The World Health Organization warned on Thursday that the “problematic” use of social networks is increasing among European youth, noting that a larger number of them are at risk of gaming addiction.
The organization’s European director, Hans Kluge, said in a statement, “There is a need to take immediate and sustained action to help adolescents stop using potentially harmful social media, which has been proven to lead to depression, bullying, anxiety, and poor educational outcomes.”
Indications of problematic use of social networks were recorded among 11% of adolescents (13% of girls and 9% of boys) in 2022, while this percentage was limited to 7% 4 years ago, according to data from 280,000 adolescents aged 11, 13, and 15 years from 44 countries in Europe, Central Asia and Canada.
This means that symptoms similar to those of addiction appeared among them, including the inability to control excessive use, what is known as withdrawal symptoms and feelings of inferiority, abandoning other activities in favor of social media, and the negative consequences of excessive use in daily life.
It was noted that the most affected by this phenomenon are Romanian teenagers between the ages of 13 and 15, as it affects 28% of them, while the least affected are Dutch teenagers (3%).
It is also concerning that a third of adolescents play online daily, and 22% of them for at least 4 hours, according to what the World Health Organization reported, which indicated that 12% of adolescents engage in problematic behaviors related to gaming (16% of boys and 7% of girls). .
The statement quoted Global Health Officer for Europe Natacha Azzopardi-Muscat as saying: “It is essential to take steps to protect young people so that they can navigate the digital landscape safely and are able to make informed choices about their online activities, by maximizing the benefits while minimizing the risks to them.” Their psychological and social health.
However, the United Nations organization highlighted the advantages of responsible use of social media, especially in terms of communication between those who share the same feelings and interests.
36% of boys and 44% of girls aged 15 years reported that they are in constant digital contact with their friends.
Azzopardi-Muscat stressed that young people “must take control of social networks, and not let them control them.”
From this standpoint, WHO recommended that national authorities improve digital environments and educational measures to enable young people to understand the digital world safely.