New York, Jan 11 (NationPress) A significant portion of children aged 11 and 12 are active on TikTok, Instagram, and various other social media platforms, ignoring the age restrictions set by these sites. Many of these young users exhibit addictive behaviors related to social media, as highlighted by a research team.
The US Supreme Court is anticipated to support legislation that could lead to a ban on TikTok in the United States starting January 19. Currently, TikTok boasts around 170 million users nationwide.
Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat mandate that users be at least 13 years old to create an account.
However, the research indicates that a significant number of 11 and 12-year-olds across the nation possess accounts on these platforms, with 6.3 percent admitting to having a social media account that they conceal from their parents.
“It is crucial for policymakers to consider TikTok as a broader social media issue and devise effective strategies to safeguard children online,” stated Jason Nagata, a pediatrician at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals and the primary author of the study.
This research involved data gathered from a national sample of over 10,000 children aged between 11 and 15, and the findings were published in the journal Academic Pediatrics.
In a previous investigation, Nagata identified that problematic social media usage among children included addictive characteristics, such as the inability to stop using it despite attempts, withdrawal symptoms, increased tolerance, conflicts, and relapses.
In the current study, 25 percent of children with social media accounts reported frequently thinking about social media apps, and another 25 percent admitted to using these apps to escape their problems. Furthermore, 17 percent claimed they had tried to reduce their social media usage but were unable to, while 11 percent mentioned that excessive use of social media negatively impacted their academic performance.
“Our investigation revealed that a quarter of children indicated signs of addiction while engaging with social media, with some as young as eleven years old. The findings suggest that underage social media engagement is associated with increased symptoms of depression, eating disorders, ADHD, and disruptive behaviors,” the researchers concluded.