Study: 48% of British Teens Feel Addicted to Social Media

Facts

• According to the University of Cambridge researchers' analysis of data from the Millennium Cohort study, nearly half of British teenagers feel they have become addicted to social media platforms.¹
• The study, carried out by the Centre for Longitudinal Studies at the University of London, examined the lives of more than 18K children born in the UK between 2000 and 2001.²
• When the cohort was aged between 16 and 18, they were quizzed about their social media use. About 48% of the 7K respondents agreed or strongly agreed with the statement, 'I think I am addicted to social media.'³
• The total number of respondents who said that they felt addicted included a higher proportion of girls (57%) compared to boys (37%).⁴
• While the researchers insisted that the children's self-perceived social media addiction isn't akin to drug addiction, with many respondents feeling they have lost control over their use of digital interactive media, researchers claimed that it does indicate a problematic relationship with social media use.⁴
• The study comes as multiple US school districts sue social media giants, including Meta, ByteDance, Alphabet, and Snap, accusing the firms of deliberately making their platforms addictive for children.⁵

Sources: ¹Evening Standard, ²Wales Online, ³Daily Mail, ⁴Guardian and ⁵Firstpost.

Narratives

• Narrative A, as provided by New York Times. Social media companies have been knowingly enticing and ensnaring young people with their algorithms and misleading the public about the substantial, addictive, and compulsive dangers of their platforms' use — all for profit. Tech giants must pay restitution and develop ways to make their social media products safer for children.
• Narrative B, as provided by Verge. Social media companies generally have robust safety policies and parental controls. They are committed to providing children with age-appropriate, safe, and positive experiences even though they aren't legally liable for harm caused by their platforms. Importantly, more study is needed to determine what real digital addiction is and what the signs and consequences could be.
• Narrative C, as provided by Huffington Post. While the vast power social media companies have acquired is regulated by anemic federal oversight, parents should have greater control over their teenage and adolescents' social media use. Social media companies may or may not bend their knees, which is why parents must become their offspring's first line of defense.

Predictions