Worrying effects on mental health in adolescents
The mental health crisis among children and adolescents worldwide has reached a critical point due to the “uncontrolled expansion” of social media , according to a report by the children’s rights group KidsRight, published June 11.
Research by this Amsterdam-based organization and Erasmus University Rotterdam shows that one in seven people between the ages of 10 and 19 suffers from some type of mental health problem.
“This year's report is a wake-up call that we can no longer ignore,” said Marc Dullaert, founder and president of KidsRights, in a statement.
“ The mental health crisis among our children has reached a critical juncture, exacerbated by the uncontrolled expansion of social media, which favors use over safety,” he said.
The KidsRight Index is an annual report produced by this foundation, which assesses the level of adherence of 194 countries to children's rights and the extent to which they are making efforts to improve them. And in its 2025 report, KidsRights identifies a "disturbing correlation" between the deterioration of children's mental health and what it describes as "problematic" social media use, i.e., addictive consumption that disrupts users' daily lives.
He also observed a correlation between excessive consumption of internet content and suicide attempts.
The global suicide rate stands at 6 per 100,000 among adolescents aged 15 to 19, the document states, citing figures from the World Health Organization (WHO).
However, the report noted, sweeping restrictions— such as Australia's decision to ban children under 16 from accessing social media —are not the best solution either.
"Such strict prohibitions can violate children's civil and political rights," including access to information, the KidsRight Index said.
The text therefore urged a more comprehensive and subtle approach that takes into account minors' access to educational content and, at the same time, prevents their isolation.
The report notes that "technological advances in recent years have opened a Pandora's box of challenges and opportunities."
Among the latter, she highlighted access to information, but on her list of challenges, she included children's exposure to bullying, psychological violence, sexual exploitation, gender-based violence, and misinformation.
eltiempo
