According to a recent survey, 1.1 million Italians under 35 have a high risk of social media addiction
It happens to everyone to find themselves compulsory social pages or scrolling endlessly through video reels, only to realize that time – more than expected – has flown away forever. THE social media are designed to induce this type of behavior. What is a distraction for many, however, for some can turn into a real disturbance. According to a recent survey conducted by the Demoskopika institute, a considerable number of Italians, equal to approximately 1.1 million under 35 years oldis at risk of developing a dependence from social media.
Addiction to social media: why it worries
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Raffaele Rio, president of Demoskopika, underlines that the data emerging from the research confirms one growing concern regarding the behavioral risks associated with the excessive and pervasive use of social media. It is therefore essential to understand what the most exposed categories to this phenomenon e outline effective strategies to protect them.
results of the study
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According to the analyzes conducted, it emerges that they are 430 thousand individuals between 18 and 23 years old, 390 thousand between 24 and 29 years old and 308 thousand between 30 and 35 years old showing worrying signs of addiction to social media. Among the warning signs, a strong desire to consistently use social mediadifficulty limiting or controlling use, constant worry about social media activity, and impairment of other important activities such as study and work, due to excessive use.
studied for pleasure
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Through a combination of psychological techniques, engineering design, and various types of incentives, social networks create an environment in which users are incentivized to stay connected and engaged constantly. One of the key elements is the use of variable rewards, similar to those used in gambling games, such as “I like it”, the little hearts and notifications, which trigger the release of dopamine in the brain, thus creating a reward loop that leads users to constantly return to the platforms. These rewards are often unpredictable, which amplifies the effect that could be addictive to some.
Features like it infinite scroll, specially developed to extend usage time, allow users to seamlessly navigate through content without interruption. This prevents the brain from taking a break and fuels it a loop of endless interactions. And it’s not a random choice: technology companies employ large numbers of engineers and designers to optimize the user experience and make the more engaging platforms. Every sound, color and notification is carefully designed to activate emotional responses And behavioraland maintain a high level of what professionals call “engagement”, i.e. the involvement and participation of users.
the need to intervene
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“To date” explains the Institute, “politics does not seem particularly attentive or, at best, seems locked in limbo of meditation on what measures to put in place to stem the ‘dark side of the Internet’. In this direction it would be useful to start a widespread communication campaign of the Presidency of the Council”. Also because, we read in the study, the impact of social media is increasingly pervasive and relationships through the mobile phone screen surpass the live ones: the majority of respondents said they use social media every day (85.7%) or a personal computer (79.8%). For approximately 7 out of 10 young people, listening to music or watching television occurs mainly through digital platforms (67.4%). Only the 36.7% of young people see friends in person every day, and just 17.3% spend their free time with relatives and family.
the regions most at risk
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The analysis of the Italian regions, reports Handlereveals a mixed picture of the impact of social media addiction. Sicily, Campania and Umbria have the highest rates of young people at risk, with percentages slightly higher than 11% of the under-35 population, accounting for 106.8 thousand, 131.4 thousand and 16,500 individuals respectively. Likewise, regions such as Lazio, Tuscany, Abruzzo, Valle d’Aosta, Trentino Alto Adige, Marche, Puglia, Basilicata, Molise and Piedmont exceed 10% of young people at risk, with numbers ranging from 2,300 to 109.1 thousand individuals. Although the survey was focused on 3 thousand young people residing in Calabria, the researchers highlight that, given the broad representativeness of the participants and the coherence in the consumption patterns of social media among young people in the country, the results obtained can be generalized at the national level. And experts seem to have no doubts: these data provide an important regional overview that highlights the need for targeted interventions and preventive policies on a national scale, to address a problem that is becoming increasingly pressing.
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