“We are totally exposed”: Young people share concerns about social media’s impact on privacy and mental health in global survey

Key Takeaways:

• 59% of young people surveyed by Amnesty International now spending more than two hours of their average day on social media
• Two major concerns stand out: 
  • the “addictive” platform design and its effect on young people’s mental health 
  • feelings of powerlessness in the face of global companies’ 
• 74% of respondents report checking their social media accounts more than they would like to
• More than half of the surveyed young people had bad experiences, encountering “racism, violence and bullying”, forms of political persecution, antisemitic campaigns, and unwanted sexual advances by other users
• 93% of the participants said they had encountered mis- or disinformation
• 86% have previously blocked users in response to content they did not want to see