sites is negatively related to mental health, especially when this use results in feelings of envy or inferiority rather than social connection.
