Amid growing concerns about problematic gaming and social media behaviour, and pointing to the increasing negative impact of social media on young people’s mental health among European adolescents, Natasha Azzopardi Muscat, WHO Director for Health Policies and Systems in Europe, during the European Health Forum in Austria, proposed that countries regulate smartphone use like tobacco, urging countries to take inspiration from other public health areas where legislation has helped tackle potentially harmful habits, on Wednesday, the 2nd of April, reports Politico.
Measures including age limits, price controls and even no-tobacco zones work effectively to regulate tobacco consumption and could be taken as a model to curb harmful use of smartphones, for example, she said.
“Maybe we need to think about where digital devices should be used, and maybe it’s time to start thinking about places where certain digital devices should not be used,” just as we have banned smoking in certain places, she said.
Another important element would be to ensure that children and adolescents – regardless of their background, ethnicity or social status – are “educated, equipped and empowered”, she added, equipping them with the right knowledge “to manage the digital world and not let the digital world manage them”.
A recent WHO study of nearly 280 000 adolescents aged 11 to 15 in Europe, Central Asia and Canada found an increase in problematic gaming and social media use.
More than 10% of young people have difficulty controlling their social media use, with girls (13%) more likely than boys (9%) to do so.
In addition, 12% are at risk of problematic gaming, where boys are more than twice as likely as girls to show signs of gaming addiction.
“As with anything, these tools can be handled well and effectively,” said Azzopardi Muscat. But problematic use of smart devices is increasingly being reported, and “we know that this can ultimately affect educational outcomes, mental health and well-being, productivity in the labour market,” she said.
The link between social media use and adolescent mental health is becoming increasingly topical, and this summer European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced “the first ever Europe-wide study on the impact of social media on young people’s well-being”.
WHO’s Muscat stressed the importance of gathering evidence but warned against delaying action, saying that decisions on effective measures must be taken immediately.