Global study: Israel ranks 4th in Europe for teen social media addiction

A World Health Organization study ranks Israel fourth in Europe for teen social media addiction. The rate of addiction has quadrupled since 2019, from 4.1% to 16.3%. A representative sample found that 28.7% of teens spend at least six hours a day on screens outside of school hours, with gender and sector gaps.

A World Health Organization study ranks Israel fourth in Europe for teen social media addiction, behind Romania, Malta, and Bulgaria. At the bottom of the list are Hungary, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. Since the previous survey in 2019, the rate of teens defined as addicted to social media has quadrupled – from 4.1% to 16.3%. A representative sample conducted in Israel among 7th to 12th graders found that 28.7% of teens spend at least six hours a day on screens outside of school hours. Girls spend more time on screens than boys: 32.7% of girls compared to 24.6% of boys. A sector gap was also recorded: 20.2% of students in the Arab community were defined as addicted compared to 15.2% in the Jewish sector. The study distinguishes between screen time and addiction and notes that since the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a global surge in "problematic" social media use, also in Israel. The impact of increased use on sleep, relationships with others, mood, and the ability to disconnect was also examined. Israeli teens reported exposure to offensive speech and difficult content, some related to the war.