| The World Health Organisation/Europe (WHO) has released a report showing a sharp rise in intensive social media use (SMU) by teenagers, raising concerns about mental wellbeing. The Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) study surveyed nearly 280,000 young people aged 11, 13 and 15 across 44 countries and regions in Europe, Central Asia and Canada in 2022. “It’s clear we need immediate and sustained action to help adolescents turn the tide on potentially damaging social media use,” said Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe. The survey revealed that 36% of adolescents reported constant contact with online friends, defined as using social media platforms “almost all the time throughout the day.” More than one in ten adolescents (11%) showed signs of problematic social media behaviour, reporting addiction-like symptoms, such as an inability to control social media usage, feelings of withdrawal when not online and neglecting other “real-world” activities. Problematic use was also found to be higher for girls than boys (13% vs 9%). The report acknowledges the benefits of social media. In particular, it noted how it helped young people stay connected during the COVID-19 pandemic and showed that non-problematic users displayed stronger connections with their peers. “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 at WHO/Europe. “It’s crucial that we take steps to protect youth to navigate the digital landscape safely and equip them to make informed choices about their online activities.” Digital literacy Speaking at this week’s European Health Forum in Gastein, Conor Warren, the CEO of Spark UK, an organisation founded by young people to work with schools to ‘spark’ conversations about social media and mental health, said, “One of the key actions that we as an organisation feel is important, especially when we are talking to young people we work with, is teaching the ability to critically appraise social media and the content they are looking at.” Spark encourages young people to curate their social media feeds to promote positive content, such as self-care and mental wellbeing. “I always say social media is yours, so you can, to quite a great extent, control what you see,” says Warren. “You choose what camps you follow, you choose what posts you like, and you can really sort of control that. So rather than following those Instagram influences, try and follow accounts that promote mental wellbeing, and that way your social media can become a lot more positive.” Kluge agrees, “By empowering adolescents to make informed decisions about their online activities, balancing their online and offline worlds, we ultimately help safeguard and improve their overall wellbeing. This is crucial for ensuring a healthier, more balanced digital future.” | 