How many teenagers are addicted to the Internet and online games: WHO report
Research shows that excessive use of gadgets is associated with less sleep
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Among teenagers from the countries of Europe, Central Asia and Canada, the level of problematic use of social networks and games is “dramatically increasing”. More and more children of middle and high school age have symptoms of Internet addiction.
This is stated in reports European Regional Office of the World Health Organization (WHO).
WHO experts believe that problematic behavior on the Internet can be expressed in:
- inability to control the use of social networks and online games or to refuse them;
- neglecting other forms of activity;
- faced with the negative consequences of excessive use of the Internet in everyday life.
In the course of the study in 2022, sociologists interviewed almost 280,000 teenagers aged 11, 13 and 15 from 44 countries and regions, including Austria, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Estonia, Iceland, Kazakhstan and Armenia.
Ukrainian children did not participate in the survey.
The results showed that more than 1 in 10 teenagers (11%) have signs of problematic behavior in social networks and difficulties with controlling the time during which they use their gadgets.
Girls suffer from it more (13%) than boys (9%).
In WHO called the obtained indicators are a “sharp increase”, since in 2018 only 7% of teenagers had symptoms of Internet addiction.
“This raises serious concerns about the impact of digital technologies on young people’s mental health and wellbeing”– the WHO notes.
In addition, more than a third (36%) of teenagers are constantly in contact with friends via the Internetanother 34% of respondents play digital games every day.
The results of the survey showed that 1 in 5 teenagers (22%) spend at least 4 hours a day playing games. At the same time, boys are more prone to addiction to this type of entertainment.
According to estimates by the organization’s experts, 12% of children of middle and high school age have signs of addiction to games.
The rise in problematic use of social media among teenagers “raises serious concerns” about the potential impact on young people, the organization says.
The previous ones research showed that Internet addiction has a connection with lower mental and social well-beingas well as higher risks of using psychoactive substances.
Also, excessive use of social networks and games has been linked to less sleep and falling asleep late, potentially affecting the overall health and performance of adolescents.
Scientists discovered the relationship between signs of online game addiction and lower life satisfaction, more frequent complaints of psychological problems, and less peer support.
Instead, the report highlighted the benefits of responsible social media use, including stronger peer connections and the ability to build social connections.
WHO experts say that improving the digital environment and education can help teenagers learn to use the Internet wisely.
“It is vital that we take safeguards to enable teenagers to navigate the digital space safely and prepare them to make informed choices about their online activities by maximizing the benefits and minimizing the risks. That is, they should manage social media, not the other way around.”said Dr. Natasha Azzopardi-Muscat, Director of Country Health Policy and Systems of the WHO Regional Office for Europe.
We will remind that in 2023 the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) called ban the use of mobile phones in schools. This was explained by the need to protect children from cyberbullying and improve the academic performance of schoolchildren.
