It is something that we have all, most likely, heard about or read articles on, especially in recent years. It is the problem of the younger generation and their access to online content, use of social media and the harmful implications of the cyber-communities. But what does the actual evidence tell us? This article takes a brief look into the health implications, specifically the harmful impact, that access to the online world may have. Specifically, the use of digital devices by the younger members of society and what impact, if any, this may have.

A Look at the Figures:

From 2012 to 2018 the adolescent population who had access to smartphones increased drastically, from 50% to 83% respectively (Twenge, 2020). Similarly, adolescents who used social media increased to over 80% and time spent online more than doubled (Twenge et al., 2019).

Online & Risk:

While a direct link between online interaction and harm (internal and external) is hard to prove, there are plenty of research studies that show a connection. The consensus is more directed at a generation with many mental health problems who also have more access to online/offline ‘screen time’. If there is a causal effect, and one of these has a direct impact on the other, it is not clear. Rather, the likely cause of health problems is the allocation of their time. Individuals may not be harmed by access to online material alone. The problem is more likely the type of content being accessed (Twenge, 2020).

The Good?

While pro-apocalyptic, analogue, and anti-digital folk would assign as much blame as possible to the digital/screen-time impact on negative health problems, this is not the case. Certain materials may aid in health concerns. Firstly, access to knowledge that the online world, as well as a written document, contains, will increase the reader’s awareness. Those who receive digital storytelling as a part of education have improved cultural awareness and creativity (Menet et al., 2020). In addition, a study found that young individuals who took part in reading had positive health benefits, including relief from depression, within just 5 weeks (which is better than many of the pharmacological treatments for depression). The results showed improved mindfulness, optimism, happiness, and less anxiety and depression (Arslan et al., 2022).

The Bad?

Firstly, we might consider the time allocation that access to online content has. When we spend time doing one thing, naturally, we are not able to do another thing. And on any given day, we can only do so many tasks. Recently, the US has highlighted the distraction that ‘cell phones’ create in the classroom, with 72% of students being distracted by them (Hatfield/Pew Research, 2024). Despite 20% of schools saying it was not a major problem, there is a push for legal regulation to be put in place, limiting the distraction.

& The Ugly?

A lot of the negative implications of online access come from the fact that it is a non-conventional form of interaction. Some argue it is beneficial and simply a new form of social interaction. The consensus, however, is more in support of it being a bad thing, lacking in social interaction. They argue that such interaction comes with a cost. Some of the results suggest that the increase in adolescents accessing this form of behaviour may increase anxiety, loneliness, isolation, self-harm, and suicidal ideation (Twenge, 2020).

End Note:

While the research might sound dramatically negative, it is important to remember that causality is rarely shown—only some kind of link. Given that reading material, and knowledge are so readily available online, as is the material that lacks intelligent information, there is a huge scope for what individuals can access. This said, perhaps educational establishments, and ideally the internet in general, could have some form of regulation on intellectual material. The long-term effects of recent spikes in technology usage will have interesting insights to come, in future research, where we will learn a lot more that will be of use. 

There is a lot of research that has yielded conflicting results. Additional time and more robust research techniques will add clarity to this important issue.

Keywords: #online #risk #screentime #time #safeguarding  #digital #phones #internet #safety #interaction #anxiety #depression 

References:

Arslan, G., Yıldırım, M., Zangeneh, M. et al. Benefits of Positive Psychology-Based Story Reading on Adolescent Mental Health and Well-Being. Child Ind Res 15, 781–793 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12187-021-09891-4

Fact Sheet Internet and Technology. Washington, DC, Pew Research Center, 2019. https://www.pewinternet.org/fact-sheet/mobile. Accessed Feb 28, 2020.

Twenge JM, Martin GN, Spitzberg BH: Trends in US adolescents’ media use, 1976–2016: the rise of digital media, the decline of TV, and the (near) demise of print. Psychology of Popular Media Culture 2019; 8:329–345

Twenge JM. 2020: https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.prcp.201900

Hatfield. PewResearch. 2024: https://www.pewresearch.org/?p=171296

Memet, K., et al. (2020). Investigation of the Effect of Digital Storytelling on Cultural Awareness and Creative Thinking. Education & Science. 2020; Vol 45, Issue 203, p309