TOKYO, May 2 (Bernama-Kyodo) -- Seven per cent of Japanese young people aged 10 to 19 are suspected to be "pathological users" of social media, according to a recent survey by a medical institute, suggesting they are too addicted to reduce their screen time.
The nationwide survey conducted by the National Hospital Organisation's Kurihama Medical and Addiction Center also found the figure for that age group was the highest.
Some research findings suggest links between social media use and crime and mental health issues among children.
To protect young people from social media harm, countries such as Australia and Indonesia have moved to ban those under 16 from using social media. Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications and the Children and Families Agency have also been discussing how to handle the issue.
The survey conducted in January and February 2025 by the medical institute based in Kanagawa Prefecture, near Tokyo, covered 9,000 randomly selected people aged between 10 and 79 in 400 locations nationwide, with responses received from 4,650.
The survey asked nine questions, including "Have you made unsuccessful efforts to reduce (social media) use?" and "Have you lied to your friends or your family about how much time you spent?"
Those who replied affirmatively to at least five of the questions may be addicted to social media, according to the centre, which used a method developed overseas.
That threshold was crossed by 7 per cent of respondents aged from 10 to 19, compared with 4.7 per cent among those in their 20s, 1.1 per cent among those in their 30s, 0.8 per cent among those in their 40s and 0.6 per cent among those in their 50s.
Of those suspected of problematic social media use, 30 per cent said they spent "six hours or more" online on weekdays, and 62 per cent said they did so on weekends.
The centre advises households to set rules for smartphone use by children prior to purchase, specifying when and where devices can be used and the consequences for breaking the rules. It also urges parents to set a "good example".
-- BERNAMA-KYODO
