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TikTok wants to limit daily usage time for teenagers
by Martin Jungfer
Non-stop mobile and PC use: media addiction among children and young people has increased
20.3.2023
Translation: machine translated
Computer games, TikTok, YouTube, streaming: according to a DAK study, around 2.2 million children and young people in Germany are at risk of becoming or are already addicted to media.
Media addiction is a problem for 2.2 million children and young people in Germany. 600,000 girls and boys in Germany are already addicted to social media and computer games. This is the result of a study carried out on behalf of the DAK health insurance fund. A total of 1,200 families with children aged between ten and 17 were surveyed five times between September 2019 and July 2022.
Compensating for loneliness and stress
Since 2019, the number of young people with a problematically high media consumption of computer games, streaming services or social networks has doubled, according to the study. According to the study, the number of children who are addicted to computer games has risen from 2.7 per cent in 2019 to 6.3 per cent in June 2022. The number of children addicted to social media rose from 3.2 per cent to 6.7 per cent.
The coronavirus pandemic was cited as one of the reasons for the increase. The restrictions imposed have led to increased consumption among young people to compensate for loneliness and stress. However, despite the easing of restrictions, digital media remained important in the lives of young people - for example, to keep in touch with friends or to combat boredom.
7 per cent of Swiss teenagers have a problematic relationship with media
Similar problems exist in Switzerland: an addiction monitoring study conducted by the Federal Office of Public Health in 2015 concluded that seven per cent of young people aged between 15 and 17 use the internet "problematically". Although this group is not affected by addiction per se, they are at an increased risk of developing mental and physical problems.
Who is considered a media addict?
The World Health Organization defines a person as being addicted to media if they have lost control of their usage behaviour over a period of one year, withdraw from other areas of life and do not change their behaviour even when negative consequences occur.
Children now spend a third more time on social media and computer games than before the start of the pandemic, according to the DAK study. According to the study, children use media on average as follows:
- Computer games: two hours a day during the week and three hours a day at the weekend
- Social media: three hours a day during the week and almost four hours a day at the weekend
The use of streaming services has been analysed in the study since November 2020. According to the study, it peaked in May 2021 with almost three hours on weekdays and four hours at weekends. Since then, however, it has been declining again and is now a good third below this figure.
Boys more frequently affected than girls
Boys in particular are considered to be more at risk than girls when it comes to playing computer games. According to the DAK study, two out of three computer game addicts are boys. However, the ratio for addiction to social media is roughly equal. Overall, older children and adolescents are more at risk of developing an addiction than younger children.
DAK sees need for action
The statutory health insurance provider DAK sees a need for action. Its CEO Andreas Storm warns: "If action is not taken quickly now, more and more children and young people will slip into media addiction and the negative trend can no longer be stopped." The expansion of prevention and support services is important. Those affected should therefore learn to better assess the dangers of their user behaviour. Parents also have a duty to do this, for example by reflecting on their own media usage behaviour and recognising problematic media consumption in their children.
Cover photo: Pexels/Jessica Lewis Creative
A true local journalist with a secret soft spot for German pop music. Mum of two boys, a dog and about 400 toy cars in all shapes and colours. I always enjoy travelling, reading and go to concerts, too.
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