Experts from around the world, including Canada, are raising alarms about the pervasive use of digital technology among children and youth, describing it as a public health issue requiring immediate intervention. A collection of papers published by the Lancet highlights the urgent need for responsibility regarding the safety of young users to shift from families and individuals to technology companies and government entities.
Co-author Jay Shaw, serving as the Canada Research Chair in responsible health innovation at the University of Toronto, stated in an interview, “It’s easy to think about how technology impacts our health as being about our individual choices. And one of the things that we really want to get across in this series is that that’s not the right way to think about it.” The series emphasizes that parental efforts like screen-time limitations are insufficient to tackle the "digital determinants of health," which now permeate young people's daily environments.
Shaw further elaborated on the issue, saying, “We need to think about the design choices and business models of big technology companies that have built these platforms that are designed for engagement and to keep us on them.” The papers assert that the manner in which social media companies generate revenue—by maximizing user engagement and harvesting personal data—contributes significantly to adverse health outcomes, including addiction. The concept of “infinite scroll” exemplifies a design feature that makes it difficult for users to disengage, exacerbating mental health issues.
The analysis detailed in the Lancet identified several documented harms linked to problematic digital media use among young people, such as increased rates of depression, anxiety, sleep disturbances, and decreased physical activity, based on an umbrella review of 2,790 studies. Despite these concerns, the review also noted some health benefits associated with moderate digital media use and engaging video games, underscoring the complexity of evaluating digital technology's overall impact.
Big tech companies have often dismissed allegations of mental health harm by claiming a lack of sufficient causal evidence. The authors of the Lancet papers recognize the challenges in establishing causation but argue that the magnitude of digital media's influence, coupled with the vulnerability of certain individuals, justifies precautionary public health actions. These actions include government oversight and reforming tech companies' business models to prioritize young people's well-being.
Australia has already enacted regulations limiting social media access to individuals aged 16 and over, with other nations, including Canada, contemplating similar laws. Canada's proposed legislation—Bill C-34, known as the Safe Social Media Act, and Bill C-36, the Protecting Privacy and Consumer Data Act—aims to create a Digital Safety Commission to oversee technology companies and restrict social media use for those under 16. According to Shaw, “It’s that logic of incentivizing digital media companies to demonstrate safety that is the key, I think, to all of this.”
While acknowledging the advantages of digital platforms for education and social interaction, Shaw contended that a comprehensive ban on social media for younger teens may not be the most effective solution. He emphasized the vital need for tech companies to enhance the safety of their platforms for young users. Current safety measures on platforms like Instagram, which has a minimum age limit of 13, include settings that allow parents to manage screen time and control messaging capabilities for users under 16.
The Lancet series used insights from six young adults aged 23 to 30 who participated in a youth advisory group. Yifan Zhou, a 30-year-old Canadian member of this group, acknowledged the positive aspects of social media, such as facilitating connections and access to information. However, she also expressed concerns about the detrimental effects of digital platforms, including feelings of loneliness and anxiety stemming from online comparisons and experiences of exposure to online predators among her peers.
Dr. Michael Cheng, a psychiatrist affiliated with the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, emphasized the increasing concern regarding social media's addictive nature and its mental health repercussions. He noted that the inquiries of young patients have shifted from questions about parental visits during hospital stays to concerns about retaining access to their cellphones.
Both Zhou and Cheng indicated that the rapid advancement of digital technology has outpaced existing governmental regulations, but they remain optimistic about the potential for change. Zhou expressed hope that the publication of the Lancet papers would encourage more youth involvement in discussions about their digital futures. “The release of this paper is something that gives me hope, and I am also quite active in the youth scene and I see that young people are more and more taking agency in terms of co-creating our own futures,” Zhou noted.
