THE World Health Organization warned today about the increase in the “problematic” use of social networking sites among young people and its implications.
“We need to take immediate action to to help teens prevent potentially harmful use of social mediawhich has been shown to lead to depression, bullying, anxiety and poor academic performance,” WHO Europe Director Hans Kluge said in a statement.
In 2022, 11% of teenagers (13% of girls and 9% of boys) showed signs of “problematic use” of social media, whereas in the past this percentage was 7%, according to data collected from a sample of 280,000 young people aged 11, 13 and 15, from 44 countries in Europe, Central Asia and Canada. In other words, the adolescents presented symptoms similar to those of addiction: inability to control excessive use of the medium, feelings of deprivation and abandonment of other activities to focus on social networks, with negative consequences in their daily lives.
This phenomenon is particularly evident among Romanians adolescents aged 13 to 15, as it affects 28% of these young people. At the other end are the Dutch people teenagers, with only 3%.
1/3 of teenagers play online games every day
Another source of concern is the fact that one third of teenagers play online every day and 22% of them play for at least four hours, the WHO revealed. Of these children, 12% show “problematic behavior” in relation to toys (16% for boys, 7% for girls).
“It is essential that we take action to protect young people so that they can navigate the digital environment safely and are able to make choices about their online activities, maximising the benefits and minimising the risks to their mental and social well-being,” said Natasha Azzopardi-Muscat, WHO Europe official.
The UN agency highlighted the benefits of responsible use of social media, especially for those with similar interests.
36% of boys and 44% of girls aged 15 reported that they are in constant “digital” contact with their friends.
WHO recommended that national authorities improve the digital environment and educational measures so that young people approach the digital world safely.
Source: AMPE, AFP