Youths “We must master social media, not let social media master them.” This warning from Dr Natasha Azzopardi-Muscat, head of the European branch of the World Health Organisation (WHO), who published a study on the subject on Wednesday 25 September, reflects the challenge facing society with an increasing number of young people at risk of developing an addiction.
In 2022, 11% of adolescents (13% of girls and 9% of boys) show signs of problematic social media use, up from just 7% four years earlier, according to data from 280,000 young people aged 11, 13, and 15 from forty-four countries in Europe, Central Asia, and Canada.
In other words, they exhibit symptoms similar to those of addiction: inability to control excessive use, feelings of withdrawal and abandonment of other activities in favor of social media, and negative consequences of excessive use in daily life.
This phenomenon is most common among Romanian adolescents aged 13 to 15, affecting 28% of them, and less so among Dutch adolescents (3%).
“We need immediate and sustained action to help teens stop the potentially harmful use of social media, which has been shown to lead to depression, bullying, anxiety and poor academic outcomes.”WHO Director for Europe Hans Kluge said in a statement.
Gaming addiction is also in question
Another cause for concern is that one third of adolescents play online games daily, 22% of them for at least four hours, said WHO, which specifies that of the entire cohort, 12% of adolescents have problematic gaming behaviour (16% of boys and 7% of girls).
“It is essential that we take steps to protect young people so they can safely navigate the digital landscape and make informed decisions about their online activities, maximising the benefits and minimising the risks to their mental and social wellbeing.”says M.me Azzopardi-Muscat, cited in a press release.
The UN agency recommends that national authorities improve digital environments and educational measures to enable young people to safely understand the digital world.
The UN highlights the benefits of responsible use of social media, including connecting people who share the same passions and interests. Thus, 36% of young people, and 44% of 15-year-old girls, say they are in constant digital contact with their friends.
