WHO Study Warns of Global Rise in Teen Social Media, Video Game Addictions

As popular platforms like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok face a growing number of lawsuits filed by parents, young adults and even school districts, prominent international health experts warn that the U.S. is not alone in confronting a growing crisis associated with social media and video game addiction.

The World Health Organization (WHO) issued a press release last month, warning that it has detected a “sharp rise in problematic social media use” among children worldwide, according to data from 2018 to 2022. The same data also shows that more than one out of every 10 adolescents across the planet shows signs of being unable to control their own use of these social media and video game platforms.

The operators of Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, SnapChat and other popular social media platforms companies have been accused of intentionally ignoring the harmful consequences of their products in recent years, and of refusing to do anything to help address the risk of teen addiction to social media, due to the impact such efforts may have on their profits.

Similarly, video game makers have been accused of purposefully designing games to be addictive, monitoring children’s usage and using that data to lure adolescents into various microtransactions and spending countless hours in front of the screen.

This has led to nearly 600 social media addiction lawsuits being filed across the U.S., with plaintiffs claiming the companies’ tactics have caused self-destructive behavior, anxiety, depression, eating disorders and long-term psychological damage among a generation of teens.

The WHO warning comes from an analysis of data from the Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) study, which surveyed about 280,000 adolescents ages 11, 13 and 15 across Europe, central Asia and Canada.

According to the findings, 11% of adolescents show signs of struggling to control their use of social media and experience negative consequences from the platforms. The data indicates girls are more at risk than boys, at 13% versus 9%.

A third of all surveyed children and teens worldwide indicated they keep in constant contact with friends online, including nearly half (44%) of 15-year-old girls. A third also reported playing video games daily, with 22% saying they play for at least four hours per day. The data found that 12% of adolescents’ video game habits were determined to be problematic, with boys more than twice as likely to show signs of video game addiction—16% compared to only 7%.

“The rise in problematic social media use among adolescents raises significant concerns about potential impacts on young people,” WHO warns. “This trend, if continued, could have far-reaching consequences for adolescent development and long-term health outcomes. Moreover, problematic social media use has been associated with less sleep and later bedtimes, potentially impacting adolescents’ overall health and academic performance.”

Social Media Interventions Needed

WHO officials say that interventions are needed to address social media addiction problems, which should be tailored based on the adolescent’s age, gender and culture. The efforts should focus on the development of digital literacy skills, and promote healthy online behavior, while providing support for those facing challenges of social media or video game addiction or other side effects.

The organization calls for digital literacy to be taught in schools, along with increased access to mental health services. The group also indicates more training is needed for educators and health-care providers about the risks associated with video game and social media addictions. The companies running these sites should also be forced to act more responsibly, enforcing age restrictions, and encouraging responsible use, according to the global health experts.

“Ultimately, what we are seeking to achieve for our children is a solid foundation for life in the digital age, something social media companies and young people alike are beginning to acknowledge and act upon around the world,” concluded Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe. “Digital literacy in the context of child development and well-being, informed by the right knowledge at the right time along with the right health and other support services, are critical.”

October 2024 Social Media Addiction Lawsuits Update

With a steadily growing number of families nationwide now pursuing claims against Meta, Alphabet Inc., Google LLC, YouTube LLC, Snap Inc., TikTok Inc., ByteDance Inc. and other companies, a social media addiction lawsuit MDL was established last year, centralizing cases brought throughout the federal court system before U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in the Northern District of California, for coordinated discovery and pretrial proceedings.

Since each of the claims raise similar allegations and questions of law, the Court has established a bellwether process, where a small group of representative claims will be prepared for a series of early trial dates, which are not expected to begin until at least 2026.

According to a case management order issued by Judge Rogers, following the completion of general fact discovery, the parties are expected to select a small group of representative claims in May 2025, which will be used to help determine how juries may respond to certain evidence and testimony that will be repeated throughout the trials.

Although the outcome of these early trial dates will not have any binding impact on other families pursuing lawsuits, the average payouts awarded by the juries may impact the amount the companies may be required to pay in any social media settlements over the teen addiction problems.