Almost half of British teens feel addicted to social media, research says

According to the findings of a new research, which used data from the Millennium Cohort study, almost half of British teenagers say they feel addicted to social media.

These findings come amid mounting pressure for big tech companies to be held accountable for the impact of their platforms on users.

The latest research, by Dr Amy Orben’s team at the University of Cambridge, is tracking the lives of about 19,000 people born in 2000-2002 across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. 

When the cohort were aged 16-18 they were asked, for the first time, about social media use. Of the 7,000 people who responded, 48% said they agreed or strongly agreed with the statement “I think I am addicted to social media”. 

A higher proportion of girls (57%) agreed compared to boys (37%), according to the data shared with the Guardian.

There has been growing concern about the potential for digital technologies to drive compulsive behaviours, with the World Health Organization establishing “gaming disorder” as a diagnosis in the International Classification of Diseases.