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Students look at their phones in Melbourne, Australia, on November 28, 2024. Photo: AFP

It is not unusual to see families go out for a meal together but each one is looking at their phone instead of talking to each other. While we enjoy staying connected with each other via social media, the whole community is suffering from its negative effects.

The heavy use of digital devices and social media platforms has led to alarming consequences for young people. In Hong Kong, the most recent Student Health Service annual health report highlights concerns that “excessive and inappropriate use of internet and electronic screen products can negatively affect many aspects of children’s physical, psychosocial and mental health development”.

Popular culture, from the recent Netflix drama Adolescence to the documentary The Social Dilemma, also underscores the dangers that our hyper-connected youth can face. It’s clear from these examples, and from our daily experiences, that the negative effects of social media are real. Research shows that too much screen time can disrupt sleep, impair concentration and replace much-needed physical activity with sedentary scrolling.
The psychological effects could be even more severe. Young people are regularly subjected to unrealistic portrayals of life online, harming their self-esteem. A survey by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention reveals that adolescents engaging in three or more hours of daily internet use in non-academic settings show markedly elevated levels of enduring anxiety and depression.

But what’s to be done? Asking today’s teenagers to unplug completely can feel like removing them from their primary social sphere. Such an abrupt change in their routine could lead to conflict between parent and child.

Without better education, regulation and community support, parents can find themselves stuck in an uphill struggle against a digital world designed to be addictive.
Technology companies employ highly specialised “attention engineers” whose job is to maximise user engagement. Photo: Shutterstock
Technology companies employ highly specialised “attention engineers” whose job is to maximise user engagement. Photo: Shutterstock
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