Young people’s risky use of media up to 50 times worse than their use of cannabis, alcohol

Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and computer games pose a more immediate threat to teens than alcohol and cannabis, according to new research in Germany that sheds light on the number of teens with dangerous and addictive digital media habits. “We are facing a tsunami of addiction disorders among young people, which I believe we are completely underestimating,” says Rainer Thomasius, medical director of the German Centre for Addiction Research in Childhood and Adolescence (DZSKJ) at the University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), which carried out the study together with health insurer DAK. The study found that more than a quarter of all 10- to 17-year-olds show risky or pathological use of social media, and 4.7 per cent are what experts consider addicted. “The figures for problematic media use are five to 50 times higher than for risky cannabis or alcohol consumption in this age group,” Thomasius says. Although media use, unlike alcohol or cannabis, only has an indirect effect on a person’s central nervous system, the effects on the reward system in the brain are the same. In both cases, there is a risk of addiction. “More and more of the same is sought and a loss of control occurs,” Thomasius says. “The enormous amount of time consumed by media use then leads to other areas of life being neglected.” A loss of control over one’s media behaviour can have serious consequences for young people. In many cases, it can lead to a drop in their school performance, often to the point of failing. On top of this come social isolation, the loss of leisure interests and family conflicts. Boys are particularly affected, with 6 per cent of them meeting the criteria for pathological media use, while the figure for girls is around half as high, at 3.2 per cent, the study says. Girls often have more pronounced social skills during puberty, Thomasius says. They are socialised differently according to their gender role and isolate themselves less often than boys. This is a key aspect when it comes to developing a powerful addiction. The distinction between risky and pathological media use is not always clear, Thomasius says. “A typical early symptom is a drop in performance at school and a loss of interest in lessons.” However, a crisis in puberty, or emotional strain resulting from stress among school friends, could also explain such problems. Use is considered pathological when the symptoms persist for at least 12 months. The study deliberately used the 12-month criterion to avoid premature diagnoses and to ensure differentiation from temporary crises during puberty. [Educating your child] is a time-consuming process that requires patience and a knowledge advantage over your own children – especially when it comes to assessing media dangers Rainer Thomasius Parents should intervene quickly, before an addiction develops, if youngsters are using social media in a risky way, Thomasius says. It is crucial parents use their intuition and that they have a good relationship with their child. Alongside consistently regulating the time and content of media use, it is particularly important for parents to show an interest in their children’s online activities, he says. “They should provide guidance. They should be good mentors and moderators.” But many parents are overwhelmed by today’s media and are not sure how to handle it, he says. Much handling is needed, however, if you are going to be able to steer your youngster’s social media use. You need your media skills plus a high degree of consistency when it comes to educating your child, Thomasius says. “This is a time-consuming process that requires patience and a knowledge advantage over your own children – especially when it comes to assessing media dangers,” he says. Many parents are struggling and are not able to provide these skills. Some 40 per cent do not take sufficient care to limit their children’s media use in terms of time. Meanwhile, a quarter of parents do not moderate the content that their children access online. “That’s actually an alarming finding,” Thomasius says. New TikTok tool to help teens wind down at night TikTok is introducing a new mindfulness tool to help teen users wind down before bed and move away from the app’s feed. The Wind Down tool will automatically turn on if a TikTok user under 16 is on the app after 10pm, interrupting the For You feed with a full-screen takeover while playing calming music. The company said it will also begin testing additional meditation exercises as part of the feature. The update also features new parental control tools, including Time Away, which enables parents to block teenagers from TikTok during specific times, such as family meals, school, at night or during a holiday. Val Richey, TikTok’s global head of outreach and partnerships for trust and safety, said the platform wanted to offer “ongoing support” to teenage well-being. “The idea is based on some research that we’ve reviewed around meditation being helpful in improving sleep quality,” he said. The update, part of TikTok’s Family Pairing tools – which enable parents to link their own account with those of their children and monitor their usage – is also adding increased visibility for parents into their child’s TikTok network, giving them the ability to see who follows them and who their child has blocked. Richey says the company aims to strike the right balance between allowing teens their independence and enabling parents to monitor them, “providing an environment where important conversations can happen”. Like what you read? Follow SCMP Lifestyle on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also sign up for our eNewsletter here.

Young people’s risky use of media up to 50 times worse than their use of cannabis, alcohol

More than a quarter of 10- to 17-year-olds show risky or pathological use of digital media, study says, with 1 in 20 considered addicted