More than 80 percent of young people reported experiencing “fear of missing out” (FOMO) from social media, especially the increasingly popular social location-sharing app Zenly, a Child Welfare League Foundation survey found on Tuesday.
The foundation from Nov. 10 to Dec. 9 last year surveyed 1,818 junior-high and high-school students, asking them about their social media use and its potential effect on their well-being.
The most commonly used social platforms were Facebook Messenger, used by 80.4 percent of respondents, followed by Instagram (77.5 percent), Facebook (72.9 percent) and Line (72.2 percent), the survey found.
Photo: AFP
Newer platforms were also fairly popular, led by Douyin — the Chinese version of TikTok — at 55.1 percent and Zenly at 33.3 percent.
Commonly called “Popsicle” after its icon, Zenly is a social app that enables people to share their real-time location with close friends, as well as other information such as battery status and charging time.
In addition, 66 percent of respondents said that making friends online was easier than in person, the foundation told a news conference announcing the results of its survey.
However, increasing social media use also heightens exposure to online dangers, the foundation said, citing an increase in online solicitation.
The survey found that 26.5 percent of respondents reported having been solicited by a “special request” online, 6.3 percentage points higher than in the foundation’s 2020 survey, it said.
The most common request experienced by 14.1 percent of respondents was to enter into a romantic relationship, it said, adding that this request also saw the greatest increase from the previous survey.
Next were requests to video chat at 13.1 percent, followed by requests to meet in person and supply personal information at 9.9 percent each, it said.
The foundation said that 86.9 percent of respondents said they have experienced FOMO from social media — far higher than the 69 percent recorded in separate surveys in the US.
As a result of FOMO, 23 percent in the Taiwanese survey said they have felt lonely or developed low self-esteem, it added.
People susceptible to FOMO were particularly affected by Zenly, with users reporting higher rates of anxiety, insomnia and other negative emotions than people who do not use the app, the foundation said.
They also reported spending more time on the app out of a need to feel welcomed by others, it added.
Reducing the risks associated with social media requires collective effort, the foundation said.
This includes cooperation from platforms to add warnings and provide resources where people can find help, it said.
Schools should also improve online literacy education and create a trusting environment where children are willing to seek help, it said, adding that parents should also keep an eye on their children’s social media habits and set time limits.
If experiencing negative effects from social media such as anxiety or insomnia, the foundation recommended calling its hotline at 0800-001-769 or making an appointment with a counselor.
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