WHO Study Ranks Israel Fourth in Europe for Teen Social Media Addiction

A World Health Organization survey reveals that Israel ranks fourth in Europe for social media addiction among teenagers, following Romania, Malta, and Bulgaria. At the bottom of the list are Hungary, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. Since a similar 2019 survey, the percentage of Israeli youth classified as addicted has quadrupled from 4.1% to 16.3%.

The representative sample surveyed Israeli students from grades 7 through 12, finding that 28.7% spend at least six hours daily on screens outside school hours. Girls spend more time on screens than boys, with 32.7% of girls versus 24.6% of boys exceeding six hours. Significant disparities were also found between sectors: 20.2% of Arab students were classified as addicted compared to 15.2% among Jewish students.

The study distinguishes between screen time and addiction, noting a global surge in problematic social media use among youth since the COVID-19 pandemic, including in Israel. It also examined the impact of increased social media use on teenagers’ sleep, social interactions, mood, and ability to disconnect. Participants reported exposure to harmful discourse and difficult content, some related to war.

The findings come amid ongoing debates in Israel about enforcing bans on mobile phones in middle schools and concerns over teacher and kindergarten staff shortages ahead of the new school year starting September 1.