UAE: Up to 12 hours on social media, sleeping with phones; why kids’ digital addiction needs to be addressed

UAE: Up to 12 hours on social media, sleeping with phones; why kids’ digital addiction needs to be addressed

Teenagers are spending excessive time on social media, resulting in a lack of sleep, and the impact of this is as serious as drug addiction, experts have warned.

“On average, teenagers spend 6 to 12 hours daily on social media outside school hours. Children are not getting enough sleep of 8 to 10 hours anymore. They often sleep with phones in their hands and wake up in the middle of the night to check messages, videos and how many likes they have [on their posts]. If we’re allowing all of this, it’s become an addiction,” said Hanan Ezzeldin, founder and CEO of The Family Hub.

“Research has revealed that screen time is an addiction like drugs. We, as parents, have to put our foot down and say how much time kids can spend online. We also need to find alternatives to social media use for kids,” Ezzeldin said during a panel discussion held to discuss safety and digital well-being by social media giant TikTok.

She stressed engaging with kids and teenagers, with parents being their role models.

Co-viewing with kids

“First of all, we need to be role models. As a parent, if we are always putting on social media what we eat at breakfast