A majority of people in the Netherlands would back a social media ban for teenagers under the age of 16, a survey on social media trends has shown.

Some 63% of the 6,685 respondents would favour a ban, up 6% compared to last year. However, support for a ban grew most among 16 to 28-year-olds – from 44% to 60%.

According to Newcom, which conducted the survey, 2.6 million of the 14.6 million people in the Netherlands who are active on social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook and TikTok, feel less happy because of it, compared to 2.4 million last year.

Just over seven million people think that scrolling, liking and sharing messages on social media threaten mental health.

Newcom director Neil van der Veer said side effects from social media use are multiplying. “It is having a major impact on mental health and loneliness is also a growing problem,” he told broadcaster NOS.

Van der Veer said no single social media platform is responsible for the detrimental effect on mental health. However, the more time spent on social media, the unhappier people become, he said.

The findings also show that, contrary to popular opinion, young people are not opposed to rules around social media use, Van der Veer said.  “The figures show an enormous shift in one year. This is the generation that has the experience. They see the dangers most clearly,” he said.

The most common reasons for supporting a ban are the fact that children are unable to cope with the negative effects, as well as the pressure to go online and exposure to inappropriate content.

The main argument against a ban is that children also learn social skills via social media.

Floor van Bakkum, from the Jellinek addiction clinic, said addiction to social media use in the Netherlands is rare. “Many people have trouble limiting their use but not to the extent that they need addiction treatment,” she said.

Van Bakkum said she does support preventative measures such as banning phones from classrooms.

Australia

Australia recently introduced a social media ban for the under-16s, with fines for platforms in breach of the rules of up to €28 million. Britain and some EU countries as well as the European Commission, are contemplating a similar ban.

Message app Snapchat recently settled out of court with a 19-year-old American woman over claims the app caused her to become addicted, damaging her mental health. She has also started legal action against Meta social media companies Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp and others.

These cases are ongoing. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is expected to testify in the upcoming trial shortly.