The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that social media use among young Europeans is becoming increasingly “problematic”, with many exhibiting addiction-like symptoms.
A study of 280,000 youths aged 11 to 15 from 44 countries in Europe, Central Asia, and Canada revealed that 11% of teenagers showed signs of problematic social media use in 2022, up from 7% in 2018.
“We need immediate and sustained action to help teenagers stop potentially harmful use of social media,” said Hans Kluge, WHO Europe Director, citing links to depression, harassment, anxiety, and poor academic performance.
The study found girls (13%) were more affected than boys (9%), with Romanian teenagers showing the highest rate at 28%, while the Netherlands had the lowest at 3%.
Symptoms mirroring addiction include inability to control excessive use, withdrawal-like feelings when not engaged, neglect of other activities, and negative impacts on daily life.
The WHO also flagged concerns over online gaming, with one-third of teenagers playing daily and 22% gaming for at least four hours.
Despite these risks, the WHO acknowledged the benefits of responsible social media use, noting that 36% of young people and 44% of 15-year-olds reported online contact with friends.
Natasha Azopardi-Muscat, a WHO Europe official, stressed the importance of measures to protect youth in the digital environment, balancing benefits and risks to mental health and social well-being.
The organisation called on national authorities to improve digital environments and implement measures to educate young people on safe navigation of the digital world.
Read more:
