T
he facts are clear: Compulsive use of mobile phones and social media platforms has disrupted our societies. While these technologies are powerful tools for communication and learning, they can also spread hate and violence and become instruments of manipulation and harassment. After warnings from many doctors, psychologists, teachers and lawmakers, a comprehensive study by the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES) has now provided scientific documentation of the damage caused by this "major sociocultural upheaval."
The report highlights the "multifactorial" and "negative" effects on young people's "mental and physical health." Lack of sleep, with all of its harmful consequences, is the most obvious consequence. When children are overexposed to screens, it can have a lasting impact on their intellectual abilities, and it can lead to addiction, frustration and social isolation among teenagers. On average, 7- to 19-year-olds spend three to five hours of screen time per day.
This regrettable phenomenon, which is common to all developed countries, is not inevitable. It is largely driven by the platforms' business models, based on monetizing personal data and aiming to capture their users' attention in order to maximize the time they spend online, even if this requires exploiting base instincts like revenge or voyeurism.
