Objectives:
The aim of the study was to examine how eighth-grade students perceive the impact of social media on family relationships and to examine how online activity relates to their functioning in offline contexts.

Material and methods:
In April 2025, a cross-sectional quantitative survey with an exploratory-verificatory character was conducted among 127 primary school students from Tychy. Data analysis employed the Mann–Whitney U test and Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient, which allowed for identifying relationships between the frequency of social media use and the quality of family relationships.

Results:
The findings point to the dialectical nature of social media in family life: on the one hand, they provide a platform for maintaining bonds and a sense of closeness; on the other, they have become a new arena for negotiating boundaries and a source of intergenerational tension.

Conclusions:
For contemporary youth, the online and offline worlds coexist and intertwine. Social media do not inherently threaten family bonds; rather, their influence depends on the quality of communication, the level of trust, and the family rules established at home.