European Teenager Spend too Much Time on Social Media and Playing Games

The WHO has issued an alarming report on the problematic use of social media and digital games by young people in Europe. Although the trend appears to be true, the incomplete data basis for the gaming statements does not make them universally valid.

The European office of the World Health Organization (WHO) has presented new data on the use of social media and digital games by young people, which is alarming. According to the data, the proportion of young people who show problematic use of social media rose from seven percent in 20 However, it was more extensive than almost any other survey in the media sector. A total of 280,000 young people aged 11, 13 and 15 were interviewed in 44 countries in Europe, Central Asia and Canada.

However, the focus was not only on possible negative consequences, but also on the use of social media itself. "This study reveals both the promise and the pitfalls of digital engagement for our young people," said Dr Natasha Azzopardi-Muscat, Director for Country Health Policies and Systems, WHO Regional Office for Europe. "It’s crucial that we take steps to protect youth to allow them to navigate the digital landscape safely and equip them to make informed choices about their online activities, maximizing the benefits while minimizing the risks to their mental and social well-being. In short, they should rule social media, and not have social media ruling them."

Also, Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, says: “It’s clear that social media can have both positive and negative consequences on the health and well-being of adolescents. That’s why digital literacy education is so important. Yet it remains inadequate in many countries, and where it is available, it often fails to keep pace with young people and rapidly evolving technology. We are seeing the consequences of this gap, with worse likely to come, unless governments, health authorities, teachers and parents recognize the root causes of the current situation and take steps to rectify it."

In addition to behaviour on social media, the survey also presents findings on the use of games, which are equally disturbing. 34 percent of adolescents play games daily. And 12 percent of all young people show problematic usage behaviour. In this context, the gender-specific differences are interesting. While a proportionally higher number of girls have a problematic use of social media, the same applies to boys when it comes to games. Specifically, 16 per cent of all young men, compared to 7 per cent of all young women, show problematic gaming usage.

However, there is a limitation regarding the data on games. The usage data was collected on a voluntary basis. Specifically, usage data for games was only reported from the following countries: Cyprus, Czechia, Estonia, Germany, Iceland, Malta, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, United Kingdom (England) and United Kingdom (Scotland).

Germany, Slovakia and Scotland only reported on usage of games and did not provide any information on the proportion of problematic usage. It is therefore questionable whether the figure of 12 per cent also applies to young people in Germany, especially as a more detailed analysis of social media use shows that there can be significant differences from country to country. The figure for problematic social media use fluctuates between 5 per cent (Netherlands) and 22 per cent (Romania). At 10 per cent, Germany is just below the average.