A recent report from the World Health Organization (WHO) has shed light on the growing concern of problematic social media use among adolescents worldwide. The study, conducted between 2021 and 2022, surveyed nearly 300,000 children aged 11, 13, and 15 from 44 countries in Europe, Central Asia, and Canada.
The findings reveal that over one in 10 adolescents exhibit signs of problematic social media use, characterized by symptoms such as difficulty controlling social media consumption and distress when use is restricted. This behavior is linked to lower mental, social, and academic well-being.
The report notes a significant increase in problematic social media use among adolescents, rising from 7% in 2018 to 11% in 2022. The increase is more pronounced among girls, particularly 13-year-old girls, who saw a 6 percentage point jump in problematic social media use.
The study also highlights the widespread nature of online interactions among adolescents, with 36% of respondents in each age bracket reporting constant online contact with friends and strangers. A staggering 44% of 15-year-old girls reported being in constant online communication.
In contrast, adolescent boys are more likely to struggle with online gaming, with 48% of 13-year-old boys playing online video games daily. One-fifth of all adolescents reported playing online video games for extended periods, with some sessions lasting four hours or more.
The WHO’s findings have sparked calls for increased regulation and measures to protect young people from the potential dangers of social media. In the United States, public health advocates have been vocal about the need for stricter controls on online content, with the Senate recently passing two measures aimed at protecting minors from harmful content.
Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has also proposed the introduction of mandatory warning labels on social media sites, similar to those used on tobacco products, to caution users about the potential risks of prolonged social media use.
