Social media has become the invisible tether pulling teenagers deeper into their phones and away from real life. Across the globe, this addiction is eroding mental health, with alarming statistics in countries like the United States and Hungary underscoring the need for urgent action. Yet, while some governments are tightening regulations to curb Big Tech's influence, others are tackling the issue from distinct cultural and legal perspectives. The global question remains: can we teach a generation glued to screens how to reconnect with reality?
Teenagers today find themselves navigating an increasingly precarious digital landscape, where the lines between online and offline realities are blurred. The pervasive influence of social media - designed to capture and commodify attention - has created a crisis for youth mental health. Studies show a correlation between time spent on social media and the onset of mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. About 1 out of 3 teen girls and 14% of boys felt worse about their bodies due to using Instagram, and it was proven that students who deactivated their Facebook account for a month experienced lower levels of depression and anxiety.
This crisis is a global epidemic, with one in seven 10-19-year-olds experiencing a mental disorder, fueled by addictive algorithms, privacy violations, and unchecked access to harmful content. The problem also seems to be worsening, not just because of social media, but its effect coupled with the pandemic, during which many children suffered from prolonged isolation and a lack of interactions.
In response, the U.S. is turning to legislative measures to confront this challenge. Connecticut, Vermont, Illinois, New Mexico, Maryland and Minnesota are all in the process of creating or updating parental-consent laws, and New York passed comprehensive bills aimed at preventing the exploitation of users' personal data and curbing the use of "addictive" algorithms designed to keep children engaged with social media platforms. Under these new regulations, companies could face fines of up to $5,000 per violation of data privacy or algorithmic manipulation rules. These laws also require platforms to disclose how their algorithms work, and whether they manipulate users to increase engagement. The state's Attorney General's Office has also taken the initiative to create a hotline and an online portal for social media-related complaints, signaling a robust commitment to enforcing these new laws.
On a federal level, the American Privacy Rights Act seeks to empower citizens by giving them greater control over their personal data. Despite fierce lobbying efforts by companies like Meta, TikTok, and Google, these measures are gaining momentum. Notably, the Act places significant emphasis on sensitive data categories, including biometric information and data related to children under the age of 13. In addition to mandating clearer and more conspicuous disclosures from companies collecting such data, the Act seeks to enhance privacy protections for geolocation data by restricting its use for individual identification. However, while these regulatory measures are promising, they may not be sufficient to fully curb the data collection practices of Big Tech companies. The fundamental issue lies in the business models of these companies, which thrive on user engagement and the monetization of personal data.
In this regard, the European Union has already introduced several pieces of legislation in order to tackle this problem. While some of them seem to be effective, compliance might be hindered by the lack of strong enforcement mechanisms and the leniency with which some companies handle fines. For these reasons, I believe that this federal legislation, coupled with several states’ bills, is a step in the right direction, but stronger rules of enforcement are necessary.
In the wake of the Hungarian presidency of the Council of the EU, the country has taken significant steps to develop legislation which protects the youth from digital harm. Recent amendments to child protection laws mandate internet service providers to block access to pornographic sites at parents’ request, using a government-curated blacklist. This law reflects Hungary's broader approach to internet safety, placing significant responsibility on service providers to ensure that harmful content is filtered, thus offering more control to parents and guardians. Furthermore, the Hungarian Competition Authority's scrutiny of TikTok resulted in commitments to enhance privacy settings for minors, promote parental controls, and create a dedicated Data Privacy Centre. These measures are complemented by educational efforts emphasizing responsible digital behavior, aimed at teaching children that social media is not a substitute for real life.
The Hungarian legal framework also incorporates provisions to protect children from exposure to cyberbullying and to create a safer online environment. The country’s laws impose more stringent duties on internet service providers to monitor and intervene in cases of harmful online content, with more severe consequences for sexual offenses involving minors.
However, it is crucial to recognize that the problem does not lie solely in the technology itself. Rather, it stems from how society has allowed it to reshape childhood and adolescence. Children today face unprecedented pressures, from the lingering effects of pandemic isolation to fears about climate change, inflation, and global instability. Social media amplifies these stressors, exposing teens to a relentless stream of curated perfection, harmful content, and cyberbullying.
Both Hungary and the U.S. understand that laws alone can’t solve this problem. Teens need alternatives - meaningful offline connections and community engagement. The key lies in teaching young people how to navigate the digital world without losing sight of face-to-face human interaction. To this end, fostering AI literacy and using artificial intelligence to educate both parents and children about the risks of excessive screen time could play an essential role in addressing this growing problem.
As social media continues to hold sway over the lives of young people, it is crucial for governments, educators, and tech companies to work together in creating a safer and more balanced digital environment. Only by combining regulatory efforts with comprehensive educational programs and a shift in societal values can we hope to foster a generation that is both digitally literate and mentally resilient.