The “unchecked expansion” of social media platforms is driving an unprecedented global mental health crisis in kids and teens, a children’s non-governmental organization said yesterday, calling for urgent coordinated action worldwide.
The KidsRights report said that one in seven children and adolescents aged 10 to 19 faces mental health issues, with the global suicide rate at six per 100,000 for those aged 15 to 19.
Even those high rates represent “the tip of the iceberg,” as suicide is widely underreported due to stigma, the Amsterdam-based group said.
File photo: AP
“This year’s report is a wake-up call that we cannot ignore any longer” KidsRights chairman Marc Dullaert said.
“The mental health ... crisis among our children has reached a tipping point, exacerbated by the unchecked expansion of social media platforms that prioritize engagement over child safety,” Dullaert said.
The report said what it termed “problematic” social media use was on the rise, with a direct link between heavy Internet use and suicide attempts.
However, blanket bans are not the answer, the group added.
Australia passed a law to ban social media use for children younger than 16.
“Such blanket bans may infringe on children’s civil and political rights,” including access to information, the report said.
The group urged “comprehensive child rights impact assessments” at a global level for social media platforms, better education for children and improved training for mental health professionals.
The report seized on the popularity of the Netflix series Adolescence, which highlights some of the toxic content children view online.
The series “demonstrated global awareness of these issues, but awareness alone is insufficient,” Dullaert said.
“We need concrete action to ensure that the digital revolution serves to enhance, not endanger, the well-being of the world’s 2.2 billion children,” he said. “The time for half-measures is over.”
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