Screen Time, Real Impact: Why Youth Mental Health Needs Digital Protection Now

Technology has connected us more than ever — but for young people, it's also brought serious mental health risks. PHOTO: Kaboompics.com

Young people spend more time online than ever: studying, socializing, scrolling and shaping their identities in digital spaces. And while technology has brought people closer in many ways, it has also introduced serious mental health risks for children and adolescents. The good news? Countries can already begin taking steps to protect them.

A new policy brief from WHO/Europe, developed in collaboration with the Polish Ministry of Health and the Digital Transformations for Health Lab (DTH-Lab), issues a powerful call to action. Titled Addressing the Digital Determinants of Youth Mental Health, the report urges governments, tech companies, and communities to come together to create safer, more equitable digital environments for young people.

The Digital Double-Edged Sword

Digital platforms have become just as influential as schools or families in shaping young people’s development, but they often lack the same level of protection. The policy brief highlights this dual impact: while technology can support connection, learning, and self-expression, it can also expose users to harmful content, cyberbullying, unrealistic body standards, and addictive platform features.

The report notes that young people who are already vulnerable whether due to mental health conditions, marginalization or gender are more likely to be negatively impacted by these digital risks. Despite this, safety measures remain limited. Many national policies still place the responsibility on parents and children to manage online risks, while industry accountability and youth involvement remain minimal.

Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, emphasizes that digital spaces now shape youth mental health as much as by schools or families but without equivalent protections.“As digital platforms increasingly shape the lives of our youth,” says Dr Kluge, “we must ensure they are also protecting their mental health, not harming it. We are calling on governments, industry and communities to step up and create digital environments that nurture, rather than neglect, the well-being of our youngest generations.”

A new policy brief calls on governments, tech companies, and communities to come together to create safer, more supportive digital spaces for youth. PHOTO: DS Stories

Who’s Really in Charge of Protecting Youth Online?

One of the key findings from the analysis of national policies across 42 countries including EU-level regulations is that while action is being taken, there is no clear consensus on who is responsible.

Some countries, such as Azerbaijan, Italy, and Spain, focus on parental controls, while others, like Germany and Croatia, rely on age-based regulations. Meanwhile, countries including France, Ireland, and the UK are working to hold digital platforms accountable.

Still, a crucial voice is often left out: young people themselves, along with mental health professionals.“We need to adopt policies and regulations that are targeted, enforceable, and informed by evidence,” says Dr Natasha Azzopardi-Muscat, Director of the Division of Country Health Policies and Systems at WHO/Europe. “And importantly, ensuring young people participate in shaping these developments will allow countries to create policies that actually have impact because they fit young people’s needs and preferences.”

Turning Harm Into Health

The brief outlines eight urgent actions to prioritize youth digital well-being:

• Make digital well-being a national public health priority

• Regulate platform design to reduce addictive and harmful features

• Empower health workers to support safe technology use

• Promote youth-led digital governance

• Invest in offline alternatives to screen-based entertainment

• Apply proven public health strategies to improve digital well-being

• Provide clear guidance for healthy tech use

• Hold industry and commercial interests accountable
  

The brief also references the precautionary principle, encouraging a shift in focus: instead of waiting for harm to be proven, digital platforms should be required to prove their spaces are safe before young people are exposed to them.

Ilona Kickbusch, Director of DTH-Lab, underscores the urgency: “Our review highlights multiple online risks. While not all young people are affected in the same way, there are clearly features of social media and other platforms that have been designed to put profit ahead of young people’s well-being. Creating safe and healthy online environments, and protecting young people from digital harms, must be urgent public health priorities for all countries.”

Young people are eager to be included in this conversation about making digital spaces safe, inclusive, and empowering. PHOTO: Anthony Shkraba Studio

Youth Want to Be Part of the Solution

Young people are eager to be included in this conversation. At a recent international meeting, Catalina Popoviciu, a youth advocate from Romania, offered a thoughtful analogy: “Social media is like a car — it can take you from isolation to connection. But we need the instruction manual, the seatbelt, and a clear understanding of the driving rules and speed limits to ensure we drive responsibly and safely.”

It’s a reminder that digital tools have the power to help but only if they’re designed and used responsibly, with clear guardrails in place.

What Role Will You Play?

At La Playa Media and Marketing, we believe digital innovation should never come at the expense of mental well-being. We’re committed to creating content and experiences that are ethical, inclusive and empowering especially for the young people navigating today’s complex digital world.

It’s time to act. Youth mental health can no longer be an afterthought in the digital age.

How will you help make digital spaces safer for the next generation?

Contact us to learn how your brand or organization can be part of the solution.