Study: Hundreds of Thousands Struggle with Social Media Addiction - Germany's youth face rising social media addiction despite reduced screen time

A new study has revealed concerning trends in social media use among young people in Germany. Over a quarter of children and adolescents now display risky or addictive behaviour online. Researchers warn that the problem is worsening despite a slight reduction in overall screen time.

Since 2019, health insurer DAK-Gesundheit and the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) have surveyed more than 20,000 young people aged 10 to 17. Their latest 2024 study, involving around 6,000 participants, found that 6.6% meet the criteria for pathological social media use. This translates to roughly 350,000 children and adolescents in Germany with a clinical-level dependency.

On average, young people spend 2.7 hours on social media during weekdays and 3.3 hours on weekends. While screen time has slightly decreased, addictive behaviour continues to rise, according to DAK-Gesundheit CEO Andreas Storm. He cautioned that more young people are at risk of developing dependency issues.

The findings have sparked political debate. The Social Democratic Party (SPD) has proposed banning social media for people under 14. Meanwhile, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) plans to discuss a motion setting a legal minimum age of 16 for platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook.

The study highlights a growing public health concern, with hundreds of thousands of people affected by problematic social media use. Political parties are now pushing for stricter regulations to address the issue. The debate over age restrictions and platform access is expected to intensify in the coming months.