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MEPs said social media dependence should be seen as a disease, a sign of the pressures on technology companies and the growing concern over the impact of social networks on the mental health of users.
Politicians have called for more in-depth research on the effects of social media, but said that a report suggests that there were good reasons to believe that sites such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter – which are constantly competing for users to spend more time on their platforms – could have a corrosive effect on children.
"It is essential to protect young people so that they stay healthy and safe when they are online," said MEPs, who say the government should urgently fund long-term studies. term to determine whether a clinical definition of social media dependence should be proposed. introduced.
The report was written by the multi-stakeholder parliamentary group on social media and youth mental health and well-being, composed of MPs interested in the topic. The report was written with the help of the Royal Public Health Society's (RSPH) charity, which endorsed its findings following a series of hearings on evidence.
The World Health Organization has already proposed to include gambling disorder in the next revision of its manual on the International Clbadification of Diseases, clbadifying it as a mental illness in which priority is given to gambling rather than to gambling. other activities to the extent that the game takes precedence over other interests. and daily activities ".
To diagnose a gambling disorder, the WHO suggests that an individual should have demonstrated a significant alteration of personal, family, social, educational, or professional life due to computer games for at least 12 months. Members suggest that a similar definition could apply to people facing excessive use of social media, if research allowed.
The report also calls on the UK government to issue official health guidelines on how people aged 24 and under can avoid excessive use of social media. It also supports calls to social media companies to share anonymous data with researchers to better understand the impact of their products on young people.
The group, chaired by Chris Elmore of Labor and curator William Wragg, acknowledged that social media has brought many benefits to society, including improved access to public health information. However, MEPs want a 0.5% levy on the benefits of social media networks to fund research and education initiatives and to set clearer guidelines for the public.
Concerns about the impact of social media on children's mental health have increased dramatically in recent years, particularly after a campaign by parents of 14-year-old Molly Russell, who committed suicide. 2017. His father claimed Instagram "Helped to kill" his daughter, which led the social network to ban self-damaging images on his site.
Shirley Cramer, Executive Director of RSPH, said, "This survey clearly highlights the serious and very real concerns of a variety of experts and young people. The main conclusion is the need for social media companies to have an obligation to protect vulnerable users and the need for regulation that would provide much needed health and safety protection for is a digital playground without law. "
She added that additional research should be prioritized "to improve our understanding of health issues, as well as the benefits of social media for our generation of digital natives, and that this research should be supported by the industry itself." ".
The report also recognizes a growing awareness of the tactics employed by high-tech companies to encourage the repeated use of their services. MPs said the government should look for "what aspects of the design of social media platforms are inherently detrimental to the mental health and well-being of young people".
The Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said, "The government will soon release a white paper that will outline the responsibilities of online platforms, how these responsibilities should be performed, and what would happen if they are not. not. An Internet regulator, a statutory "duty of care" on the platforms, and a levy on social media companies are all things we look at as part of our work. "
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