Scale of digital media use and its harmful effects justify action now: The Lancet

A new three paper series published in The Lancet, authored by 13 global experts, calls for immediate coordinated governance of digital systems to address the health risks posed by digital media use. The series, led by Professor Ilona Kickbusch, highlights that digital media use is now integral to the lives of children and young adults, yet the current business models of technology companies prioritize attention capture and data collection over health.

Using an umbrella review of nine million people under 25 across 121 reviews, the authors found consistent associations between problematic digital media use and adverse health outcomes such as mental health issues, sleep problems, and reduced physical activity. While some beneficial links were identified, such as moderate digital media use being associated with higher well-being and active video games promoting healthier lifestyles, the certainty of these findings remains low.

The authors emphasize the need for governments to require technology companies to share data on health impacts with public-interest researchers, providing the legal and technical infrastructure necessary to enable this.

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