Social media use among youths is not about hours alone, but what those hours do

The key concern isn't merely the duration of time young people spend on social media, but the potential impact that usage has on various aspects of their lives. An hour of social media per day might appear innocuous, but if that hour consists of compulsively checking likes, seeking validation, or isolating from real-world friendships, experts argue it could indicate a more serious underlying issue that demands intervention.

Singapore's Ministry of Health panel, in a report submitted to the government on July 30, emphasizes that the line between excessive and problematic social media use is crucial. While the panel defines excessive use as more than three hours daily, it doesn't suggest that time alone determines the health of a young person's social media habits. Instead, the critical question is whether online activity intrudes upon other life areas.

Assistant Professor Andrew Yee, a member of the panel from Nanyang Technological University, notes that adolescents could spend four hours daily on social media without compromising their well-being if their online interactions translate to real-life friendships, they maintain good sleep and eating habits, and they can meaningfully disengage from their phones.

However, the situation shifts when social media replaces rather than supplements real-world relationships. Spending even one hour daily online could become problematic if young people obsess over likes and comments, feel negatively about their appearance, or withdraw from in-person friendships.

Senior counsellor Shawn Soh from Touch Community Services highlights that such behavior might stem from emotional distress, loneliness, identity struggles, or a strong desire for social approval. In these cases, interventions could involve counselling, enhancing coping skills, improving emotional regulation, and promoting healthier ways to meet these needs.

Experts urge that simply instructing youths to limit their phone usage may overlook the core issue. The panel recommends addressing specific social media elements that contribute to harmful usage, such as infinite scrolling, autoplay functions, algorithm-driven feeds, and social validation features like like counts and follower numbers.

Infinite scrolling could make it challenging for users to realize when a session ends, potentially delaying important activities and causing guilt. Autoplay may encourage prolonged use, possibly displacing physical activity and face-to-face interactions vital for healthy development. Algorithmic feeds could expose users to distressing or harmful content, while visible popularity metrics might foster social comparison and a need for validation.

However, resolving this issue falls on more than just platforms or regulators. Panel co-chair Lim Choon Guan suggests organizing cyber-literacy workshops for parents at neighborhood centers to help them comprehend harmful platform features and available safeguards. Since July, TikTok and Touch Cyber Wellness have initiated workshops for parents and teenagers in Bukit Batok East, focusing on social media readiness and online safety.

Yee emphasizes that parents should move beyond merely monitoring screen time and instead understand the nature of their children's online activities. "Different forms of digital engagement—like watching cooking videos on YouTube or viewing friends' activities on Instagram—differ significantly from brainrot-type scrolling on TikTok," he points out.

Parents could also engage in the online activities their children enjoy, such as watching cooking videos, while helping them grasp how various digital interactions might affect their well-being.

Educational institutions also play a role in teaching young people to recognize when their online behavior becomes unhealthy. Counsellor Soh proposes guided discussions and scenario-based learning that prompt students to contemplate how online content impacts their emotions, self-esteem, sleep, and relationships. For instance, they could ask how certain content makes them feel, why they are drawn to it, and whether their online interactions affect their mood, self-esteem, sleep, or relationships.

The overarching message is clear: the conversation surrounding young people and social media should shift beyond mere time spent. An adolescent who spends several hours online but remains socially connected, physically active, well-rested, and emotionally stable may face different risks than one who spends less time online but becomes consumed by comparison, validation, and withdrawal.

The focus should not solely be on the amount of social media consumption but whether the platforms contribute positively to the youths' lives or gradually replace them.