
New Delhi: About 93% of the world’s population is connected to the internet and out of this, about 60% or 4.8 billion people are active on social media. The use of social media is increasing day by day and people are also facing health related problems. The young generation these days spends many hours a day scrolling through social media. Children enjoy games and reels. Nowadays the Words such as likes, followers, reach and viral are very frequently used among the young generations.
So far, many reports and studies have come out that talk about the problems faced by the youth due to excessive use of social media. Meanwhile, a recent national survey involving interviews with nearly 50,000 parents in India found that 6 out of 10 youngsters between the ages of 9 and 17 spend more than 3 hours a day on social media or gaming platforms. Seventeen percent of respondents from the state of Maharashtra said that their children spend more than six hours every day on online platforms. Same answer is also given by 22 percent of the respondents across India. The survey also found that children feel happier after spending time on social media or playing games online.
It is also clear from the study that social media is causing more negative effects than positive effects and parents need to be careful now. If the smartphone habit is not inculcated in children from childhood, it will have a good impact on their later life and the young generation will also be healthy.
This study is in line with another report by US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy in 2022 which states that using mobile for 3 hours per day can lead to health problems like depression and anxiety in children. The report described adolescent mental health as a “profound risk of harm” and urged families and governments to set stricter standards for use.